Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides a context for the individual contributions and place them in a broader perspective. It frames the relevant issues on both sides of the border by drawing a broad comparison of the philosophical underpinnings of domestic policies in the two countries. The book argues that differences between the two countries are made readily apparent by comparing two founding documents upon which the edifice of each country has been built. It reviews the principal legislation affecting the elderly in the United States and how family involvements are circumscribed by the terms of that legislation. The book considers decision-making issues at the end of life, a topic attracting increasing and often sensational media attention. It addresses the relationship between policy and the myth that old age inevitably means disease and ill health.