Terry Lynch

Terry Lynch is a retired advocate, author, consultant and public speaker who spent his career advocating for the elderly and people with disabilities on a state and federal level. As manager of a federal disability rights program based in Washington, D.C., he was instrumental in developing what is now the National Disability Rights Network.

In 1985 Terry returned to his home state of Wisconsin to help his mother stay in her own home. For the next 10 years he helped his mother navigate the health care maze, survive crises, and build a strong network of paid and unpaid support, enabling her to enjoy life in her home, in spite of a life-changing memory disorder and other challenging medical problems.

Terry chronicled his and his mother, Leila’s, experience and learning within “But I Don’t Want Eldercare!”, praised as one of the “best books ever written on self-reliant aging.” In 2010 it received national awards for its contributions to caregiving and to maintaining good health in later life.