How to embrace inevitable old age with grace: AIIMS professor tells in book

A new book seeks to dispel the notions that old age is all about agony, loneliness, non-productivity and dependency by guiding people how to embrace the inevitable advanced years with grace.

Dr Prasoon Chatterjee, a professor in the Geriatric medicine department at AIIMS, Delhi, offers navigational details from active adulthood to the final stage of life in "Health and Well Being in Late Life: Perspectives and Narratives from India".

The book is replete with anecdotes which can be easily identified by any elderly or those having aged members in their family.

One of the many interesting stories in the book is that of a beautiful relationship between an 80-year-old woman and her 45-year-old divorced daughter, who is helping her stay elegant and calm in her final stage of life.

There are also inspiring stories about unsung heroes who despite physical and social challenges are making most of their lives and are actively participating in the society.

With 10 chapters, the book covers a plethora of facets of ageing ranging from forgetfulness, fall and frailty to constipation, cancer and stroke.

Chatterjee also attempts to remove doubts that ageing is equivalent to the concept of 'sanyas' and tells tales where sexual health has direct relationship with wellbeing and quality of life.

He narrates an episode involving a 76-year-old retired financial advisor to the government of India who during a visit to his OPD with lot of hesitation mustered the courage to declare that he was not satisfied with his sexual life.

"During my childhood, I never saw my grandparents getting physically close to each other, and they were in their late 60s. I used to sleep with my grandfather, so I always deprived them of staying together."