By Chris Widelo

When my father entered a nursing home, I thought we were lucky. The facility was considered better than most, staffed by well-meaning people. And yet, it still wasn’t enough.

My father had brain cancer, and as his condition progressed, his ability to advocate for himself slipped away. It was my mother who stepped up. She was at the facility almost every day, making sure he bathed, checking to see if his linens had been changed, making sure he ate the food he was served, asking the right questions of staff, and advocating for better pain management. She made sure his dignity was preserved. But her ability to do so relied on something too many others don’t have: time, resources, and relentless commitment.

Not everyone has a spouse or child who can be there every day. Some

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