Judy Karofsky provides a portrait of the elder care system in the United States that is both intricate and intimate. By sharing the story of her mother’s end of life, Karofsky helps readers navigate the complexities faced by children trying to help parents in their final years of assisted living and hospice. Karofsky’s search for comfort and dignity for her mother is often hampered by an industry that is frequently unresponsive and poorly regulated. This is a book that asks the question: ‘Why can’t we do better?”
— Norman Stockwell Publisher, The Progressive

The author’s elderly mother’s journey from independent living and six assisted living facilities and hospice exposes the scam of long-term care in America. Assisted living facilities are 98 percent for-profit—earning 10 to 20 percent profit—have very few regulations, high staff turnover, and no onsite professional staff. Hospices are 70 percent for-profit with a 15 percent profit margin—a Medicare benefit, they are poorly monitored and their bright promise of a ‘good death’ is greatly dimmed by fraud and incompetence.
— Melanie G. Ramey, JD, MSW, Former Executive Director, Hospice Organization and Palliative Experts of Wisconsin (HOPE)

A compelling narrative that passionately cries out for a better way to safeguard our most vulnerable. We learn the “better way” is significantly hindered when the profit motive is the driving force. DisElderly Conduct shows in a most powerful way the need for national reform of care for the elderly.
— Martin Schreiber Former Governor, State of Wisconsin, and author, My Two Elaines

Karofsky’s largest source of concern was not that her mother was being abused but that she was being warehoused, ignored, either under- or over-medicated, left unattended in times of need. Staff shortages and turnover were constant, even though the cost of care was astronomical ($7,000 to $10,000 a month).
— The Progressive

By outlining the ways that the growing assisted living and hospice industries fail elders who rely on them, DisElderly Conduct provides readers with essential data. Part memoir, part exposé, part call to action, the book makes its case by moving from the personal to the political.
— Lillith

Judy Karofsky was a city council member and one of Wisconsin’s first women mayors (Middleton). During her term of office, she established a now-thriving senior center and emergency medical services. She served on the executive staff of a governor and held multiple roles in housing and economic development for a state agency, a nonprofit housing development organization, and her own research firm. Before organizing and providing care for her mother, Judy filled interim positions for a statewide women's network – focusing on elder economic security – and for a coalition of state aging groups. Serving on nonprofit and municipal boards, she participates in policy discussions and comments publicly on demographic trends and urban growth.

Judy has authored numerous op-eds, articles, and papers on affordable housing, historic preservation, and regional growth. More recently she has written on institutional investing in seniors housing. delivered keynote speeches, public meeting testimonies, and conference introductions, and she’s participated on panels on a range of issues for women's networks and service organizations. In her role with the Wisconsin Elder Economic Security Initiative, she led discussions with labor union retirees.

Judy holds an AB cum laude from Bryn Mawr College (economics) and master’s degrees at Brandeis University (American history) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (business). She’s taught both corporate and personal finance.