Aging Books

If you care about living long and well, this is the book for you. When I saw it at my local bookstore it literally jumped off the shelf. You can't always judge a book by its cover, but in this case the contents lived up to the promise on the jacket, "What Really Determines How Long You Live."
There are many things that I could say about this exceptional book. The most important is that at a time when we are deluged by the latest hype on health and happiness, this book, by one of the premier researchers in the country, gives us the real facts about holistic health.
I've been working in this field for 38 years and consider myself one of the experts, but I learned new things in every chapter.
At a time when Gender Medicine is emerging as a new field of health, this book gives us the facts to help us understand why men continue to live sicker and die sooner. It doesn't have to be that way. We can all improve how long and how joyfully we live.
If you buy one book this year on Mind/Body/Spirit, make it Emotional Longevity. You'll be glad you did.
I have been working in the area of Gender Medicine and writing books on men's health for the last 35 years. Among the 7 books I have written, Male Menopause has been a best-seller and has now been translated into 16 foreign languages. My new book, The Irritable Male Syndrome will be published next year.

What one should take from this book is that health means balance is all areas of one's life. We are social animals and obviously our emotional well-being influences our longevity. A great book!

An eye-opening look at the synergy between emotions and longevity. In the deluge of "let's just be happy" rather superficial books, this one is a refreshing departure from that norm.

Written by a leader in his field, Dr. Anderson does not negate the biological determinants affecting longevity. But drawing on his work as the CEO of the American Psychological Association as well as numerous studies, he paints a compelling picture of the actual links between emotions, beliefs and one's social environment and their effect on one's health and subsequent death. He also cites the many studies that show how these same factors influence our vulnerability to everything from the common cold to heart disease. The book is written in an understandable style and features vignettes of prominent people, such as Maya Angelou, Terry Fox and Linda Ellerbee to add a more personal touch to his scientific presentations and findings.

This is a book that will give you a most compelling reason to try and change your life and your way of living. It can indeed be a matter of life or death or at the very least a significant factor in the quality of your life.

Emotional Longevity explores the dimensions of health and well being in a unique and refreshing way. Though based on research, it offers a refreshing (and understandable) perspective differentiating it from other books of this genre. It clearly defines and illustrates how each of the elements affecting longevity play out in our lives and in the lives of our children. It juxtaposes science with vignettes, making it not only informative but compelling as well. It is an insightful and contemplative "must read."

...

When I picked this book up, I thought for sure that there was nothing else to be learned, but I was completely wrong. For once, this book is backed by scientific research and the results are shown for experiments such as positive and negative outlooks, overcoming illness, likelihood to die early, the list goes on and on. 'Emotional Longevity' does not indicate the length of an emotion, but rather teaches us to view things in a light that will produce a much higher quality of life, and will ultimately lead to a much healthier, longer, and more fulfilling, realistic lifestyle. I know it sounds cliche, but it's true. And it's different from all the others to boot.

Highly recommended from a person who highly needs good books like this. :) (Who doesn't?)

Dayle Haddon does a real service to women of all ages in this book. With her heartfelt courage she shares how-to secrets of living the best years of your life over and over again. In ancient societies there was a place for the Wise Woman, also known as the archetype of The Crone, but as matricide evolved the older female was degraded to the level of untouchable. Haddon, a famous fashion model, actress, and performer is a testament to the lie that each birthday after age 25 is a decay. Rather, time is irrelevant, and living our best possible lives is an essential birthright. Filled with tips, tactics, and teachniques galore for all parts of self, this is one beauty book a woman needs to read. With all the attention and focus on barely legal teen actresses ... it's about time for Ageless Living!

After meeting Dayle Haddon while she was in Dallas I dove right into this book. It covers 5 main principles. While all five may not be what you need at this time, they will become relevant at some point in your life and journey. It is an excellent book for picking up a piece of information for your day or night. I feel this is a book which you will find helpful, and it is one you will want to tell others to buy. Your mom, sister, friend, co-worker, etc. will get something from this book. Enjoy and begin to rethink your way of staying connected to your self and to others. Do it for a Book Club! We did and it provoked wonderful conversations!

I met Dayle on her book tour in Dallas and quickly picked up her book after seeing such a vivacious and truly beautiful person, eager to read her advice. I was impressed with her ability to convey a great deal of knowledge and resources in the book, provide excellent advice, but most importantly her tone is that of "You are beautiful, you are important, and you are worth taking care of". So often we may feel guilty, shallow, or selfish when putting our own needs, spirituality, and self-care at the top of the "to do" list, but she encourages readers to do just that, describing how when you are at your best, then you are able to give your best to others. An easy read - great by the bedside for a quick dose of positive energy before you settle in for your beauty sleep or enter the day with a fresh, beautiful perspective.

I received this book as a gift. At first, I felt a tiny bit hurt thinking the giver was presenting me with a subtle hint that my appearance could be improved. This could not be farther from the truth. My friend was sharing a most inspiring, yet at the same time most practical, gift: A gift from one woman to her readers full of down-to-earth, everyday wisdom. Dayle Haddon tells of the struggles in her own life. Because of this, I was able to relate to a ?fashion model?. Dayle plowed through adversity and come out on top, which had nothing to do with her blessing of a great face and body. It was her beautiful spirit that led her on, and can help everyone improve their body, mind and spirit. Thanks Dayle.
Connecticut Woman

After Dayle Haddon so kindly dropped by our book club after a Book Signing she had in Dallas, our group decided to read 'The 5 Principles' that month. When I purchased it, I thought it wouldn't apply to me (I'm 29) & might be something I'd pass along to my mom, but I was wrong! It not only hands out great information about health & beauty, but focuses on even more important issues in life - such as spirituality, wisdom & staying connected (my favority principle). And how very impressed I am with Dayle Haddon because she practices what she preaches! She mentioned joining our Book Club via phone the next month (to stay connected!), and she did! Everyone, no matter their age, will learn very valuable things from this book... I highly recommend it! :)

This book offers hope to the babyboomer generation who recognizes that we are slowly becoming our parents. By following the comments and advice offered in this helpful book, we know that we no longer have to follow in our families genetic past. The authors create the view of a cheery healthy future with sound nutritional advice. Highly recommended.

Deb Landry
Certified Parenting Coach & Children's Author

Bryson Taylor Publishing
Books with Character
199 New County Road Saco, Maine 04072
[...]

I have followed and learned from Dr. Giampapa's work for over 20 years. He has always been well ahead of contemporary medical practitioners in his understanding of the human aging process and possible therapeutic interventions to extend meaningful human lifespan. The Gene Makeover-The 21st Century Anti-Aging Breakthrough describes an exciting new approach to the field of Medical Age Management and lucidly translates a very complex subject into language that the average person can easily understand. This book provides an opportunity to understand therapies which you will read about in the medical journals of the future.

Brooke R. Seckel, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Asst. Professor of Surgery
Harvard Medical School
Chairman Emeritus
Plastic Surgery
Lahey Clinic Medical Center

I have followed and learned from Dr Giampappa's work for over 20 years. He has always been well ahead of contemporary medical practitioners in his understanding of the human aging process and possible therapeutic interventions to extend meaningful human lifespan. The Gene Makeover-The 21st Century Anti-aging Breakthrough describes an exciting new approach to the field of Medical Age Management and lucidly translates a very complex subject into language that the average person can easily understand. This book provides an opportunity to understand therapies which you will read about in the medical journals of the future.

Brooke R. Seckel, M.D., FACS
Asst. Professor of Surgery
Harvard Medical School
Chairman Emeritus
Plastic Surgery
Lahey Clinic Medical Center

A Bully Grows Up: Erik Meets the Wizard

As the baby boomer generation reaches the 'new middle age' we search for new information to assist in creating a more healthy and viable future for us, our parents and our children. The connection between our daily environmental and personal stressors and our overall health is important. Studies have proved that stress has a significant effect on our longevity. As an author of a children's book regarding bullying behavior and frequent speaker regarding the topic of bullying and stress, I am keenly aware of this connection. This book offers a vast understandable quantity of information regarding our predisposition to DNA damage and offers easy to follow steps on how to hold on to or improve our health. A great navigational aid for our journey into the future.

I have been an anti-aging patient of Dr. Giampapa's for over 5 years. My energy levels are high, my body is muscular and my skin is the best it has ever been. I look and feel fifteen years younger then my acutal age. Dr. Giampapa is well ahead of many medical practitioners in his understanding of the human aging process and therapeutic interventions to slow it. The Gene Makeover-The 21st Century Anti-Aging Breakthrough describes the newest findings in the field of Medical Age Management and explains very complex information in a plain simple language that everyone can easily understand. This book is a must read for all who want to remain healthy and active.

My father gave me Gracefully for mother's day. I then went to see Valerie Ramsey at the Tattered Cover in Denver when she did a book signing there. I was so impressed! She is wonderfully open and honest about her own life and how she and Heather Hummel came to write Gracefully. I was inspired to read the book cover to cover! The book is so easy to read - simple to understand and effortless to apply the concepts contained therein to one's own life. This is a book that would be perfect for anyone. May I only grow older (I am 41) as gracefully as Valerie Ramsey has!

Valerie Ramsey understands the true wisdom of beauty--that even though it is outwardly visible, its true source comes from within. Perhaps that is why all treatise on beauty should be written from the perspective of someone, like Ramsey, who has lived a life that allows for true beauty to flourish. Aging is bounded by time, beauty is not. And so, Ramsey, in prose that is clean, compelling, and--most of all--entirtely applicable, demonstrates what is so obvious and yet, for our youth obsessed world, often overlooked in terms of how to cultivate beauty, grace, and soulfulness throughout our lives.

This book Heather Hummel and Valerie Ramsey is full of wonderful advice for women of all ages. I found Valerie Ramsey's lust for life inspirational; she is a woman with a lot to teach. The book also gives practical tips such as how to look great in a photograph, and I will use it as a reference tool for years to come. It is an easy and interesting read, and I would highly recommend it.

Thank you for sharing your inspiring story and tips for positive thinking. I saw you on TV and had to buy the book. FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT!--I already feel this book will take 10 years off my life.

I found this book to be so easy to read with practical useful advice on creating a life that you want. It was inspirational at the same time, making me reaffirm my beliefs that one can accomplish whatever one puts one's mind to. I have passed this on to my mother and recommended to my girlfriends and aunts, but the over-riding message of this book is applicable to both genders. Worth the read. I took away tips to apply in daily life as well as future planning/dreaming.

My senior parents really loved this book. They found it to be a very useful and comprehensive guide.

At the best of times, aging is not easy and this handy guide to the "where and what-fors" is almost essential. Planing your next trip to the doctor, knowing what to eat, and the whys our body goes through as it ages gives one a sense of comfort. When your parents aren't around to ask the pertinent questions about aging, this book is like having a good friend at the elbow to calm one during moments of dis-ease. I'm grateful for the advice and the organization and know my friends will also be grateful for the advice shared within "Guide for the Senior Corps.".

This book offers an at-a-glance perspective on how to age gracefully. It's easy to obtain information about everything from how the body ages to how to work with the aging process. The illustrations and graphs make the information easy to understand, and I especially appreciate how the book is layed out to cross reference illustrations with facts. Toy's book offers a wholistic guide for the senior corps. She intelligently addresses the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of aging.

I highly recommend this book for everyone who intends to live life to the fullest and grow old with grace and elegance.

Indispensable reference manual for seniors, "newbies", everyone. Wish that I had this book while my parents were still alive.

This is such a small book but with lots of valuable information my wife
& I read it & have no hesitation in giving it a five star rating. It,s
clear & concise& much easier reading than many medical books we have
read.Everything you need to know about your body & the diseases that
may afflict you is all there in a clear & concise manner.We strongly
recommend it for all seniors.

As the wife of a young man dying of cancer, this book was an incredible aid to getting through each day and learning what to expect. That was 15 years ago. My sister-in-law faced the same situation recently when her husband was diagnosed, and I bought the book for her. She said she couldn't put it down until she read every page. We need to have that helping hand when we're hurting. This book is it!

I found this book days after leaving the hospital with a two year prognosis for a misdiagnosed illness. My head was spinning. I was making lists of questions and to do lists for leaving my 2 young children. Finding this book was a wonderful gift. It answered my questions and provided a realistic outlook for what to expect of a terminal condition. The book provides sample statements for calling your relatives and helps you to prepare for your doctor appointments. I visited a doctor today and I led the session and all of my questions were addressed before the exam occurred. This book should be recommended to all diagnosed with a terminal illness. Highly recommended book!

I have owned this book for several years and decided to use it as an adjunct teaching tool for those training to become hospice volunteers. Every person in the group gave a high rating to this book. I will continue to use this book in future volunteer training classes. Eileen Urquhart, Hospice Volunteer Coordinator, Visiting Nurse Association Hospice of Cape Cod, Massachusetts

This is a must have resource for all of us. It is a practical book that helps you with End of Life concerns and how to plan for them. Far too many people wait until a crisis to make desperate choices that could be avoided. It is difficult to live with the choices that we make in crisis. Many times a crisis situation does not give you the opportunity to discuss critical issues with your family before the crisis occurs. This book will give you the necessary tools to discuss your wants and wishes for the living of your years.

I wish I had picked up this book earlier in my step-father's illness. Very useful for those who are facing illness or who love someone who is very ill, telling you the kinds of things to expect and ways of dealing them.

This is the first book I have ever read which brings non-dual Kashmir Shavism into a practical understandable form. Most of the erudite publications about this subject usually end up analyzing the sutras which in themselves are difficult for someone not used to that tradition. This book however,is both serious and funny at the same time and attempts to shock the
reader (in a nice way) into taking time to see Reality. I cant explain much more than that except to say it has had a profound effect on me despite the fact that I have only got thru the first 20 pages or so. Recommend this for people serious about the journey on the spiritual path as this is a major guide and one of the very few out there.

This is maybe the most unusual book I have ever read. Sixty pages into it I wanted to write about how I regretted buying the book and regretted reading it. The author seemed to have a severe personality disorder and was throwing out all kinds of gibberish. But I had made a commitment to myself to finish the book, no matter what. The next sixty pages were all over the place. I was determined at that time to write a scathing editorial on the author and the book. It was going to have lots of criticism, point out his wrong beliefs, wrong opinions, and question his morality and his spirituality. And then I read the last sixty pages. And maybe, just maybe, I got it. I have gone from condemning the author, the book, his life style, his particular brand of foreign spirituality to . . . thinking he isn't much different from me. What a gas. Maybe there aren't any answers to life's important questions. Or maybe there is. Maybe nothing is profound. Or maybe everything is. I thought the author was nuts for some of the things he said. Maybe he is. Would it be so bad if you are nuts . . . . and happily, blissfully nuts? So, in the beginning I didn't want to give him even a 1 star rating. And in the end he gets 5 stars. I can only do this because he reminds me so much of myself. And I cannot condemn anyone, no matter what they say or write. Not even myself. Thank you, Ralph.

I love this book because the teaching or insights are presented in bite sized nuggets. One can open the book anywehre and read just a page or two to initiate a meditation or contemplation.

Ralph's work is a shock a glimp of truth there is no other way then to dance with It.You can not fool yourself anymore on the moment you have danced with Nataraj.
Have a look in this book its the grand entrance to...


I followed Nataraj for some time now...
But i coudnt expect this before that time.
and...
You dont wanna do a whole lifetime about figgering it out do you?
so accept this great offer from a great being to get it clear
love& blessings

M

"Do not consider what you currently carry in your hands as a book." Thus begins the Introduction to Himalayan Mysticism.

Himalayan Mysticism is not just another book. It is Shiva's disc. A book speaks to your mind; Shiva's disc cuts through your mind for Shiva to rise from your Heart.

People speak of liberation, enlightenment, self-realisation, moksha, salvation, but very few know what it means or what it entails. We want liberation, and we also want comfort on the path to liberation. But liberation is never comfortable. It is freedom from the mind that wants comfort. A book that speaks to your mind how to attain liberation has missed the mark. Himalayan Mysticism does not speak to your mind; it confronts the mind and shakes it up. Mistake it not! This is Shiva dancing to wake his Self up in you. It is about surrendering and awakening. Ralph writes:

"You must be willing to be grinded down. You may also fight. Lovemaking is not only tender or aloof. This is the dangerous life. Tantra is walking the razor's edge..."

"The mind makes many movements. It makes all movements except the one that would liberate you. Liberate you from the false idea that you need to be liberated. Come, my friend and drink some more of the wine. Rest your weary head. You've done a lot of ploughing."



Ralph brings to us the Living Waters of Tantra from the living tradition of non-dual Kashmir Shaivism. In a unique and unprecedented way. In a totally unexpected way. In a way that only a Master can. Inviting us to embrace the paradox. I can do no better here than to present some sparks from the Disc:

"Supreme Reality cannot be grasped by the mind. The mind is never able to experience something as profound, huge, mysterious, vast, deep, and paradoxical as the Supreme Reality which is One. Only Shiva is the real observer, just as Shakti is the only 'experiencer'. You must lose your mind and then Reality experiences Reality in or 'through' your nervous system and that is what you are made for. To be enlightened in the flesh. While you have a body. This is the glorious opportunity that you have. It is a great gift. Highly auspicious. Even the celestial beings have a beginning and are thus not the Supreme Reality Itself, which is without beginning and end."

"In Tantra philosophy, we worship the Goddess. The Wisdom-Goddess. Our hero is not the successful one. That fruit carries too heavy a price. The boon of the Goddess is wisdom. Wisdom is priceless. It cannot be bought. No book can bestow it upon you. It is not contained in education. It cannot be gained by study. Study is in the realm of the mind. One who approaches Tantra with his mind, may become a good student and even write books about Tantra like so many have done, but he or she will not understand what it is to be a devotee. Only a master holds the key that is necessary to go deeper within."

"A disciple sets out to enter a relationship in the heart. She is willing to surrender. To bear loss. A disciple is willing to sacrifice her life. She welcomes the mystery and is not looking to affirm the known. Sometimes the gain comes with the loss. A disciple understands the principle of letting go. A disciple is willing to go with the flow. To surrender to the Almighty. Let Thy Will Be Done! That is a beautiful mantra. A disciple is ready to sacrifice her own desires and attachments to the fire. The fire that eats and devours everything that is offered into it. The fire of consciousness. The disciple longs to ignite that fire in her heart."

"Feel the burning sensation of separation from the Beloved. That gives rise to the longing. The yearning. She drags herself to the Divine Tavern where the innkeeper might pour her a drink. A drink of illumination. This is the light that the disciple prefers over the fake light of glamour and glitter. This disciple is unwavering. She has discovered the perfect relationship. A relationship of unbounded joy and ecstasy. I can no longer hide from the Beloved. No matter what mask I wear. She always recognises me. So I choose to dress up and prepare myself."

"Tantra is about waking up from your sleep. It is about self-remembering. Pratyabhijna is the quintessence of non-dual Kashmir Shaivism.... Kashmir Shaivism is a non-dual philosophy. The guru and the disciple are a sort of polarity. As I wrote before, the disciple is the beginning and the guru is the end."

"A thinker does thinking."
"An experiencer is experiencing."
"Through a master happens mastering."

"Mastery is the full blossoming of all our bodies. It is the opening up of the rose. The rise of Ma Kundalini. The piercing of the chakras and the knot. It is unleashing the star that you are! It is about reaching for the stars and beyond. It is spreading. Expanding. Weaving. Mastery is the operation of Grace. It is redemption. The result of the resistance is freedom from slavery and oppression."



Ralph received Shaktipata, esoteric initiation into Mastery, from the tradition of Left-Handed Vamacara Tantra. The Left-Handed path is not about sex and having multiple orgasms, though it is also about sex and orgasms as it is about everything that is. It is about the transfiguring of everything to Light. According to non-dual Kashmir Shaivism, God shines in every junction, but we do not tarry here in our haste to follow shadows. Ralph says that the right way is the left way and the left way is the right way. The Right-Handed Way is of course a Long Way. It comprises the two great paths that in Hinduism are called Pravritti Dharma, the way of works, and Nivritti Dharma, the way of renunciation. This two-fold Way appears also in China as the Tao of the Confucius and the Tao of LaoTze. The path of works is the moral way. It cleanses the mind and makes it pure as light (chitta-shuddi) and prepares the sadhaka for the path of renunciation. But this is Kali Yuga and the darkness in us is very dense. It would take many, many, lifetimes to cleanse the darkness that is within us. Ralph seduces us to wake up here and now in the Order of the Holy Fire. It is the Path of Yoga, Beauty and Delight! It is a path of transgression. There is no morality here, only the super-morality of surrendering to the caress of Goddess Kali.

"We should not be afraid to use the sword. Let the sword fall where it wants to fall. It is a present from the Lady of the Lake. This is no kindergarten."

"We need to long for the feeling of the cold double-edged sword as it glides through our neck, chopping of 'our head' (ego). We must be willing to relinquish all ideas, projections, beliefs, models and identifications. Offer all that belongs to the small individual self into the huge blazing fire of homa (spiritual fire)."



This is not another weekend Tantra programme. It is the rising of Bhairava. Though Ralph's words come to us clothed in contemporary language; though they come to us in the midst of Internet emails and mobile phone messages, they carry with them the authentic core of religion, the same ancient mystery that has time and again irrupted into the world in great moments of human history. But the Order of the Holy Fire is not for everyone. It is for the vira that would dare to offer his or her head to awaken to the Light that is shining in every junction.

"Magical moments in our life are birth, orgasm and death. And all the small portals in between. When we go from waking to dreaming. From dreaming to deep sleep. From deep sleep again to waking. The intervals between our thoughts. A short moment when there is no thinker but just the watcher. There is turya. The Goddess of the three cities. That is the island where this ship is heading. To find the sacred and secret country of Shagri-La. Wrapped in mystery. Only very few ships make it, as the water around is governed by mighty storms. Those who like the sun had better go to one of the tropical islands. There are plenty of them."


Om Namah Shivaya

The poems, short stories, and particularly the photos in this book are so touching. I encourage women who are interested in self-discovery to read this book, because the passages inspired me to reflect on myself, my life, and my relationships with those I love. This is a good book for any woman who is going through changes in her life. (It would be a good graduation gift, a good gift for a woman getting married or having a baby, and a wonderful birthday present.) The book celebrates strong women, fragile women, mothers, daughters, growing up, growing old, just growing. I really enjoyed reading it.

A friend of mine frequently quotes Jenny Joseph's "Warning". In searching for this for her birthday, I was instantly hooked on the poems and stories in this book and "When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple". I will be giving these and recommending these to others!

This book flows with wisdom about the stages of a woman's life. There is arm pumping joy, tears of compassion and sadness and the affirmation of the person within over the external skin.

"..if by wearing silk, my value mounts
what happens when I'm bare?"

There are pieces that apply to whatever stage of life a woman is passing through. There are pieces that bring the smiles of remembering past stages. There are pieces that point to possible routes for the journeys to come.

Read and enjoy this passage from "Combustion"
"When I have a hot flash....I watch, astounded, as an invisible hand tosses water on the stones of my body, and I ignite. How can flesh not melt? Then, of necessity, I give up the watch and close my eyes and float on the water, and then the fire expends itself, and I pick up my little fan and create a breeze something like the ones that frequsent northern lakes at night. Then I just sit in the quiet puddle of my flesh. If it is the middle of the night I sleep the good sleep of a person cleansed."

This book should have an entire galaxy of stars! The poetry, photographs, and stories are all by and of real women. Thank God there are no movie stars in this awesome, down-to-earth book. If you love becoming a wise, older woman, then you must have this book. It affirms our womanhood as no other book I've ever read.

This is the third book of the series and it is the most sensitive and powerful! Poems celebrating womanhood and femininity, stories full of strength and emotions...

I read this book before and I just finished it again.. so overwhelming with different experience in every page .. the boundless limits of a woman's endurance .. the feeling of satisfaction that gratifies a female giving her pride and strength..

This is a book that you can read over and over.. a poem one day ..a short story on another.. enjoy!

My mother-in-law, Leona, had Alzheimer's. As the disease evolved I began to see it as less the benign oblivion I had stupidly imagined and more a profound life event. I never had the silences to embrace that profundity so I'm grateful for this mighty little book for its stories and its silences. Unlike books that can't budge from the world of medicine and family/caregiver issues, this one draws us in to a world we didn't know existed. Yearwood knew enough as these patients'chaplain to be still with them. Stillness. Stillness. No imposition of noise and expectation. Just being still with them. How she honored them with this amazing grace! Her book makes space for us too, to enter the stillness so we can embrace the stories and moments that teach these patients' truths. Thus, through Yearwood's gifts they minister to us. This is indeed a blessing.

The author manages to strike a note of compassion without sentimentality. It's as if she knows about Alzheimer's from the inside, or at least well enough to meet those who suffer from the disorder on their own level and bring comfort.

This book wrote itself. I should know because I am the author. 15 years ago, I felt an impression in my heart that I should always consider being a voice for the voiceless. This book is a gathering of the wisdom I received from persons with dementia,
a group of people who have become voiceless in our society. I learned that no matter what you believe, no matter what you hold true to your heart...it never goes away. Brain cells may be lost, words may be forgotten, but the soul or very core of a person remains all the way to death. By listening to persons with Alzheimer's disease, instead of telling them what to do, I am blessed to have some of the most beautiful relationships of my life. The reason this book is important is that it proves there is still a person behind the mask of dementia and that person should be treated with respect, not like a child. These are our elders and they have lived life times that they want to share in their own ways. Listen and you will be amazed by what you hear. I know I still am amazed every day. If you are looking for a book of hope about Alzheimer's disease, this is the book for you. It is a collection of short stories about 2 years of interactions between myself and my patients on an Alzheimer's unit. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Mary Margaret Britton Yearwood

What happens to old southerners when their minds begin to fade? If they're lucky, they wind up on an Alzheimer's unit where Ms. Yearwood is the chaplain. Whether you work with Alzheimer's patients, have a loved one effected by the disease, or just enjoy a good story, you will benefit from this book. I laughed, I cried...

This is a wonderful book. It is fun to read, and it also takes you gently but firmly into a place you probably thought you wanted to avoid. The magic is that, despite your fears, you will be glad you had a chance to go there (through this book), and the visit will live on in your life. I sent a copy to a family member who is a nurse working with desperately ill children. She told me she found a lot of her experiences reflected in these stories. Life. The ability to connect deeply with individuals, whether they are old or young, and bring their stories to life in words is a very great gift indeed.

Caregiving is a hot topic in books and magazines these days, but usually only a couple of aspects of caregiving are addressed. This book covers everything: what to do day-to-day; how to care for yourself, too; how to deal with simple health issues; and how to find support outside your home. The presentation is so accessible--charts, lists, illustrations--so you can go right to the information you need on any given day. It's full of other people's stories, which made me feel like we all go through a lot of the same things. It helps you do what you need to do and at the same time recognize when you're taking on too much, and what to do then. The book also discusses more medical topics (incontinence, falling, foot care, medicines) in a way that's easy to read and makes problems less intimidating. It Takes More than Love will help both the caregiver and the care recipient live better lives.

I checked this book out from my local library and found it to be such a wonderful resource that I'd like to purchase a copy to keep and read over. It contained very practical information, was easy reading (didn't talk in technical language) and will help me with coping in the stressful job of being a caregiver for my aging parent.

I've been taking care of my mom for about 2 years now. A friend recommended that I read It Takes More Than Love. It is filled with very practical, hands-on advice. I've already put lots of their suggestions to use. What I especially like is that it is written in a very easy to read style that is not full of jargon. Reading many parts made me think they must know exactly what I am experiencing. I'd recommend it to anyone who is caring for a family member.

Collaboratively written by gerontology expert Anita G. Beckerman (College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University) and Ruth M. Tappen (Christine E. Lynn Eminent Scholar Chair and Professor in the College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University) It Takes More Than Love: A Practical Guide To Taking Care Of An Aging Adult is a straightforward, "user friendly", caretaker's guide for anyone charged with the responsibility of looking after an elderly loved one. From learning how to balance one's time and needs, to assessing physical and mental well-being in one's charge, to communicating effectively with doctors and health professionals, It Takes More Than Love offers a wealth of solid, practical, accessible information and is a "must-read" instructional and advisory for anyone new to the task of looking after older family members or associates.

This book is written in a way that is never condescending; it talks to the reader as if one were sitting in their kitchen or living room. The content of the book is very thorough, concise, and informative. It truly is a Dr. Spock book for the older adult. I loved the sharing of personal experiences; they make one feel that they are not the only one living through this time of life as a caregiver. I also became aware through reading this book, of the importance of caring for self, even if the time needed for this is sparce. The ideas to achieve the time were very helpful. I highly recommend this book to all caregivers and also to all young adults to have to think about what they may need to know as they get older, and perhaps become caregivers.