In nursing homes, impoverished live final days on pennies

[Bayard]

1. When I read this kind of stuff,

I realize again how fortunate we were to get my parents into a nice and new assisted living facility. They had adjoining rooms, and even let my Mom bring her cat. There were live plants, a multi-tiered bird cage with zebra finches that my Mom adored, and regular outings.

On the other hand, I went with a friend to a NH where her mother had passed away to pick up her few belongings. She'd had a tiny room you could barely turn around in. Many residents were sitting around in the common areas, staring at the walls. It didn't look particularly clean. One of the most depressing places I've ever been in my life.