The Book About Getting Older

The essential comforting guide to ageing with wise advice for the highs and lows

By: Lucy Pollock

Narrated by: Lucy Pollock

Length: 9 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

The most important audiobook you'll ever listen to about the second half of your life.

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 audiobook helps guide us through essential conversations about getting older that go straight to the heart of what matters most.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Lucy Pollock (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Everyone Needs This Book

A magnificent mix of practicality, resource, and real-life narrative that speaks to those preparing for their own aging, stakeholders in the aging of a family member, and those who interact on any level with the aging and the dying. Wise, funny, compassionate, I'll be recommending this book to everyone.

Practical guide to aging.

Thoughtful discussion taken from the perspective of the UK Health System by a geriatric practitioner,

A must buy if you are old or know an old person

All of us who care about a loved one who is getting on a bit worry that we are doing the right thing. We are all prehaps old people currently inhabiting a younger body. One way or other we will get old and the poeple we love and care for will do so too. Yet, we know so little about what to do, how to act or react to changing circumstances. FINALLY we have a book that helps us.

This book is packed with information and help. It is sensible and compassionate. I read a print copy and loved it. The print copy is helpful to be able to book mark and refer back to. However, the audio version is SO MUCH BETTER.

Why?

Dr Pollock, the author, comes across in the book as a highly intelligent, experienced and thoughtful doctor. She knows her stuff and orders the information in a way that is helpful and carefully, delicately, takes us through the minefield of getting all of this right for all people involved.

Dr Lucy Pollock, the reader, shows us just how human and caring she is. Her strories and examples are brought to life from this deeply compassionate doctor who realy cares about people. She displays the deep understanding of the human condition with all the frailties that come with age. She is respectful, helpful and pratical.

I know who I want to look after me in my old age but for now I am settling for this extraordianry book

Move over Atul Gawande

A beautiful well written book. Part medical text (but very well explained) part humane discussion of events that will face us all. Essential reading for all doctors and everyone over 50 (or even 30). I bought the book first but then downloaded the Audiobook superbly read by the author. Don’t miss it - before it’s too late.

Warm, compassionate and important

Lucy embraces the elephant in the room and gently explains why we needn't be scared to talk about and plan for ageing, and even dignified dying. It's coming for all of us, so let's make the most of it, and be assertive about getting the care we need and deserve.

Absolutely perfect for medical students and foundation doctors (as well as people who are old, or those who love them!)

All the information in this book was perfectly put and clear in a way everyone can understand. I found this especially helpful to me as a medical student in the UK, understanding on a slightly deeper level what it means to be old and in hospital. I feel better equipped to support patients and their families.

I listened to this book, with the comforting voice of the author, on the way to placement every morning and I was more and more motivated to be as good as I could for the patients on the wards.

Thanks for writing this all down Lucy.

Excellent

Lucy’s book was kind yet did not shy away about the process and care decisions that may come our way when older. Beautifully narrated by the author.

Moving and helpful

Loved this book as someone working with older people but equally as someone who is getting older. In a beautifully loving and sensitive way it provides explanations and advice

Superb

This audio book has accompanied me on many miles of dog walks. As my parents are now into their eighties I hope to do my best to know what they might want. The author shows amazing observation and understanding of her many patients, their nearest and dearest and their diversity. I have learnt so much and cannot recommend this book more highly. Thank you so much Lucy Pollock for your work and this book. It could not be bettered in my opinion.

Wonderful

Kind, honest, practical, drily witty in places. Loved it and it inspires conversation so vitally needed sooner rather than later.

Feel better

This could have been written about my dad who at 87 with heart failure has been offered a knee replacement which he thinks will repair him as a whole x I wish the doctor had spoken to me x

What a lovely book, on such an important subject

I’ve fallen in love with this book. Beautifully written and narrated by the author, this has truly opened my eyes about getting older, but also supporting the older generation I work with.