About the Book
Baby Boomers have demanded that nursing homes change, that
they no longer be a place of last resort, just a warehouse for
those who are old and disabled. Instead, visionary advocates and
practitioners are transforming both the culture of nursing homes
and the way we view aging.
In Old Age in a New Age, award-winning journalist Beth
Baker takes readers on a journey ito some of the best places in
America for elders to live. In these remarkable nursing homes,
residents have a say in their everyday lives, enjoy an
environment that looks and feels like an ordinary home, live with
dignity and purpose, and find comfort in close relationships with
caregivers.
Baker's visits to more than two dozen facilities include those
associated with the Eden Alternative, Green House, Kendal and
the Pioneer Network - where she made some surprising discoveries:
- Better care doesn't have to cost more
- Staff can be valued partners, not high-turnover, expendable
cogs
- Children, pets and gardens can be a part of daily life
- Dementia symptoms are reduced in a home-like environment
Praise for the Book
"My 100-year-old mother is one of the many older people whose
negative image of nursing homes made her plead with me never to
put her in one... After my mother reads Beth Baker's well-written,
thoughtful and authoritative account of this revolution in older
residences, it should persuade her that she will be much happier
in one of these than with a caretaker and the social isolation of
a center city condominium."
- Leonard Hayflick, Past President of the
Gerontological Society of America
"In 45 years' advocating for quality care in nursing homes,
I've not seen anything more promising for fundamental change than
the culture change movement... This informative book illuminates
the philosophy and the practicalities of culture change. It can
bolster the efforts of all who seek on-going quality in long-term
care."
- Elma Holder, Founder, the National Citizens'
Coalition for Nursing Home Reform
About the Author
A former hospital worker herself, Beth Baker is a freelance
journalist, a regular contributor to the Washington Post
Health Section and the AARP Bulletin. Baker is the winner
of two Gold National Mature Media Awards for her reporting on
aging.
