Rethinking Aging

May 30, 2011
We now know exactly where we are at a "ripe old age"âabout 85, and more of us are hitting that mark than ever before, notes Hadler, a professor of medicine at UNCâChapel Hill (Worried Sick: A Prescription for Health in an Overtreated America). But it's all downhill and at a fairly quick clip after that. And here's where Hadler moves into myth-buster mode, arguing that it's not useful to hope that biotechnology will stave off the grim reaper. Better to live the old lives we reach by making smart decisions as we travel there, e.g., ignoring media hype about "the scare of the week, the miracle of the month," and be wary of road maps to impossibly golden years. Hadler cites controversial studies showing, for instance, that there is no obesity epidemic. He also cautions against the growing array of screening tests: unlike diagnostics that look for an existing problem, screening hunts for culprits that could create a future problem that may never materialize. With this thoughtful guide, Hadler urges better options for end-of-life care than a lonely, traumatic last stop at the hospital.

August 1, 2011

Hadler (medicine & microbiology/immunology, Univ. of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; Worried Sick: A Prescription for Health in an Overtreated America) decries the overmedicalization of aging, arguing that many natural conditions, such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, have been redefined as diseases. This has led to unnecessary screening resulting in aggressive (and expensive) treatments that often do more harm than good. Reviewing epidemiological studies, he demonstrates that even simple interventions after age 60, such as lowering blood pressure through diet and drugs, do not significantly contribute to a longer, healthier life. Hadler advocates informed decision making pertaining to all stages of aging, cautioning that no procedure should be undertaken unless evidence clearly indicates outcomes will be beneficial. He also shows that racial, gender, and socioeconomic factors significantly affect longevity, a point also made by Susan Jacoby in her more readable Never Say Die. VERDICT Hadler's view of aging is cautionary; written in a technical style, it is an elaboration on and slight updating of topics covered in his previous works.--Lucille M. Boone, San Jose P.L., CA

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.