Eyes Wide Open - Best Books on Aging
There’s a book for everything - and aging is no exception. Whether you plan to stay alive yourself—or play the role of caring for an older adult, you can benefit from the many who have trod the path before you. A wide range of authors have covered just about every topic from health to caregiving to economics and beyond. Taking advantage of this library of knowledge can help you make better and more informed decisions
Living in a society that does not promote multi-generational households, we often lack experience in watching older adults develop and change. Add to that our media focus on younger adults from teen to 30’s and obsession with physical prowess and beauty, and it is easy to see why aging and its processes can seem invisible until it becomes relevant within our own lives. But the reality is that the US population is greying, with the number of Americans 65 and up doubling over the next 40 years. More of us than ever before will need to navigate extended life spans.
Any project begins with some research. You would not set off on a trip without any idea of the weather, the sights, and the accommodations that you will need when you arrive. Setting aside some time to explore topics in aging can be a worthwhile investment before you ever get on that train.
Our friend and colleague, gerontologist Karen D. Austin, has compiled a list of what she considers to be some of the Best Books on Aging. We share a few of these below.
Remember as well, that taking the time to put your own affairs into order will go a long way towards smoothing your journey. This process involves understanding what legal documents you will want to have in place. Our team at Hillsborough Wills & Trusts offers strong support for building your circle of security at all stages of life.
A Book that Fights Ageism
Applewhite, Ashton. This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism. Celdon Books, 2016. Applebaum looks at various ways intuitions discriminate overtly or covertly based on their age and how that plays out negatively in the media, the workplace, and even how people make self-deprecating remarks about their own aging.
A Book that Provides a Comprehensive Overview of Aging
Aronson, Louise. Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimaging Life. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2019. Aronson is an expert on the aging body as a geriatrician; however, she writes a memoir while also sharing a lot of gerontology research about the social, emotional, economic, and spiritual dimensions of life.
A Book that Celebrates the Carefree Sophistication of Mature Fashion
Cohen, Ari Seth. Advanced Style. PowerHouse Books, 2012. Cohen shares photographs of mature fashionistas who grace the avenues of Manhattan with their distinct and sophisticated fashion. These women (and a few men) demonstrate styles from understated and aristocratic through eclectic and outrageous.
A Book about End-of-Life Care
Gawande, Atul. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. Metropolitan Books, 2014. Gawande critiques the models of healthcare that put physicians in charge of end-of-life care. Patients need to make more decisions. He helps prepare readers for some of the scenarios they might face by sharing research, workplace and family anecdotes.
A Book that Analyzes Films about Aging
Garrett, Mario. Coming of Age in Films. Cambridge Scholars, 2019. Garrett has viewed and reviewed dozens of films, organizing them into various themes, such as romance, dementia, and dying.
A Book about Spirituality in Late Life
Moore, Thomas. Ageless Soul: The Lifelong Journey toward Meaning and Joy. St. Martin's Press, 2017.
Moore uses a blend of psychology, sociology, spirituality and personal experience to share how he addressed the challenges of aging in order to transform aging into a positive experience.
A Novel from the Perspective of an Older Man
Mosley, Walter. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. Riverhead Books, 2010. Mosley describes the life of a Black, nonagenarian from Los Angeles who lives alone with increased challenges to mind, body, and soul. With growing memory issues, Mosley is wrestling with his past to find a way to leave a meaningful legacy behind.
A Collection of Folktales about Grandmothers / Crones
Muten, Burleigh. Grandmothers' Stories: Wise Woman Tales from Many Cultures. Barefoot Books, 1999. With illustrations from Siân Bailey, Burleigh shares twelve tales with older women as protagonists. These tales come from countries as diverse as Japan and Senegal.
A Novel from the Perspective of an Older Woman
Strout, Elizabeth. Olive Kitteridge. Random House, 2008. This novel, which reads like a collection of intertwined short stories, introduces the reader to a brusque New England woman. Each chapter peals back the layers to reveal a more complex person whose decades of experience have hardened her. Despite being emotionally crippled in significant ways, Olive has a big heart.
A Book about the Wonders of the Aging Brain
Strauch, Barbara. The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain: The Surprising Talents of the Middle-Aged Mind. Viking Adult, 2010. Strauch presents not just the limitations but the strengths of the aging brain. Even though we loose the ability to memorize quickly, we gain the ability to make connections and synthesize information.