Aging in Good Health: Multidisciplinary Perspectives

by Sue Levkoff

Most older adults lead productive, happy lives, without significant le vels of disability or illness. In this text, the editors integrate co ncepts of healthy aging with larger salient issues of aging... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0826113664
• ISBN13: 9780826113665
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Springer Publishing Company
• Length: 371 Pages

Customer Reviews

Good summary of research on aging

This is a good summary of current knowledge about the problems of the aged. It reads like a master's thesis but is clear and easily understood. The 46 pages of bibliography provide lots of academic studies to go after if you like statistics. Of most interest to me are the chapters on life review, whereby persons try to discern the pattern and value of their lives; spirituality; and emotional health. Also, the role of medication in the elderly, exercise and nutrition, falling and fear of falling, and geriatric rehabilitation held new information for me. An overall sense I get from this book is that even though being old is largely a sedentary occupation, it should be less so, and that in order for one to keep from becoming prematurely disabled, some physical training is in order as soon as possible. If this idea were acted upon more in retirement communities, and everywhere, for that matter, residents might postpone their loss of physical ability, especially ability to stand and walk. For many, physical conditioning could be as ambitious as tai-chi and weight training or swimming. This would strengthen them and preserve their body control, as well as providing the other physical and psychological benefits of exercise. Retirement communities could keep their residents mobile longer and perhaps require fewer wheelchairs if their apartment-dwellers spent an hour or so a day doing something more physical than watching TV.