Those who are cared for also have stories to tell, as the profiles of the caregiving recipients featured in our PBS broadcast. This section reviews information vital to making the right plans for our future, and provides links to other Web sites and an extensive directory of CareGiving resources in each locality.

While we use the traditional term "recipients" to describe those who are cared for, it's important to remember that there are those who object to this term. Many who think about such things for a living now talk about "consumer-directed" caregiving -- recognizing that individuals have the right to make choices about all aspects of their lives, including health care and caregiving.

After all, with smaller families and longer lifespans many of us will have no close family members to care for us. We will rely not only on the kindness of strangers but on the public and private resources that are under our control. It's thus important for us to think about the kind of caregiving we want to receive and to plan accordingly.