By Donna Calame, Executive Director
San Francisco: In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority

In my experience, most people – including policy and decision makers – are not much aware of long term care (LTC) issues until they, or a close family member or friend, have faced the need for assistance from some one else in order to conduct their lives.  If we are lucky enough to live a long life, most of us will face some incapacity for self-care: we will not be able to shop or cook for ourselves; we will not be able to get out of bed without assistance or dress ourselves; some one else will have to assist us with bathing and hygiene; transport outside of our homes will be limited.  When that happens, where do we want to live?  Who do we want to help us?  And who answers those questions?  Do we maintain as much control as our mental and physical capacities allow over our life circumstances?  Or does someone else, including decisions made in institutional settings, make those decisions for us? Read more »