Book excerpt: As the elderly live longer and health care becomes more complex and expensive, the personal and financial burden placed on families attempting to care for an aging parent is greater than ever. Dr. Linda Rhodes has decades of experience in assisting families to navigate this often treacherous road; and she has her own personal story to tell. This mix of professional wisdom and warm personal insight makes The Essential Guide® to Caring for Aging Parents the perfect guide for anyone in need of an authoritative yet supportive voice to help an elderly parent not only live with dignity, but thrive. Dr. Rhodes shares with readers loads of advice garnered from her years as the Secretary of Aging for the state of Pennsylvania, as well as her own personal story of dealing with her parents' situation, often over long distances.