preview

Nursing Homes In America

Satisfactory Essays

The history of what is known as “nursing homes” in America is actually a relatively short one. Facilities set aside solely for the purpose of providing care for the elderly and infirm were nonexistent. Most elderly were cared for by their family, and if they had none, their only other choice was the almshouse. Almshouses were harsh institutions where the elderly lived alongside the insane, the inebriated, and the homeless. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, women’s and church groups began establishing homes specifically for the elderly. However, these homes often required considerable entrance fees and certificates of good character, making it difficult for the average elder to find placement in one (Nursing Home History, n.d.). Even

Get Access