The Gift of Aging

Marcy Cottrell Houle, MS, is a professional wildlife biologist and the author of eight award-winning books. Two of her books received the Christopher Award 'for books that affirm the highest values of the human spirit.' Her work has been selected by the New York Times as a Best Book for Earth Day. She is a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, LA Times, and Globe and Mail, and written for the Nature Conservancy Magazine, Cricket Magazine for Children, Readers Digest, the New York Times, and Smithsonian Magazine. Marcy lives with her family on a small farm on Sauvies Island, Oregon. Elizabeth Eckstrom is Chief of Geriatrics in the Division of General Internal Medicine & Geriatrics at Oregon Health & Science University. Her research focuses on healthy aging and has shown that tai chi reduces falls by at least 50% and improves memory test scores (she recommends tai chi for everyone!). She is grateful to care for and learn from her older patients, and has had the opportunity to teach conferences and workshops on fall prevention and healthy aging around the world. She is thrilled to call Oregon home and can frequently be found in her garden, windsurfing on the Columbia River, and hiking and skiing on Mt. Hood.

Introduction; 1. Map and Compass; Part I. Caring for Your Mind: 2. A goal higher than joy; 3. Why does having purpose matter? Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 4. An open and determined mindset; 5. Autonomy: impossible without adaptability Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 6. Dance, Lucille, dance; 7. The golden spurtle; 8. Is retirement bad for my health and well-being? Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 9. Humanitude-why human connection is vital for everyone; 10. 106-proof; 11. Killing us quietly. Why social isolation is as bad for us as smoking Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 12. Brain health across the life span. What can I do now to prevent dementia later on? Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; Part II. Caring for Your Body: 13. Protect your bones throughout your life Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 14. Why your bladder, kidney and perineal health matters Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 15. Help! My blood pressure is going up, I'm dizzy when I stand, and every doctor tells me something different about my cholesterol! What do I do? Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 16. Our muscles throughout the life span: build resilience now to prevent frailty later Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 17. The wonderful world of microbiota and the value of the Mediterranean diet Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 18. What happens to our immune system as we age? Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 19. The problem with pain and what we can do about it Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 20. Don't give in and live with pain. First, give physical therapy a try Darla Philips, PT, DPT, ATC, OCS; Part III. Caring for Yourself and Your Family: Practical Planning: 21. Who needs an estate plan? Everyone Wendy K. Goidel, Esq; 22. Financial planning through the decades Wendy K. Goidel, Esq; 23. An ethical will: leaving your legacy to loved ones Wendy K. Goidel, Esq; 24. You've become a caregiver. Now what? Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 25. So many living arrangements. Which one for you? Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 26. Do this one simple thing and add 7.5 years to your life! Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; Part IV: Caring for Your Soul: 27. I don't want to go downstairs!; 28. How not to be afraid of dying and ensure that your family remembers your death as a peaceful one Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 29. Only two things; 30. Grief and loss: normal parts of aging. not to be missed Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 31. Living to make a difference; 32. The great leveler; 33. View from the mountain; 34. The healing power of nature Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 35. The best place in the world to grow old Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 36. From revolution to pandemic; 37. The power of positivity Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 38. An incredible journey; Afterword; Acknowledgements; Elizabeth's original Mediterranean diet recipes; Index.