From the Publisher
According to Women's Educational and Industrial Union Director Mary Lassen, "With the aging of the population, the need for long term care is growing. At the same time, the rising number of women in the workforce makes caring for an elderly parent or relative in the home more difficult. The purpose of this guide is to help health professionals and consumers understand the variety of long term care options available so they can make the best choices for their clients, themselves, or a loved one." Massachusetts Extended Care Federation Chairman Steven W. Garfinkle stated, "As providers, we believe strongly that an educated consumer is our best customer. Unfortunately, we see too many families thrust into our long term care system with too little information, too little coordination of services, and too much guilt. It is our hope that this new guide will help families better understand our state's long term care resources and encourage health professionals to work together to create the kind of seamless long term care system that consumers expect."