Louise Aronson – Elderhood
Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimagining Life by Dr. Louise Aronson both explores the aging process and Dr. Aronson’s career as a geriatrician. I admire Dr. Aronson’s dozens of stories where she admits she made mistakes dealing with aging patients. Aging is complicated and the health care system doesn’t make it easy or simple to treat the many problems of aging patients. Doctors struggle to get it right despite the pressure to limit time with patients. Elderhood provides a guided tour of aging and shows you what to expect. We all age differently, but we can all pursue smart choices to make our aging less dire.
Dr. Aronson provides a list items essential for a “good old age”: good genes, good luck, enough money, and one good kid, usually a daughter. Without these, a nursing home looms as your final destination. I learned a lot from Elderhood. You would, too. How long do you want to live? GRADE: A
Table of Contents:
Conception
Author’s note xiii
Birth
1 Life 3
Childhood
2 Infant 13
Memories – Lessons
3 Toddler 24
History – Sick – Assumptions
4 Child 41
Houses – Resurrection – Confusion – Standards – Other
5 Tween 63
Normal – Different
6 Teen 75
Evolution – Perversions – Rejuvenation – Gaps – Choices
Adulthood
7 Young Adult 105
Trauma – Modern – Indoctrination – Mistakes – Competence – Shame – Bias
8 Adult 137
Oblivious – Language – Vocation – Distance – Values – Truth – Biology – Advocacy – Outsourced -Zealot
9 Middle-aged 192
Stages – Help – Prestige – Complexity – Combustion – Sexy – Disillusionment – Priorities – Sympathy
10 Senior 241
Ages – Pathology – Communication – Freedom – Backstory – Longevity – Childproof – Reclamation –
Elderhood
11 Old 273
Exceptional – Future – Distress – Worth – Beloved – Places – Comfort – Tech – Meaning – Imagination – Bodies – Classification
12 Elderly 324
Invisibility – Duality – Care – Education – Resilience – Attitude – Design – Health – Perspective
13 Aged 363
Time – Nature – Human – Consequences – Acceptance
Death
14 Stories 397
Coda
Opportunity 403
Acknowledgments 405
Notes 407
Bibliography 433
Index 436
Thanks! If I meet up with any old people I’ll pass this along.
Dan, those Old People might be happy to read what Dr. Aronson has to say about their condition. Or sad.
Another book I do not want to read. It is amazing as we get to this age, to look at our parents and what health issues (good and bad) we inherited from them. I know I got a few things that have caused issues, but I also got some positives that seem to be working out so far. But then, you could be killed crossing the street tomorrow.
How long? Well, first goal is to outlive Trump’s Presidency. Since my parents made it to 86 and 89, 90 seems a reasonable goal. If I make it that far in decent shape, ask me again.
Jeff, good answer! Quality of Life is the major factor for me in the Aging Process. We’ll have to see what Michael Bloomberg says in tonight’s Debate. The Wall Street Journal predicts that Bernie Sanders will lose 44 states if he’s the Democrat Presidential Candidate. So…that means 4 more years of Trump.
I’m with Deb on this one.
As for how long I want to live, I used to say, “Age 114, shot by a jealous husband,” but my wife tells me that’s no longer acceptable in this age of Me Too. So I guess I’ll now have to say I want to live to 114, having died under suspicious circumstances. (Hopefully still reading your daily blogs posts until that fateful day.)
Jerry, age 114 sounds good…if anti-aging technology can turn me into a 25-year-old again!
I’ve never done any of the things people do to stay healthy, like exercising regularly and eating healthy foods, so the fact that I’m in pretty good shape must either be genes or an accident. I’ll just have to see how long my luck holds out.
Michael, I think reading and keeping your mind active are two key ingredients to keeping aging at bay.
My mother was obsessed with stuff like that – reading, word puzzles, crossword puzzles, etc. But I doubt that could prevent Alzheimers if you have the wrong gene. Fortunately, she didn’t. My father was in an Alzheimers study because they thought his mother had some kind of dementia, but he never showed any sign until the day he died. Then there was that HBO show about it, and they had one family where five of six siblings had Early Onset, most in their 40s and 50s.
Jeff, I’ve instructed Katie that “When my mind goes, makes sure I go, too!” After watching my mother suffer with Alzheimers for 8 years, I have no intention to experience it.
As long as I have decent health, then a quick end, please.
Rick, you’re right. No one wants to suffer unnecessarily. Or be a burden to their family.
Ho-hum! You either age or die!
Bob, true.