Happily Ever Older: Revolutionary Approaches to Long-Term Care

"Bientraitance," a French word for the concept of treating people who are ill or elderly with respect and humanity, informs this nicely written book by Canadian journalist Welsh. It is a timely addition to the literature on aging. Welsh is an investigative reporter with an eye for detail; her work has been focused on the senior residential scene for nearly two decades. While acknowledging that there are no absolute solutions, she writes here about promising experiences at a variety of model institutions across the United States and Canada where the primary emphasis is on flexibility and the well-being of residents. She acknowledges the challenges each institution faces in engaging staff, and negotiating zoning laws and other legal issues. Chapter notes support Welsh’s research, and she makes a strong case for the need for complex data collection and more intergenerational education in the field, though anecdotal evidence about the numerous institutions and various casts of characters can be a little overwhelming. At some point, Welsh was tipped off to the fact that writing about demoralizing conditions wouldn’t change things; people needed to be inspired by positive outcomes in order to effect change.