The Roosevelt Institute 55d ago

Long-term care is a basic human need for aging adults and people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. For too long, it has been left to be managed at the individual and household level, instead of being seen as a public good. Thousands of American families deal daily with the challenges of balancing and affording care for their loved ones. Sociologist and disability studies expert Laura Mauldin joined the Roosevelt Institute for our book club series to discuss her new book, In Sickness and in Health: Love Stories from the Front Lines of America’s Caregiving Crisis. Mauldin’s personal experience as a full-time caregiver to her partner inspired this investigation into how our current system fails families in need of long-term care. She spoke to couples all around the country struggling to navigate disability and chronic illness under a deeply broken system. The book offers a unique contribution to conversations about the care crisis, connecting it to the politics of love and intimacy. Mauldin makes an urgent call to radically reimagine care—not simply as an individual act, but as a collective responsibility.