UC Irvine

This is a book about families—in particular, families that are taking inventive approaches to coping with the stresses of our changing society as the United States enters the 2020s after a global pandemic. Our focus in this introductory chapter is on how families manage the deteriorating health of a member. Some families handle things well and some don’t. Of course, one still-popular option is placing our infirm elders in assisted-living facilities. We appreciate that some of you have had the good fortune to never have visited a nursing home. We want to change that. Before you read another page in this book, we have a little homework assignment for you—call up the nicest nursing home in your area and ask for a tour. The easiest way to find one is to go to Medicare.gov, input your zip code, and hit Search. You can also narrow your search on the website by price and needs if you like. Contact information is listed as well as consumer evaluations. But nothing will be as informative as your own visit. When you get there, take a look at both the assisted-living apartments and the medical care facilities. Be sure to ask to see their state-produced quality report, called either a Form 2567 (from the U.S. Health Care Financing Administration) or the state inspection survey. We believe that after that tour, you will be more interested in the ideas in this book. So, seriously, close the book and make the call now. Close the book and call!