Book excerpt: One of the most difficult choices many people will have to make in their lives is whether to care for an elderly parent at home or place them in a nursing home. In this updated second edition, the authors explore the pros and cons of both choices. They debunk erroneous beliefs about home care vs. nursing home care, including cultural biases against placing loved ones in a nursing home. A home-or-nursing-home quiz to aid family members in the decision-making process is included. Once the decision is made, this book offers chapters on how to select a nursing home, nursing home resources and associations to contact, and reports from nursing home residents and their families on life after placement.