An Essential Guide To Aging Well

This book is a refreshingly honest self-help guide to aging well. It encourages readers to dispel gloom or overcome denial around the subject of aging and offers advice in a realistic, non-prescriptive format. Practical yet personable, chapters move through pertinent topics such as making the decision to retire and successfully navigating that transition; designing daily routines (your practice) and engaging in activities (your projects); connecting with others as relationships shift and evolve; and managing moods and emotional issues. The guide also supports readers coping with illness or injury, experiencing loss and grief, and those searching for meaning as they grow older. Written in a conversational style, An Essential Guide to Aging Well motivates its readers to be curious about this time of life, and to design the best possible version of it for themselves.

Older adults can stay healthy longer by avoiding injury at home. As we age, our sense of balance and our vision, hearing, and cognition become less sharp. Aging-related changes greatly increase our risk of injury. In Living Safely, Aging Well, nationally recognized safety expert Dorothy A. Drago spells out how to prevent injury while cooking, gardening, sleeping, driving—and just walking around the house. In the first part of the book, Drago describes the causes of injuries by type—falls, burns, poisoning, and asphyxia—and explains how to decrease the risk of each. She then explores the home environment room by room, pointing out potential hazards and explaining how to avoid them, for example, by installing night lights, eliminating glass coffee tables, and using baby monitors. Lively line drawings make it easy for readers to visualize risks and implement prevention techniques. Living Safely, Aging Well pays special attention to hazards encountered by people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. A chapter devoted to health literacy helps people and caregivers make the best use of the medical care system and a chapter on driving helps evaluate when it is no longer safe to be behind the wheel.

In this definitive, prescriptive guide to all aspects of aging, the authors-both top experts on aging at Harvard Medical School-offer a complete and highly accessible reference focused on the physical and emotional issues that affect seniors and their loved ones. Here is invaluable advice on a range of topics, from lifestyle choices to retirement and insurance options to coping with loss and other life concerns. Aging Well addresses such increasingly important subjects as: * Safety risks associated with growing older * Alternative medicine and the right questions to ask * Assisting aging parents and other challenges of the "sandwich generation" * Mail-order products for seniors * Healthy-aging research and potential therapies * How to optimize and strengthen your health if your body is affected by illness or disease Aging Well contains what you need to know to help you and your loved ones live fuller, healthier lives, whether you're 40, 50, or older-because aging well is living well.

In an unprecedented series of studies, Harvard Medical School has followed 824 subjects -- men and women, some rich, some poor -- from their teens to old age. Harvard's George Vaillant now uses these studies -- the most complete ever done anywhere in the world -- and the subjects' individual histories to illustrate the factors involved in reaching a happy, healthy old age. He explains precisely why some people turn out to be more resilient than others, the complicated effects of marriage and divorce, negative personality changes, and how to live a more fulfilling, satisfying and rewarding life in the later years. He shows why a person's background has less to do with their eventual happiness than the specific lifestyle choices they make. And he offers step-by-step advice about how each of us can change our lifestyles and age successfully. Sure to be debated on talk shows and in living rooms, Vaillant's definitive and inspiring book is the new classic account of how we live and how we can live better. It will receive massive media attention, and with good reason: we have never seen anything like it, and what it has to tell us will make all the difference in the world.

In the past century, average life expectancies have nearly doubled, and today, for the first time in human history, many people have a realistic chance of living to eighty or beyond. As life expectancy increases, Americans need accurate, scientifically grounded information so that they can take full responsibility for their own later years. In The Art and Science of Aging Well, Mark E. Williams, M.D., discusses the remarkable advances that medical science has made in the field of aging and the steps that people may take to enhance their lives as they age. Through his own observations and by use of the most current medical research, Williams offers practical advice to help aging readers and those who care for them enjoy personal growth and approach aging with optimism and even joy. The Art and Science of Aging Well gives a realistic portrait of how aging occurs and provides important advice for self-improvement and philosophical, spiritual, and conscious evolution. Williams argues that we have considerable choice in determining the quality of our own old age. Refuting the perspective of aging that insists that personal, social, economic, and health care declines are persistent and inevitable, he takes a more holistic approach, revealing the multiple facets of old age. Williams provides the resources for a happy and productive later life.

“Essential reading for COVID times. . . . The tool we all need right now: a smart, straightforward guide that speaks directly to the question: How can I build a strong immune system? The book is packed with clear, actionable advice for building a strong immune system, losing weight, feeling younger and aging beautifully.” —Yahoo! Life How you age is up to you. And it’s easy to take charge. From the renowned integrative doctor Frank Lipman comes a radically simple program to reverse the symptoms we reflexively call “normal aging,” including feeling achy, stiff, sluggish, weak, and vulnerable to chronic illness. This improves not only our life span but, more importantly, our health span—our quality of life and how we feel. Built on a series of lifestyle changes that energize the body and build and strengthen its immune system, The New Rules of Aging Well is based on ancient wisdom backed up by science: Eat less and practice intermittent fasting. Do 20 minutes a day of something meditative. Switch to gentler workouts, but move as much as possible. Unlock the incredible power of mushrooms. Grow your tribe. Walk barefoot when you can. The result: a rejuvenated you that looks great and feels healthy, happy, sexy, agile, and strong.

Are you ready to redefine the golden years of your life? Discover the art of thriving in your later years with "The Essential Guide to Aging with Grace." This book is your ultimate companion for transforming this stage of life into a vibrant journey of vitality and celebration. Perfect for anyone on the cusp of retirement or already enjoying their golden years, it offers a fresh perspective on aging, challenging stereotypes, and inspiring a life filled with purpose and excitement. Within the pages of this book, you will discover how to: Challenge age-related stereotypes and embrace aging with a positive mindset. Cultivate a healthy lifestyle with tailored nutrition, exercise, and self-care practices. Foster meaningful relationships and stay socially connected. Pursue personal growth, lifelong learning, and creative endeavors to sharpen your mind and spirit. Plan your financial future with confidence. Stay independent, adapt to new technologies, and ensure your living environment suits your changing needs. Beyond practical advice, this book explores the emotional and spiritual aspects of aging, offering a holistic view of how to live a life brimming with empowerment. From embracing change to discovering the joys of hobbies, travel, and giving back, "The Essential Guide to Aging with Grace" is more than just a book-it's a journey to finding joy and meaning in every moment. Whether you're planning for retirement or wanting to live a more enriching life, this book is an invaluable guide to finding happiness in your later years. Embrace the wisdom, freedom, and opportunities that come with aging, and take the first step towards a vibrant, fulfilling future today.

Explores all aspects of health as men reach middle age and beyond. As they reach middle age, most men begin looking forward to "what's next." They gear up to experience renewed productivity and purpose and are more conscious of their health. A Man's Guide to Healthy Aging is an authoritative resource for them, and for older men, as well. In collaboration with a variety of medical experts, the authors provide a comprehensive guide to healthy aging from a man's perspective. Edward H. Thompson, Jr., and Lenard W. Kaye—a medical sociologist and a gerontologist and social worker—offer invaluable information in four parts: • "Managing Our Lives" describes the actions men can take to stay healthy. Here is information about how to eat well, reduce stress, and stay active for better overall health. • "Mind and Body" considers how physical health and state of mind are connected. It explores sleep, drug and alcohol use, spirituality, and attitudes about appearance—and explains how all of these factors affect mental health. • "Bodily Health" examines how body systems function and what changes may occur as men age. It covers the body from head to toe and reviews how to manage chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart conditions. • "Living with Others" shows the importance of interacting with friends and family. Topics include sexual intimacy, friendship, and caregiving, as well as how men can make the best decisions about end-of-life issues for themselves and their loved ones. Refuting the ageist stereotype that men spend their later years "winding down," this book will help men reinvent themselves once, twice, or more—by managing their health, creating new careers, and contributing their skills and experiences to their communities.