[.ca] Successful Aging (ISBN 0440508630)

From Amazon.com:
This groundbreaking book should definitely help further the movement of what the authors call "a new gerontology." John Rowe, M.D., and Robert Kahn, Ph.D., both members of the MacArthur Foundation Research Network, thoroughly debunk the myth that aging has to be a painful process of debilitation. Their research has shown that the influence of genetics shrinks proportionately as you get older, while social and physical habits become increasingly integral to your state of health--both mental and physical. The 10 years' worth of research cited in Successful Aging reveal some flabbergasting facts about health in later life. For example, an inactive person is worse off, health-wise, than a smoker who exercises regularly. And your lifestyle and attitude are significantly more important than your genes in determining whether or not your golden years are healthy ones--even if you have a genetic predisposition for developing Alzheimer's, arthritis, cancer, or other serious health problems. Rowe and Kahn start with a thorough breakdown of nutritional advice, including a rundown of the many vitamins and other nutrients that those older than 60 are in particular need of. They also detail the most important exercises for optimal functioning of body and mind, and analyze the benefits and risks of DHEA, melatonin, and tretinoin, while warning about snake-oil formulations that are now being marketed to the AARP set. There's also a thorough explanation of the importance of creativity and social connections--the research shows that, for the aging, strong social ties are even more important in preventing illness than genetic background.

would have made a nice article:
The idea behind this book is great, but its information could easily fit into a 3-page article in Woman's Day or a similar popular magazine. I expected to learn much more than I did from this very repetitive book. (It almost made me feel like I was aging on the spot: "Hey, didn't I just read that a few pages ago? Am I forgetting or imagining things?")

This book is very biased:
While hiding behind the mantle of saying that the book is based on a many-million dollar study by the MacArthur Foundation, in fact, it is little more than a feel-good book. To so disproportionately minimize the role of genetics in the aging process, while relying only fuzzy, methodologically weak studies to support its contraintuitive notions, renders this book just a step above pop-psych "You can be anything you want" books.

Successful Aging:
I stumbled upon the book strictly by accident and ended up paying full list price at Barnes and Noble. After seeing the really great prices on Amazon, I reluctently sat down to read a few chapters to try and get my monies worth. Wow. To say the book was enlightening would be to offer a dis-service to the multi-year McArthur Foundation Study. I picked up a few things from the book that most readers will not and that is basic assumptions that Private Foundations and Private Research gathers far more information about a subject than Government sponsored projects. It occured to me that Government has pretty muched screwed up Social Security as well as providing for long term health care in America. Successful Aging gives an alternative to spending your final years in a Nursing Home. The book is very well thought through, well researched and backed up with countless citations that give credit where credit is due. I found the book an enjoyable read, almost a primer. After reading this book, I ordered out about three hundred dollars worth of additional books on aging. That should tell you something. By the way, I ordered another copy of the book in out of print library edition to add to my collection. Great Book! Great Read! Don't get old without it!

Should be a classic:
The research findings reported in Successful Aging have been supported in a new 20-year study by an independent group of researchers. The study by Becca Levy of Yale Univerisity, et al, was reported in 2002. Simply stated, we can decide now to live longer and better. Having a positive attitude about aging is alone responsible for extending life by 7.5 years, and years of activity and involvment, not suffering. This is a very worthwhile read, despite what some stupid old fools have written before.

DARN GOOD BOOK:
While some may object to these "counterintuitive" findings, this book is in line with the vast majority of recent research in the field of gerontology. The notes at the back of the book give plenty of evidence to back up the claims here, too! In other words, it's accurate -- maybe not obvious, or what people want to hear, but accurate. That's what I wanted, and I think it's what most people can use. The extent to which one's own actions are responsible for how one ages is kind of scary, but also a powerful piece of knowledge. Also, it's great to know how *late* you can start doing a lot of things to improve your later life. This book is also clear, consise and helpful. It's available in large print too - because just because your eyesight is going doesn't mean it's too late to improve your health by gaining and applying knowledge! If you find that you are aging or know someone who is, read this book!