The global practitioner

Abstract

As a gerontologist with 18 years of experience providing services to older adults and their families, mostly in nursing homes, I am curious about progressive models and innovative methods of caring for older adults. Increasingly, I have started to wonder about the experiences of other countries as they grapple with the issue of long-term care (LTC). What are their structures? How do their programs, services, and facilities compare to ours? Could our future be found somewhere else? Therefore, it was with great anticipation and excitement that I became a participant in The American Society on Aging's (ASA) Seminar in Beijing in 2007. Visits to a hospital, retirement center, and senior university, lectures from respected Chinese academics, medical professionals, and government officials, and group discussions were the highlights of this experiential adventure.