ABSTRACT
Robert Butler, founder of the National Institute on Aging and widely regarded as the foremost expert on the aging process, stated in a recent talk to communication and aging researchers that it is now quite common for individuals to live well into their 80s. Dying before one's 80th birthday is considered a premature death. The great majority of individuals beyond their 65th birthday are happy, healthy, active individuals who each day make meaningful contributions to society. However, as we age into our eighth decade, our lives do slow down and the possibility that professional care is needed increases quite significantly. One dominant location for this care is within nursing homes (Butler, 1994).
