I'll Fly Away--stories about amazing disabled elders

We all hope to grow old with dignity and some joyfulness. The intimate narratives of 40 extraordinary elders shared in I'll Fly Away explore both the challenges of aging and the joys and vibrancy that often persist in the twilight years. Poignant observations of the patients, families, and a team of medical and public health professionals and para-professionals that intersect daily at the Center for Elders' Independence in Oakland, California, reveal the complexities of aging, identity, amid the assertive persistence of the human spirit.

From a couple's summer drive across the Arizona desert to a family's struggle with mental illness to patients' romantic escapades, each tale offers a unique glimpse into the resilience of individuals facing profound transitions and prompts questions about our collective responsibility to our elders.

Though this book is valuable for medical and public health professionals seeking how to best serve their communities and patients, it especially offers families kinship, support, and inspiration for navigating their own situations. For patients and readers in general, I'll Fly Away champions the idea that every one of us is a unique person with needs, wants, and a voice that is discoverable and deserves to be heard.

Full of sometimes unimaginably amusing and amazing tales and endorsed by esteemed colleagues, I'll Fly Away is a memoir and a powerful critique of societal attitudes towards aging. It embodies the notion that every life is a story worth telling, and every voice matters.

Marc Sapir, a retired primary care, geriatric and public health physician, is an essayist and political activist. He was first Medical Director of the Center for Elders' Independence for disabled elders for 9 years. He is author of five plays, and also writes fiction, poetry, and music. He lives in Berkeley, CA.