The Book About Getting Older: The essential comforting guide to ageing with wise advice for the highs and lows

Brought to you by Penguin. The most important book you'll ever read about the second half of your life now. 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. © Lucy Pollock 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

About the Author :
Lucy Pollock has long been grateful for the guidance offered by an early boss, who hoped she would not be offended if he suggested she should specialise in geriatric medicine. Having trained at Cambridge and Bart’s Hospital, Lucy is now a Consultant Geriatrician in Somerset. She has been working with older people for 30 years, and has learned useful things about life from a great many older people. Lucy Pollock has long been grateful for the guidance offered by an early boss, who hoped she would not be offended if he suggested she should specialise in geriatric medicine. Having trained at Cambridge and Bart’s Hospital, Lucy is now a Consultant Geriatrician in Somerset. She has been working with older people for 30 years, and has learned useful things about life from a great many older people.

Review :
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 A lovely, thoughtful, caring and informative book which will help very many people Dr Lucy Pollock offers useful tips about thorny subjects such as choosing medications and identifying dementia Interesting and engaging . . . Eminently readable prose. The tone throughout is warm and friendly, even as serious and dark subjects are under discussion. It is an important book 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 Pollock writes with spirit and empathy, making this an engaging and thought-provoking read. Anyone struggling with old age will feel less alone for having Dr Pollock on their team Terrific . . . I suggest we all get a copy of Dr Lucy's book Serious, funny, kind and knowledgeable, this book helps guide us through essential conversations about issues of getting older 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 BGS is delighted to endorse this universally relevant and approachable exploration of what it means to get older Kind, touching and, at times, achingly funny. An enlightening - and important - read whatever your age. Dr Lucy Pollock is just the kind of healthcare professional you want by your side