Why would a 23-year-old graduate student choose to live in a nursing home?

This track was published at HealthNewsReview.org on May 4, 2017. To read the associated blog and link to more resources on this issue visit:

https://www.healthnewsreview.org/2017/05/podcast-23-year-old-graduate-student-choose-live-nursing-home/

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

About 6 percent of older Americans live in nursing homes. However, nearly half of us over the age of 65 will spend some time in a nursing home at some point in our life.

When it comes to news stories about nursing homes and the elderly the most common tend to be about abuse and neglect, delivery of medical care, financial and reimbursement issues, and staffing challenges.

But for many who live in nursing homes -- or have loved ones who live there -- the most important issues have to do with quality of life. Things like: privacy, dignity, food, activities, autonomy, security, relationships and comfort.

These are things Tetyana Shippee knows about first hand ... even though she is only in her thirties ... and this is her story.