The Real Truth About Aging By Neil B. Shulman

As life expectancy continues to increase millions of seniors are living well into their eighties and nineties With the aging of the baby boomers the population of senior citizens will swell dramatically in the coming decades These statistics will inevitably draw attention to the aging process What should middle aged people expect as they grow older What should caregivers of the elderly know about normal aging How can we all stay healthy despite the limitations of age In this authoritative user friendly guide three experts in geriatric medicine provide the latest evidence healthy aging an understanding of the modern and often confusing health care system and information about the medical issues affecting frail older adults. They begin with the basic facts of aging distilling the current research on the underlying molecular mechanisms organ system changes and associated disease risks that occur as our bodies get older They devote separate chapters to preventative medical testing so called anti aging therapies vitamin and herbal supplements exercise and medication problems. In the next section they present an overview of the American healthcare system from making the most of a doctor s visit and an explanation of various healthcare professionals involved in elder care to guidelines for choosing a nursing home or assisted care facility They also discuss the health risks of a stay in the hospital including antibiotic resistant infections temporary delirium and bedsores. In the following section they tackle the challenges of caring for a frail senior covering a range of issues from falls osteoporosis and infections to sleep difficulties depression and dementia A chapter is also devoted to the last days of life and how hospice can help. The authors also provide a section on the need to plan ahead Among the questions considered When should an advance directive be written How much money will be needed for the elder years When should a senior give up driving At a time when geriatric medicine is becoming a rare specialty and doctors receive little training in this area the wealth of information compiled in this outstanding volume is invaluable Senior citizens their families and even healthcare professionals will find it to be an unparalleled resource The Real Truth About AgingWhat it s really going to be likeI read one of these books every five years or so just to keep up on the latest This really is the nitty gritty on the very vexing subject of aging but consider the alternative Doctors Shulman Silverman and Golden remove our rose colored glasses and reveal the real world process that is known as growing old in depressing detail leading to the well known conclusion that aging is not for the faint of heart. They go from the troubles trials and tribulations of the relatively young old to the senescence of the old old and tell us what we can and cannot do to rage against the dying of the light They are guiding not just the elderly but those who are responsible for the elderly physicians caretakers family and friends They point out scams and false hopes while making it clear which medicines and procedures are likely to help and which will not They are candid than most people who write books on aging They make the reader smell the urine in the nursing homes and feel the aching of the frail bones and see the curved spines and the sunken cheeks and most of all they make vivid and immediate the hopelessness and depression that so many people experience near the end of their lives And they offer some ways of alleviating the suffering. After reading this book you ll have a good idea about what to expect if you develop any of the complaints of old age and what it will be like to be hospitalized or in a nursing home or other care facility On the actual experience of aging vis vis the medical establishment the authors are thorough while serving up no pie in the sky and to be blunt very little fattening pie on the plate as well They discuss costs and how much of those costs Medicare and Medicaid can be expected to cover They discuss various drugs and their effectiveness while giving the reader some idea of what it s like for both doctor and patient to juggle four or five medicines for several different ailments and why there is no magic pill. There is a sense of the political correct to their views They tell the truth as I know it anyway about vitamins supplements alternative medicine exercise etc They represent the establishment view which is an important reason for reading this book even if you are of an alternative persuasion In short this is NOT a feel good uplifting inspiration volume likely to make it to the bestseller list Instead this is a candid report on the state of the art in geriatrics from a professional and experiential point of view. To be honest I found it a bit depressing Bedpans dementia bedsores weakened bones compromised immune systems pain and suffering these are the horsemen of the apocalypse that await us one and all And so in reading this I am re inspired to exercise regularly eat properly and to avoid any sort of compromise to my health The book is in four parts Part 1 Fighting the Aging Clock which covers understanding what it means to grow old and why it happens and what preventive measures are likely to achieve Part 2 The Twenty First Century Healthcare System what to expect from the medical and care giving establishment Part 3 Caring for the Frail Senior everything you really would like to avoid experiencing and finally Part 4 Planning Ahead before It s Too Late which covers such issues as expenses last wills and testaments when should you give up driving whether to travel for pleasure preparations for hurricanes and other natural disasters and finally the dying process itself I have some familiarity with this experience having watched my mother and wife go through it Watching helplessly while a loved one dies is also not for the faint of heart. This terrible fact of life of decline disability and death is made real in this book in a way that most publishers dare not Prometheus Books and the very learned authors are to be commended for telling it like it is and sparing us the syrupy anodynes The authors give credit to Maurice Chevalier 1888 1972 for this witticism Of course it was first uttered in the prehistory Yes I was there and heard it Dennis Littrell author of The World Is Not as We Think It Is English I wanted an overview of the aging process and the medical aspects one must handle as one ages This is exactly that. Each chapter is filled with common questions asked during aging its treatments and its effects The answers are concise often in bullet points with further questions to consider and explore within a single paragraph or two The portions I appreciated the most were the sections that discuss which methods were valid to help assist in reducing the negative side effects of aging and the many areas to watch out for changes whose symptoms differ in the elderly I am glad I found this book at the library English