Successful aging families--a challenge for nurses

This nation's view of older-adult families and their care needs reform. Changing trends in the longevity of our population will mean changes in family structures and relationships. This article examines lessons from studies of successful aging to illuminate strategies that may promote successful later-life families. The focus is on changes that nurses can make with older-adult families in dispelling aging stereotypes, increasing the numbers of nurses educated and specializing in the care of older adults, changing the educational approach for new nurses, and calling for social policy changes.