Aging Well: The Complete Guide To Physical And Emotional Health

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.

Jeanne Wei, M.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of the Division on Aging at Harvard Medical School and Senior Physician at the Gerontology Division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Sue Levkoff, Sc.D., is an Associate Professor of the Department of Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Associate Professor of the Department of Health and Social Behavior in the Harvard Medical School of Public Health.

Foreword.

Preface.

PART I: AGING WELL.

What Is Aging?

How to Age Successfully.

Making the Health System Work for You.

PART II: USER'S GUIDE TO THE AGING MIND AND BODY.

Your Heart.

Your Reproductive System.

Your Mind.

Your Senses.

Your Skin, Hair, and Nails.

Your Musculoskeletal System.

Your Breasts.

Your Urinary System.

Your Respiratory System.

Your Gastrointestinal System.

Your Endocrine System.

Your Immune System.

Your Mouth.

PART III: ADAPTING TO LIFE'S TRANSITIONS.

Retirement.

Your Home.

Risks and Rights.

Making End-of-Life Decisions.

Loss and Bereavement.

PART IV: ASSISTING AGING PARENTS.

Helping Your Aging Parents.

PART V: THE LATEST ON ANTI-AGING THERAPIES.

"Healthy Aging" Research and Potential Therapies.

Appendix A: State Agencies on Aging.

Appendix B: State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs.

Appendix C: Resources.

Suggested Readings.

Index.