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Book group: The Book About Getting Older, by Lucy Pollock

Lucy Pollock has poured years of experience and a wealth of understanding into The Book About Getting Older, which encourages us to talk and learn about ageing as happily and healthily as possible.

Caroline Branney, who manages our Dementia Knowledge Centre, says, ‘This is a very warm and positive book examining some of the aspects of getting older and celebrating the fact that some of us live to a great age.

‘The author is an expert in the care of older people (a geriatrician) and this is her first book.’

‘She shares her interest and enthusiasm of working with older people, saying she’s written the book to change the fact that we don’t talk enough about what it is like to be very old: “Older people are just all of us grown up.”’

Linda Lawless, in Hampshire, says, ‘I find the tone in which it is written is excellent.

‘It is very easy to read and has helped me understand how my mum’s brain worked in old age and living with dementia.’

Ageing reconsidered

Caroline says, ‘Lucy shares her experiences in a fascinating, humorous way, which really made me think about the whole concept of ageing. Her case studies and reflections bring the subject to life and no subject is avoided. 

‘A champion of older people, she discusses prejudice, fear and invisibility. Even at national level, she shows that people talk with negativity about the “economically inactive”, the “burden” and the “demographic time bomb”.

‘Early on the author discusses how governments in Europe have been measuring not only life expectancy, but also “healthy life expectancy” or similar measures of how long we can expect to live independently.’

Linda says, 'It will greatly help in my role supporting unpaid carers.

‘It is non-judgemental and definitely aids understanding of your own ageing as well as those you care for/work with.’

Another reader says, ‘With dementia, Pollock focuses on the areas where she sees most unhappiness and where good information can make a positive difference. These are under two themes – the path to a dementia diagnosis and how we respond to that diagnosis.

‘Her chapter on “Responding to dementia” is very readable. There’s a touching description of a visit to an old family friend who was in hospital, and how the son explained how he had learnt how to communicate with his father.’

Helpfully hopeful

Caroline says, ‘The discussions about health describe how good habits in earlier life can be beneficial and also about independence and attitudes to its preservation.’

Linda adds, ‘Having spent many years caring for my mum with dementia I had got rather anxious, having seen so many people with dementia during her five years in a care home, worrying about which one I might turn into behaviour wise! This book has so far dispelled that concern.’

Another reader concludes, ‘I was particularly taken with the view that although many of the difficulties that come with age are common, they are not normal or inevitable.’

‘Pollock advocates interventions in chapters about falls and about continence – research proves that people deserve a proper diagnosis and are not “doomed”.’ 

The Book About Getting Older, by Lucy Pollock (Penguin 2022), 400 pages, £ 9.99 (prices vary), ISBN 9781405944434. Available in many libraries, and as an ebook and audiobook.