A nurse advocates proactive care for the elderly in this manual. Many older patients face "unnecessary treatments," including "tests, surgeries, and medications" that may actually exacerbate health problems. Her sensible approach is to start with the simple question "What is the goal?" as a guiding principle to help caregivers and patients make wise medical decisions. This practical book lays out a clear path to answering that question in a variety of situations, each of them well-illustrated via real patient examples. For instance, the author relates the stories of her own mother and brother, demonstrating how a proactive caregiver who understands what her relatives want can lobby for an appropriate plan of care. Other anecdotes depict how undefined goals lead to consequences, the importance of informed consent, how to address the special requirements of a patient with dementia, and the differences between palliative and hospice care. In one case, a patient with advanced lung cancer "and his entire family needlessly suffered because they were on the health care conveyor belt." But the book is not merely a collection of tales; it also offers helpful information about DNRs ("Do Not Resuscitate" orders), patient specifics like feeding tubes and pressure sores, things to consider before going to a hospital, and advice about nursing homes and medication management.