In every other era of human history extended families lived together for their entire lives. But in the 20th century, the practice of moving elder loved ones into retirement or nursing homes became common as families no longer lived in houses large enough to accommodate the extended family. But the living conditions in many of these facilities are often harsh and undignified.
There is work to be done on improving the quality of America's elder care facilities. One thing is clear, barring any serious medical needs, both the elderly and the family caregivers prefer in-house care. Because of flaws in our social service-system many family members cannot get the support they need for in-home care.
On this edition of OPEN FORUM we look at the state of elder care in America and weigh in on the issue of aging.
video comes here
