Alone and Invisible No More

Allan S. Teel, M.D. is a family physician in Damariscotta, Maine. During his twenty-five-year medical career, he has worked with thousands of older patients in the hospital, at nursing homes, in assisted living homes, and in their own homes. Each one has left a lasting impression. Dr. Teel's passion and commitment have driven him to speak out forcefully on the crisis facing our communities and our country. He puts human faces on our elders who are too often alone and invisible.

1. Gram Teel

2. The gray tsunami

3. A brief history of residential care in America

4. The Lincoln home

5. Cove's Edge

6. Forgive me, Elsie

7. A better way, we thought

8. Government regulation beyond reason

9. The state of Maine vs. common sense

10. Breakthrough: the roots of the Main approach

11. How the Maine approach was born: the pilot project

12. The Maine approach menu

13. Connecting elders to each other and to caregivers through technology

14. The Maine approach in action

15. Early successes and tough lessons

16. The dignity of risk

17. Are we there yet? Not by a mile

18. Alone and invisible too: the next generation

19. Rolling it out nationally, reaping additional rewards

20. Closing thoughts