ABSTRACT
In 2016 the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine issued a report entitled Families Caring for an Aging America, prepared by an expert committee that had been charged with determining what is known about the task of providing care to older adults, and the consequences of caregiving for the health and economic well-being of family caregivers. The committee's report and recommendations demonstrate the extent to which the care of dependent family members, in this case aging parents, is no longer the exclusive responsibility of the family. The authors' investigation has raised many questions concerning the nature of autonomy and responsibility, both at the individual level and at the level of society at large. The discussion of the potential role of non-governmental and faith-based organizations in advocating for and providing essential services to citizens in need, illustrates a widespread desire to reaffirm the role of local organizations in governance and human services.
