Tales of a Geriatrician
What to Expect in Your 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and Beyond
Authored by David Bernstein, M.D.
Life is an aging process. Each of us will go through it in our own way. How we lead our lives when we are old, particularly as we near the end, is, I believe, worth pondering. In this way, “I’ve Got Some Good News and Some Bad News: You’re Old” serves as a guide for all of us as we age, providing topics for contemplation and discussion with friends, family and colleagues.
“You’re Old” uses real patient experiences to explore what happens as we age – physically, mentally, and socially. The book also examines the tremendous abilities of medicine today as well as its limits, and the social issues that adults in America face as they age. Each chapter concludes with Notes on Living Longer, and a resource section providing topic-specific information on organizations, websites, and other expert sources that can help the reader better understand and prepare for the prize of surviving youth and middle-age: becoming old.
“You’re Old” is written for the aging and the aged, their children, and younger people who aspire to grow old. It is written for the physicians, nurses and other providers who care for the elderly. The experiences explored in this book include the “good news and the bad” as the inevitable ravages of age intrude into the lives of Dr. Bernstein’s patients. From the most mundane situations to the truly sublime, the tales illuminate the emotional, psychological, and spiritual aspects of aging along with the diverse strategies people use to adapt to its realities.