A lot of us have this idea that when we get really old, we'll die with our boots on. But just as likely there will be a long, slow journey between here and there, one that could take years.

Many of us start to realize that's true for our parents when we notice mom is walking with a new shuffle, or dad is mixing up his meds. In the first of a four-part series, we turn to the California Report's Rachael Myrow to look at the state of assisted living in California.