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

The Book About Getting Older

The honest, compassionate and vital guide to getting older, from dementia to finances, medication to care homes 
 
'The most important book about the second half of your life you'll ever read. I wish everyone in the UK could be under Dr Lucy's care' SANDI TOKSVIG 
 
'This warm and compassionate book gets to the heart of older age' THE BRITISH GERIATRICS SOCIETY 
________ 
 
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. This essential guide will guide you through those important conversations around growing older, answering every question you might have, including: 
 
· How do we start the conversation? 
· 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 readable book helps guide us through essential conversations about getting older that go straight to the heart of what matters most.

The most important book about the second half of your life you'll ever read. I wish everyone in the UK could be under Dr Lucy's care, but this is the next best thing

A lovely, thoughtful, caring and informative book which will help very many people

Dr Lucy Pollock offers useful tips about thorny subjects such as choosing medications and identifying dementia

Interesting and engaging . . . Eminently readable prose. The tone throughout is warm and friendly, even as serious and dark subjects are under discussion. It is an important book

Wise, compassionate, well researched and very broad in its coverage. I've learnt a lot that will help me both as a doctor and a patient. Thank you

Dr Pollock writes with spirit and empathy, making this an engaging and thought-provoking read. Anyone struggling with old age will feel less alone for having Dr Pollock on their team

Terrific . . . I suggest we all get a copy of Dr Lucy's book

Serious, funny, kind and knowledgeable, this book helps guide us through essential conversations about issues of getting older

This warm and compassionate book gets to the heart of older age. Using stories and accessible explanations, it covers issues of declining health, quality of life and choices about the things that matter most. The BGS is delighted to endorse this universally relevant and approachable exploration of what it means to get older

Kind, touching and, at times, achingly funny. An enlightening - and important - read whatever your age. Dr Lucy Pollock is just the kind of healthcare professional you want by your side

A brilliant book . . . We all know the statistics. We are an ageing population and we are going to be having these chats over and over again. [The Book About Getting Older] is a very good starting point

Serious, at times funny, but also kind and knowledgable

Include in 'Health solutions for your mind and body'

Lucy Pollock has long been grateful for the guidance offered by an early boss, who hoped she would not be offended if he suggested she should specialise in geriatric medicine. Having trained at Cambridge and Bart’s Hospital, Lucy is now a Consultant Geriatrician in Somerset. She has been working with older people for 30 years, and has learned useful things about life from a great many older people.

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

Lucy Pollock

The Golden Rule is part manifesto for better integration and appreciation between generations, and part reflection on a career spent looking after our elders, [. . .] with good humour, sanity, wisdom and quite a few jokes . . . her messages are clear and I’d love to see them headline every statement on health policy . . . [Lucy] offers advice not just on how to live to a ripe old age but also how to enjoy it

Compassionate and wise, it makes for empowering reading

If you are old or care for someone old, or indeed intend to become old one day yourself, please read this beautifully written book. With wisdom, clarity and kindness, Lucy Pollock generously shares what she has learned from caring for elderly people professionally and in her own life. Rich with everyday stories, The Golden Rule will inspire you to think differently about your own ageing and everyone else's.

The impression you have is how much you’d want Pollock as your medical practitioner

Beautiful and wise, filled with characters I know living through situations I recognise, filtered through the kindness of thoughtful storytelling

Kathryn Mannix, author of  With the End in Mind

Lessons in living from a doctor of ageing

We are living longer lives, and have choices now as never before about how we will age. But what will make us happy? What changes, made right now, will help us to flourish as we age? 
 
This book contains the invaluable lessons Dr Lucy Pollock has learnt from over thirty years of working with older people, from tales of loss, to impossible families, and the importance of learning to live with uncertainty. 
 
Medical teams have not always heard the voices of older people or their loved ones. But if we are given power to influence the lives of our future selves, how best shall we use it?

Lucy Pollock

Praise for The Golden Rule

The Golden Rule is part manifesto for better integration and appreciation between generations, and part reflection on a career spent looking after our elders, [. . .] with good humour, sanity, wisdom and quit ...

Compassionate and wise, it makes for empowering reading

If you are old or care for someone old, or indeed intend to become old one day yourself, please read this beautifully written book. With wisdom, clarity and kindness, Lucy Pollock generously shares what she has lear ...

The Golden Rule is part manifesto for better integration and appreciation between generations, and part reflection on a career spent looking after our elders, [. . .] with good humour, sanity, wisdom and quit ...

Compassionate and wise, it makes for empowering reading

If you are old or care for someone old, or indeed intend to become old one day yourself, please read this beautifully written book. With wisdom, clarity and kindness, Lucy Pollock generously shares what she has lear ...

The Golden Rule is part manifesto for better integration and appreciation between generations, and part reflection on a career spent looking after our elders, [. . .] with good humour, sanity, wisdom and quit ...

Compassionate and wise, it makes for empowering reading

If you are old or care for someone old, or indeed intend to become old one day yourself, please read this beautifully written book. With wisdom, clarity and kindness, Lucy Pollock generously shares what she has lear ...

Books by Lucy Pollock

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