Aging Books

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views, 12/06

"This generation has collectively faced almost all the challenges that the human experience can offer, and is now fifty-ish." But we're not finished; we now face aging and dying. We never thought we would get "older." That was for someone else, like our grandparents. The fact is we don't have to become ill and incapacitated. We can stay active, vital and mentally alert, according to Bob Murphy the author of "Baby Boomers' Guide to Healthy Aging."

"The fact that we do tend to degenerate during our aging is largely connected with our difficulty dealing with the highly reactive element oxygen." "Aging is a progressive loss of function, which seems to be inevitable. The sad truth is that as we progress through adulthood toward old age most of our physiological functions gradually decline." Mr. Murphy takes us back to the beginning of life, back before we evolved from a single cell and explains why oxygen and its relatives cause problems for humans.

I was particularly interested in the chapter called "The Aging Brain." Alzheimer's is prevalent in my family. My father is one of seven children and four have had diagnoses of the dreaded disease. "Neurodegenerative disorders are increasing in the general population, and not only amongst the aged, and it is becoming obvious that they are caused by other, probably environmental factors, as well as by aging." I fear neurological deterioration most of all about aging. If I am blessed I will not live long enough to suffer through what I have seen others in my family go through, years in a nursing home living in their past and not recognizing anyone that they love. My family tends to live to be in their mid-nineties; I've always thought their body just outlived their brain.

Mr. Murphy explains that the brain shrinks or neurons die, as we age. "A significant contributor to the symptoms of brain aging and dementia is this oxidant damage. Brain aging may be slowed to some extent by antioxidant-therapy, in particular those that are especially effective in this neural environment, reduced glutathione, vitamin E, melatonin and a Chinese herb called Gingko Biloba."

We've all heard that a picture paints a thousand words; well the cover of this book says it all. It illustrates what we all want, to age gracefully. "Baby Boomers' Guide to Healthy Aging" contains a glossary. It is written in terms simple enough for the layman to understand. This a wonderful book, it is well written. The subject matter is timely. In this age when we baby-boomers are facing aging and we may as well age gracefully. Thank you Mr. Murphy. Job well done. I highly recommend this book to all Baby Boomers and anyone else that cares about their health!

I could not put this book down.

I am a dedicated reader of health books
because I like to be as well as I can
possibly be.

The problem, I find, with books in genre,
is twofold. Either they make claims without
an evidentiary base, or they do not explain
how it all works. This book is different in
both respects.

Why do we feel lacking in energy as we grow
older? It is explained here! What can we do
about that? It is explained here! What diet
should we be on to avoid heart disease, or,
cervical cancer, or breast cancer, or dementia?
It is all explained here.

This book explains in a way I have never seen
before, from an evolutionary point of view, why
it is that oxygen and its relatives are so dangerous,
and how it is that the can contribute to the diseases
most of us worry about in aging.

I can not recommend this book highly enough.
It is all the health book you are ever going to
need if you are a normally aging person...

Helps consumers make the best choices for long-term care, from protecting assets to understanding Medicare, Medicaid and other benefit programs.

I'm glad to see a consumer guide on assisted living and long-term care. These are big life decisions and we need to make informed choices. The book will help you sort out options from long-term care, at-home care, organized senior residences, nursing facilities, Medicare and Veterans' Benefits, Medicaid and asset protection, estate planning and long-term care insurance.
I found the information quite helpful. I'd never even heard of a Geriatric Care Manager before. I liked that the book advised checking the state inspection report on a nursing facility.
The Resource Directory at the end provides lots of leads on:
State Offices of Aging
Caregiver Support Groups
Home Care, Community Programs and Senior Residences
National Organizations
State Organizations
Insurance--Long-Term Care
State Departments of Insurance
Legal Assistance
Licensing and Certification
Agencies on Nursing Care Standards
Nursing Facility License and Certification Offices
Nursing Facility and Alternative Residence Organizations
Ombudsman Offices
Reverse Mortgage and Home Equity Conversion Assistance
Viatical Settlement Assistance

This book brought me right back to my childhood and all the great memories that I have! Still being young I realize I have a lot more to experience and "Because I Can" reminded me to not let life pass me by. Throw yourself into the experience of life and get as much as you can out of it!!
Joan is one of those great writers who when you are done with the book, or even one of her short stories she's included, you want to know what happened next! I couldn't even put the book down when I was reading it!!
I would honestly recommend this book to anyone...I've already told all my friends to go out and buy it!

Because I Can is a beautiful collection of essays and stories through which I was reminded of the true treasures in life - our connection to one another, the love of family, the importance of friends.

I think I recall seeing the author's name on some magazine articles in the past, and if she is who I am thinking of, I really enjoyed her columns. It must be the same person because these stories are written with the same gentle strokes and heart-warming style as the articles.

I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone and everyone, but particularly parents. Through Borgatti's writing, we get to relive fond memories of hers while raising her children. And through her sharing, we get to relive our own childhood and that of our children.

This book is a great soul-nurturing addition to my bookshelf. Thank you Joan, for the smiles and the tears.

Kevin Axe's short reflections on retired life are wonderful! I keep this book at my bedside and no matter what page I open up to, I read exactly what I need to hear that day.

A few of his stories brought tears to my eyes like the one about a prayer he found in his mother's prayer book after her death. Many others made me laugh like his story of one of his professors who learned to snow ski at age 74. All of the stories are filled with practical, non-preachy advice about retirement. I highly recommend it for retirees and those who love them.

I am not even retired and I found this book very interesting and inspiring! Mr. Axe truly has a gift for weaving together humor, insight and thought provoking quotes to challenge our paradigms about life over the hill. I highly recommend it for anyone at a crossroads in their life or who knows someone entering their golden years. Buy this book, you won't be disappointed!

It was exactly the edition I needed for my Biology of Aging course. It was delievered on time by Amazon

I got this book because I used to do work on the author's lab and I was amazed by the work they were pursuing there.
I have read other bio textbooks, but what strikes me most about this one is that if you really just want to read one, this one has got it all. It is a complete survey, of all that is known and being studied currently on the topic of aging. From how to study aging to the goals of society in aging to everything inbetween. From the stuff that works, to might works, to absolutely does not, this is an excellent overview of the field.

The journal 'Nature' (1991, vol.352, 29 August, pp.767-768) published a review of this book including the following comment:

"Good new book on ageing".

The published review was written by Dr. Thomas B.L.Kirkwood, Ph.D. who was the head of the Laboratory of Mathematical Biology, National Institute for Medical Research (London, United Kingdom) at that time.

This book is selected and cited by Encyclopedia Britannica as recommended reference on longevity topic. The book was also reviewed by Nature (1991, 352: 767), British Medical Journal (1992, 305: 431), BioEssays (1993, 15: 359), Quarterly Review of Biology (1993, 68: 92), Population Studies (1992, 46: 366), Population and Development Review (1992, 18: 555 and 1998, 24: 381), Am.J.Epidemiology (1994, 139: 231), Experimental Gerontology (1992, 27: 251), Gerontologist (1991, 31: 707), Human Biology (1992, 64: 630), J.Epidemiology & Community Health (1992, 46: 630), J.Institute of Actuaries (1992, 119: 379), Age and Ageing (1992, 21: 386), Ageing and Society (1991, 11: 509), Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics (1992, 15: 192), Educational Gerontology (1993, 19: 92), Free Radical Biology & Medicine (1992, 12: 331).

This is the "How To" book everybody can use, not just "Boomers." It is full of practical advice, interesting stories, & references and encouragement. It is a great read as the stories are about real people in real situations. This is a wonderful book to own - for it's valuable references and resources and uplifting messages - to be able to pick it up at any time and read an inspiring story.

A must read for those who are approaching the retirement years. Lots of information of a practical nature. Billy A. Melvin

I read this book before I went to France with my family. It was a great story. I loved the map at the end of the book with descriptions of where to find the places that they talk about in the book. We tried to go to them all. My sister and I liked to help plan how we spent each day.

We bought this book for our children before we went to Paris this year. We thought it would be a good idea to have them read something other than a travelguide before we went(which we read) because they find Frommers and the like quite boring. They really enjoyed the book and it gave them things to look for while we were in Paris that actually have some (even if imginary) meaning for them other than their parents telling them it was historical. The glossary and guides at the end of the book were just as good as the rest of the book.

A Caregiver's Challenge should be on every caregiver's bookshelf.
It is an indispensable guide. The author uses her own very moving experience caring for her sick husband to help other caregivers. She offers advice, exercises, and helpful resources. Her professional experience and knowledge as a therapist make her a voice that readers trust. I would recommend this book to all caregivers, family members, and patients.

A Caregiver's Challenge: Living, Loving, Letting Go by psychotherapist Maryann Schact chronicles her own experience caring for her terminally ill husband and candidly exploring how terminal illness affects personal relationships. The onset of serious illness can throw relationships into shock, making it difficult to stay open and loving in spite of fear, and confronting people with the terror of things they never wanted to talk about. Simple steps and exercises to manage pain, consolodate one's emotional as well as physical resources, and stay true to one's bonds despite the perilous journey ahead, as well as advice concerning hard decisions and the medical power of attorney, dealing with money matters, alternative therapies to complement modern medicine, and much more. A highly recommended primer, written especially for caregivers but filled with crucial wisdom for anyone confronting the protracted loss of a loved one.

I really liked this book. It had entertaining illustrations that we can all relate to, even those who have only been caring for their loved ones for a short time! The tips were very helpful to me when caring for my Grandmother. I read the entire book, then used the tips as a searchable guide for information in the areas I needed help in at the time. I would recommend the book to anyone who is caring for a loved one or who will be caring for a loved one in the near future. The chapters are named with songs and the illustrations help to make light of real issues, which keeps the book positive. I believe the author and illustrator both went out of the way to show creativity and fun which makes it easier to read and helps to encourage you in your caregiving endeavor. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone who is or will be caring for their loved ones. Five stars to the author and illustrator. I got so much good from reading this book that I read her other books, "Caregiving Tips A-Z, Alzheimer's and Other Dementias", The Caring Caregivers Guide to Dealing with Guilt", and "Hospice Care at Home".

This is not just a how-to guide for caregiving in our homes, this book is Starr Calo-oy's personal testimony. And because she's "been there," I can trust her insight and recommendations. She offers practical advice and care instructions with uncommon sensitivity, meeting not only the physical needs of the person in our care, but their social and spiritual needs as well. This is not a cryptic medical encyclopedia, but an easy-to-read (large print), practical guide anyone can understand and benefit from. I just wish I'd had access to such invaluable and refreshing information when I cared for MY parents.