Rosalie Kane: Honoring Her Contributions to the Development of Assisted Living

This article reflects on the foundational contributions of Rosalie A. Kane to the rise of assisted living in the 1980s and 90s. The author, called the founder of the "Oregon model of assisted living," offers an insider's perspective of how Dr. Kane's insights - and personality-inspired a shift in the options for long term care from a model based on safety and medical treatment to one based on personal choice and independence. Along the way, the article offers an example of how sustained dialogue between theory and practice can spark concrete change. The article also assesses the personality traits that made Rosalie Kane a gifted collaborator and a generator of ideas that reached beyond the academy into real life. A brief glance at Dr. Kane's unfinished agenda speaks to her vision for today's gerontologists and social workers.