Description:
This resource is a great help for demystifying the aging process and helping you maintain a good quality of life. Aging well involves "reaching for a level of physical, social, and psychological well-being that is pleasant to both ourselves and others" and staying active in all three spheres, say the authors, who are both affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Aging Well presents a one-chapter overview of recommended self-care strategies (such as exercising, eating nutritiously, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, and being careful about your medications). Next it explains how to make the health system work for you (including choosing a health plan, controlling the paper trail, and getting the most out of your doctor visits). Then the book zeroes in on particular health considerations in detail, with chapters on the heart, reproductive system, mind, senses (hearing, sight, taste, smell, pain), skin, musculoskeletal system (bones, muscles, joints), breasts, urinary system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal system, and more. Each chapter explains how that body system changes as it ages, what you can do to stay healthy, and problems that you may encounter. The writing is clear, and plenty of information is packed into each chapter. The last section, "Adapting to Life's Transitions," covers retirement, your home (making it accident-proof, getting help with everyday activities, housing options, long-term care), risks and rights (fraud, maltreatment), end-of-life decision-making, bereavement, and helping your aging parents. --Joan Price
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