The Book About Getting Older (for people who don’t want to talk about it)
- Downloads：7393
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-03-27 00:12:43
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Lucy Pollock
- ISBN：0241423392
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
'The most important book about the second half of your life you'll ever read。 I wish everyone in the UK could be under Dr Lucy's care， but this is the next best thing' SANDI TOKSVIG
'This warm and compassionate book gets to the heart of older age。 Using stories and accessible explanations， it covers issues of declining health， quality of life and choices about the things that matter most' THE BRITISH GERIATRICS SOCIETY
____
Now more than ever， we need to talk about getting older。
Many of us are living to a very great age。 But how do we give those we love， and eventually ourselves， long lives that are as happy and healthy as possible？
Dr Lucy's book gives us answers to the questions we can voice - and those that we can't。
A long life should be embraced and celebrated， but it's not all easy。 Yet even the most challenging situation can be helped by the right conversation。
How do we start？
· How do we ask whether it's worth taking seven different medicines？
· Is it normal to find you're falling out of love with someone， as they disappear into dementia？
· Should Dad be driving， and if not， who can stop him？
· What are the secrets of the best care homes？
· When does fierce independence become bad behaviour？
· How do you navigate near-impossible discussions around resuscitation and intensity of treatments？
· And who decides what happens when we become ill？
Serious， funny， kind and knowledgeable， this readable book helps guide us through essential conversations about getting older that go straight to the heart of what matters most。
____
'Dr Pollock writes with spirit and empathy， making this an engaging and thought-provoking read' Sunday Express
'Serious， funny， kind and knowledgeable， this book helps guide us through essential conversations about issues of getting older' Eastern Daily Press
'Wise， compassionate， well researched and very broad in its coverage。 I've learnt a lot that will help me both as a doctor and a patient。 Thank you' Dr Phil Hammond
'Terrific 。 。 。 I suggest we all get a copyof Dr Lucy's book' Evening Standard
'Interesting and engaging 。 。 。 The tone throughout is warm and friendly， even as serious and dark subjects are under discussion。 It is an important book' Irish Times
'This warm and compassionate book gets to the heart of older age。 Using stories and accessible explanations， it covers issues of declining health， quality of life and choices about the things that matter most' THE BRITISH GERIATRICS SOCIETY
____
Now more than ever， we need to talk about getting older。
Many of us are living to a very great age。 But how do we give those we love， and eventually ourselves， long lives that are as happy and healthy as possible？
Dr Lucy's book gives us answers to the questions we can voice - and those that we can't。
A long life should be embraced and celebrated， but it's not all easy。 Yet even the most challenging situation can be helped by the right conversation。
How do we start？
· How do we ask whether it's worth taking seven different medicines？
· Is it normal to find you're falling out of love with someone， as they disappear into dementia？
· Should Dad be driving， and if not， who can stop him？
· What are the secrets of the best care homes？
· When does fierce independence become bad behaviour？
· How do you navigate near-impossible discussions around resuscitation and intensity of treatments？
· And who decides what happens when we become ill？
Serious， funny， kind and knowledgeable， this readable book helps guide us through essential conversations about getting older that go straight to the heart of what matters most。
____
'Dr Pollock writes with spirit and empathy， making this an engaging and thought-provoking read' Sunday Express
'Serious， funny， kind and knowledgeable， this book helps guide us through essential conversations about issues of getting older' Eastern Daily Press
'Wise， compassionate， well researched and very broad in its coverage。 I've learnt a lot that will help me both as a doctor and a patient。 Thank you' Dr Phil Hammond
'Terrific 。 。 。 I suggest we all get a copyof Dr Lucy's book' Evening Standard
'Interesting and engaging 。 。 。 The tone throughout is warm and friendly， even as serious and dark subjects are under discussion。 It is an important book' Irish Times
Reviews
Liz Cooper
，
A very interesting and informative book。It started out advising to exercise and eat well， but there was little other information about how to have a good old age， unfortunately。The chapters on driving and dementia were particularly good but there were gems on every page too， though I couldn’t always remember who a character was， hopefully not because I have dementia！
jo-anne Casey
，
BrilliantClear and compassionate writing about caring for people as they age。 Recommended for all， not just for medics or geriatricians 😊
David Galvani
，
An account of a jobbing geriatrician。 Full of good stories both funny and poignant。 All the big hitters - DNAR， polypharmacy， right to chose etc。 Nothing on the science of getting old which disappointed me。
Caroline
，
This is beautifully written book。 The subject matter， old age， is something that most of us don't want to think about。。。 but despite the serious topic， this is not a heavy read by any meansInstead we get a powerful insight into the care provided by the NHS - and most particularly the attention to detail which goes into every individual。 It's also a guide to help us and our nearest and dearest through some of the steps and challenges to come， and most particularly to understand and engage with th This is beautifully written book。 The subject matter， old age， is something that most of us don't want to think about。。。 but despite the serious topic， this is not a heavy read by any meansInstead we get a powerful insight into the care provided by the NHS - and most particularly the attention to detail which goes into every individual。 It's also a guide to help us and our nearest and dearest through some of the steps and challenges to come， and most particularly to understand and engage with the many decisions along the road。Most importantly， it's a reminder to take action now。。。 I'll be writing my living will/advance decision this weekend。Overall a fabulous engaging read - think Adam Kay's This is going to hurt but for grownups！ The stories bring life to the various areas and challenges - this did not take me long to finish and I was gripped from start to finish。I was left amazed at Lucy's skill， empathy， compassion， professionalism and the care which emanates from every page。 A thought provoking and timely read。。。 。。。more
Hannah Symonds
，
I think this is one of the most important books that you should read if you are halfway through life。 All my life adult life I have been in and out of hospital so know how hospitals operate but this really gives you a good insight as to what happens as you get older， I wish Dr Lucy Pollock was my doctor， she seems very caring and compassionate and I have met quite a few doctors in my time and only a handful if that have been as caring as Dr Lucy Pollock。 I like the way the book is written， we he I think this is one of the most important books that you should read if you are halfway through life。 All my life adult life I have been in and out of hospital so know how hospitals operate but this really gives you a good insight as to what happens as you get older， I wish Dr Lucy Pollock was my doctor， she seems very caring and compassionate and I have met quite a few doctors in my time and only a handful if that have been as caring as Dr Lucy Pollock。 I like the way the book is written， we hear true life stories about older people and explanations that are easy to understand。 Each chapter brings a new subject falls， dementia， and questions you or a loved one maybe too afraid to ask。 At the end of each chapter are websites to find more information from。 The book gives us an explanation of what it means to get older。 I found this an insightful and informative book that will help people or family dealing with the issues that are raised in this book。 。。。more
Amanda Mulliner
，
This is a wonderful book which I wholeheartedly recommend to everyone: young， old and everyone inbetween。 Dr Pollock's enormous experience and expertise are evident throughout the book but it is her empathy and compassion that shine through。 It is a book full of very useful suggestions， websites and information and above all charming anecdotes， both sad and heartwarming， that enable everyone to identify with at least some of the situations。 It is a book that should be read by everyone！ This is a wonderful book which I wholeheartedly recommend to everyone: young， old and everyone inbetween。 Dr Pollock's enormous experience and expertise are evident throughout the book but it is her empathy and compassion that shine through。 It is a book full of very useful suggestions， websites and information and above all charming anecdotes， both sad and heartwarming， that enable everyone to identify with at least some of the situations。 It is a book that should be read by everyone！ 。。。more
Jules
，
As a paramedic， I see elderly patients regularly and often deal with death。 When called to an elderly patient in cardiac arrest， it can be difficult to discuss with family what their wishes were - did they wish to be resuscitated？ Do they have a DNACPR form， advising us not to attempt resuscitation？Although death & getting older can be difficult to talk about， we should be having these conversations so that we can respect the wishes of our loved ones。 Having legal documentation in place can take As a paramedic， I see elderly patients regularly and often deal with death。 When called to an elderly patient in cardiac arrest， it can be difficult to discuss with family what their wishes were - did they wish to be resuscitated？ Do they have a DNACPR form， advising us not to attempt resuscitation？Although death & getting older can be difficult to talk about， we should be having these conversations so that we can respect the wishes of our loved ones。 Having legal documentation in place can take away the need for families to make difficult decisions at an extremely upsetting time。 The Book About Getting Older discusses the treatment of older people both in hospital & in the community， what is the right thing to do for elderly people。 It quickly recaps on DNACPRs， mental capacity and advance plans。 It is an excellent resource for both medical professionals & those who look after elderly relatives。 Buy it & get the conversation going！ 。。。more
J M
，
What a lovely book Dr Lucy。 Full of wisdom， whit， compassion and sage advice。 All delivered with sensitivity and passion for her subject。 Her love of her patients springs from the pages。 Without being lectured at I feel I have been nudged into sorting out those LPA’s， cracking open the difficult conversations about treatments and making sure to look after the folks a little better。 A beautiful and much needed Dr Spock for the other end of life！
Ellen Grace
，
An absolute delight to read！ This book resonated powerfully with me not only as a medical professional but also someone with ageing parents and grandparents。 Dr Pollock beautifully demonstrates the common trials and tribulations of ageing， whilst bringing a smile to your face with heart-warming stories plucked from her career。 Drawing from years of experience this book offers practical and manageable tips， catering to everyone， to tackle what will ultimately happen to us all （getting old！）。
Julie Hudson
，