Machines

08.07.2012

The Machines Are Laughing

I wanted this blog entry to be of epic proportions – to be so amazing and mind blowing, but after reading the Tragedy section of “What Old People Are For?” I came to a realization: on the surface, it may appear no one cares about the older adult population but it in reality, this not caring is masked by fear. That’s right. I said it. Fear. People fear becoming older and the “baggage” they presume comes with it. The concept of the fountain of youth – no matter how elusive and mythical it appears – remains a serious discussion and conquest for those who wish to make it into a reality. As though anyone can defeat a natural process which has occurred since the beginning of time, but I digress. What further impresses me is how explosive the anti-aging industry has become. Its marketing ploy is genius in the fact it supports and perpetuates itself based off of fear. Who knew fear would fuel a million dollar industry – Hey! Let’s save the remainders of youth to fight off that disgusting, repulsive, raging fire of elder hood. I knew I should have taken my agriculture class more seriously in high school – those olives could have paid off my student loans! Just kidding – maybe.

My consciousness took another step on the intellectual stimulation ladder when the author pointed out the ironies of what many consider to be the largest, most advance time in history: The Age of the Machine. My mother once told me, technology would be the ruin of us all – which may be true, however machines may take the gold in this category. The creation of a machine to make society at large supremely sufficient has numerous advantages as you can witness throughout your everyday life, however it does come at a cost. We have become a society of people do more, want more, and demand more. The insistence upon DOING all the time – constantly garnering and generating of information, increasing productivity as skyrocketing rates, exhausting and expending our energies has created an illusion of false urgency of here and now. We have depleted the essence of what makes us human in exchange of being in “the greatest harmony with machines”. Our potential and general value and worth is now measured on a numeric scale and has been reduced to mere economics – productivity input and output, supply and demand economics. If that is the scale on which we are measuring people, then I must assume some older adults will be excluded if they are no longer to participate in these economics – although they can contribute in other areas.

I have also come to a greater understanding in the DOING – being relationship. Doing is reserved for adulthood simply because during that period in time, adults are consistently striving for more in all aspects of their lives as well as searching for meaning. The creation and attainment of goals, acquiring materials and possessions and most importantly, building an empire all define the essence of Adulthood. However, it is essential to be able to transition successfully from one stage to another. In the age of the machines, there is no transition from DOING – being; rather it is a constant cycle of DOING – even in the years spent in retirement. Ironically, we have become the machines we originally created.

The Postmortal

   I am not sure how I feel about the end specialist.    It sounds similar to the present day mercy killings.  It is good that they send John to do the paperwork and talk with them.  He also sounds as if he has empathy and is nice to them.

  I guess some of the doctors that treat 75 year old and older in the hospital is using the first stage of the "cure".  Especially if they go the hospital with  serious illnesse4s, don't die in the hospital and get a chance to go back home.  This reminds me of Rev. Billy Graham who is 93 or 98.   I saw on News 14 today that he is back in the hospital again with respiratory problems.  He has been in and out of the hospital quite a few times over the last years.  His last admission to the hospital sounded really bad .  I  thought that he would not come back home, but he did.  He must have a team of great doctors!  I would love to interview him to see how he really feels about living in his 90s, going back and forth to the hospital and his quality of life.

This book truly makes you think about the future of the world.  As I am reading, I find myself trying to think of similarities that are already happening in the world today.  I don't like how he mentions the elderly in the same category as drug addicts, alcoholics and the weak.  Some elderly people are not weak! 

Later, Malinda

Still Alice and The Postmortal

Still Alice was a great read for me!  It was also emotionally draining because as I was reading it was as if I was right there!  At the end of the book, I read this is what the author wanted the readers to feel.  She did a great job.  I can't wait to read more of her books.

I must say, a few times I thought that the worst was going to happen, especially when she put the kettle on the stove. When she didn't burn down the house and die, I felt relieved.  A few times, I got upset at the husband because I thought that he did not care what was happening to Alice and he was being selfish.  But, I thought about it and realized that he was trying to process and handle the situation the best way that he knew how.  He still had to live.  Thank goodness for her children and their support!  I think that the story would have been different if she didn't have them to stand up for her when she couldn't for herself against her husband wanting to move her.  Am I correct in assuming that she did not move to New York, but John did and came back ever so often?  I hope that she writes a Still Alice, Part II.  I would like to know how long did she live and/or did they find a medicine that cured her or at least she didn't get worse through the years.  I am also glad the author did not have John having an affair or divorcing Alice. 

There was a preacher on the news several months ago that said a spouse should be allowed to divorce a spouse who has Alzheimer.  I suspect he said that because stats show that more women than men get this disease.  What do you guys think?  Should a spouse, man or woman, be allowed to divorce a spouse just because of Alzheimer.   If you think it is o.k., do you also think that the spouse should still be financially responsible and help the family with the spouse as long as he/she lives?


The Postmortal was interesting to me up until John's (another John) girlfriend got killed.  This was sad.  It appeared that everyone that he cared about was dying.  If he lived for many years, this means that he will carry and remember all of this sadness for a l-o-n-g time.  This could happen unless he started to have memory loss and forget all or most of the sadness.  I like the way the author showed the positive and negative sides of being able to live longer.  It is making me think about things that I normally wouldn't think about.  As much as I have read, it looks as if John started out as a nice guy.  As time passes and tragedy continues to happen to and around him, he becomes more and more bitter.  I am looking forward to seeing what happens at the end.  This is why I am not reading your blogs and commenting on them.  I hope to finish this novel and What are Old People For before summer is over so that I can comment on some of your blogs.

Still Alice

I have just finished Still Alice, which is really an interesting and thought-provoking book. Actually, this is the first time for me to read a novel describing the daily life of a person with Alzheimer's disease. Making Alice a fifty-year-old Harvard professor rather than an eighty-year-old retired grandmother may give us more thoughts into the Alzheimer's disease itself. Most people may not be aware of the disease, and for someone like Alice, who had been well-educated; she may understand the disease, but she just didn't see it coming to herself. So she denied, agitated, and almost lost whoever she used to be. Fortunately, her family members gave her abundant support, care, and love. The last scene of this book really fascinates me. When Lydia, Alice's youngest daughter, asked Alice to listen to her performance and told her whatever Alice thought. At that time, Alice already couldn't remember the name of her daughter. All she knows was that the young lady sitting in front of her was a young actress. Nevertheless, the young actress' acting still gave Alice the feeling of love. No matter how far the disease goes, love will still be there.

Still Alice

It could be just me, but I think that the husband has some of the same symptons as Alice.  I haven't finished reading the book yet.  He just doesn't want to admit that something is different with him.  He took it hard when he found out about Alice.  He even cried.  I could almost hear him say, no, not her too!!  This can't be happening to the both of us at the same time.  What about the children!  Or.....since Alice took that big step to find out what was happening, he now has to go to the doctor to determine what is happening with him too

This book caught my attention from the very first sentence,  It's probasbly because I am at that age that I can identify.  Is it menapause, is it my nerves, is it my husband/mate, is it my children, is is dementia, is it......????  It could be none of these, some of these or all of these!    Malinda P.

One more thought...

"What Are Old People For" was written in 2004.  The most frightening aspect of aging, and of living in this time is the economic disaster we face as a nation and in the world.  Dr. Thomas assumed that the upcoming aging population was for the most part, financially secure.  Then the economic bomb dropped after the printing of his book, and those who had some security suddenly had much less or nothing at all.
This crisis is an added burden on everyone, especially those age 50-65 who have lost their jobs and have siphoned off lifetime savings and 401k's just to survive.  With no economic footing to bring into retirement and beyond, the problems/issues the elderly (and adults) already face have been compounded.
I myself am 45, divorced 2 years, and going back to school to create a career in order to financially build a bit of security and help my four children attend college.  Following my passion in this field is the added bonus.
I want to make a difference.  Not only for the present time, but for my future and for my children... well into their old age.  The problems we face collectively and individually are immense, and may not be solved in my lifetime, but to do nothing would be unthinkable.

De-segregate the elderly

I attended a symposium on aging at the new Biotech center in WS several months ago.  The panel consisted of geriatricians, researchers and PhD's.  Experts in the field of gerontology.  A gentleman near the front posed the question, "I recently retired and am wondering if there are resources out there for activities that would interest me."  The response was, "Well, there's silver sneakers at the Y, and if you contact your local senior center I am sure they can direct you."
Step number one to segregation of the elderly and relegating seniors to "their rightful place."

The last TV show I remember that gave the elderly purpose and integration was The Walton's.  Although these days it is almost impossible to care for one's parents in one's own home, and I realize it is not 1930's America, the point is, Grandma and Grandpa Walton had purpose and were a useful, welcome part of their community (in particular, within their own family).

In his book, "What Are Old People For," Dr. Thomas makes many valid arguments concerning the ruling Adult population of our current society; their fears, perceptions, and what they will do to maintain the status of "useful adult" so as not to slip into the nether-world of "old."  These arguments, although not new, are worth repeating time and again.  Human societies change like shifting sands, depending on it's current power or weakness, humility or arrogance.  The more powerful a group in society, the more zealous said class will be to maintain it's influence and status.  That is why to survive as a whole, integrated society, there must be an awareness of social justice and an under-current constantly fighting for the mistreated, abused, or neglected.  Otherwise, our arrogance will get the best of us.

I have always been fascinated by our development as humans, from the relatively quick evolutionary development of our brains 100,000-120,000 years ago along the East African Rift Valley, to the 85-100 year development from birth to death of an individual life.  I am glad Dr. Thomas touched on these areas.  It is helpful to understand where we have been as humans in order to understand where we are. As humans, one of the most important traits needed to thrive is a sense of purpose.  The author's point that the plague of loneliness, helplessness and boredom in nursing homes is an epidemic is also worth repeating.

During my time in clinicals in a nursing home, it was made clear that most residents suffered greatly from these three plagues.  A continued effort by those in the field of gerontology to find solutions is vital to our society as a whole.  Our communities can benefit significantly by integrating the elderly back into society (and I'm not talking about the practical jokes in Betty White's show "Off Their Rockers," although I love her and her humor).  Integration will build understanding between age groups, help to eliminate fear of growing old, promote mutual respect and provide continued purpose for the elderly.  Exploration of solutions, such as the Eden Alternative mentioned in this book, and community centers focused on the elderly sharing their time, wisdom and talents with all ages are continued necessities for the health of society.  I also believe the use of all media (social, TV, print, cyber) could be very important in changing perceptions of the elderly.  Look at what Modern Family did for same-sex couples and blended families.  There are no easy, quick answers, and that is one reason this field exists.

Postmortal and Still Alice

I have just finished the books Postmortal and Still Alice, I enjoyed both books and it was hard for me to put them down.  I love the plot of postmortal, humans have found a curing for aging but not a cure for death and throughout the book I was reminded of that. I thought it was great how the main character views changed and developed over time.  John lost the people he loved so much throughout his lifetime, starting with his mother.  I felt that was a huge factor in John deciding to get the cure, I felt like he was running away from death during the first part of the book. Then during the second part of the book I felt that John wanted death but was too scared to die so he helped other find that freedom and in the end John was finally ready to end his life and he did so on his on terms by ending his own life. During the end of the book John also found love again and committed to her by marring her which I thought was an interesting plot twist.  I also loved how the author wrote about the issues that came with living forever and didn’t try to paint this perfect picture of what life is like for a postmortal. Though out the book I loved how humans regressed, in the beginning humans were excited about the cure and thought that it would be a great thing to have in society. Then as time wore on humans became more violent and careless with life and then near the end humanity started to kill each other off due to lack of resources and space.  The book to me was thought provoking and I found myself wondering if the cure did exist would I get it and to be honest I don’t know.  

Still Alice was my favorite book, I could relate so much to Alice family members since my own grandmother died a few years ago to dementia. Reading this book gave me a peek inside someone life who has Alzheimer’s disease.  So many emotions overcame me while reading the book, I found myself remembering my grandmother and thinking that must be what she felt like. I believed that Alice until the very end of the book didn’t let the disease define who she was; she was determined to keep her identity intact. I personally didn’t like Alice husband I felt he was being a little selfish and not understanding. I understand that people cope differently but I just felt he could have handle things better. I also loved how Lydia ended up bonding and getting closer with her mother and was often her mother advocate.  At the end of the book I thought that she had passed away, I was very surprised that she ended up living with her daughters and staying in MA while her husband went to NY.  I felt the book was a very good read.

Gerontology Summer 2012 Reading -The Postmortall

Being the age that I am, I actually have been thinking if I want to live until I am in my 90s or not.  15 years ago I did think a long time ago if my husband and I should plan to have a child or children.  You see, it was the beginning of the down spiral of the economy, wars, people and the world changing. 


If John doesn't die from sickness or an accident, he will have to carry the death of his roommate, Kathy until he dies.  This could be a long time.  Also, if the blonde lady is not caught, following every blonde could "eat up" a great deal of his time and life for a long time!  This does not add up to aging successfully.  I haven't finished the book yet and I already know that I don't want to go through the "cure process"!      Until the next time.....Malinda "Sunshine" Patrice

Summer Reading

I really enjoyed this book. Of the three, Post Mortal was by far my favorite. The reason I enjoyed this book was because of the thought of immortality. I felt like if this was really a way of life that people could obtain, they covered many bases of thought. Ranging from how does it effect the person themselves, to what happens when you want to retire but cant due to the fact you need money to live. This book covered such a variety of thoughts from a multitude of views. It was interesting to watch the drama unfold as each person chose to or not to get the shot of immortality; how it effected family, friends, self, work, doctors etc...

 The book I liked the least was What Are Old People For. I felt like this book was a compilation of all text books, articles, and journals that we have read to date. I felt the information was pertinent, however for those of us who are in the field (all of us) this is information that we hear time and time again, and yes can always be reminded of another time. I feel like this book is a good one, bt it is not a book that I would read again for pleasure reading.

The last and final book, Still Alice was also a good book. I felt like this book was very realistic and I felt like this has happened and could happen to someone I know. It reminded me of the Notebook in some sense, but it really had its own twist. It was fascinating to watch the family go though the troubles as the mother learns she has AD. I felt there was great detail in her emotions as she goes through the process of learning about her diagnosis.
 

2 out of 3

I liked two out of three of the books.


What Are Old People For? was a dull read.  I felt like I was really familiar with all of the information already, and it would have been better suited for someone with no background in aging.  It felt really repetitive, although the information was, as a whole, fairly valuable.  I am just not sure if there's much "new" information I gathered from it.  This could be a great read for someone entirely new to the field of Gerontology.

Still Alice definitely kept me interested.  There were a couple points when Alice got on my nerves.  I felt like the character was a little obnoxious, so it was hard to connect with her on that level.  Other than that, it was a good portrayal of early-onset Alzheimer's.  I think the author could have benefited from picking a different character as the protagonist.

The Postmortal was, by far, my favorite of the three.  I read it while I was on the train to Philadelphia every day for my internship.  I was always excited to pick it back up again.  It was an odd moment when I realized the main character was supposed to be a year younger than I am now (he was born in 1990.)  The ending was a little odd, but I guess there wasn't much farther the story could have been pushed.  There was definitely no "going back" to the world before the vaccine.  The author did a great job solving all of the problems I figured would arise.  When I was curious about how they would deal with disease, but then the Skeleton Key vaccine became a part of the story.  I spent a lot of time shifting between liking and disliking the protagonist.  I couldn't decided if he annoyed me or not.  I appreciated the "marriage" conflict that arose.  I think our society is a little mixed up about marriage, and this made me think a lot more about it.

The Postmortal

Finished The Postmortal today while on the beach.  Fantastic read.
Aging keeps our macro and micro worlds in perspective, and keeps our experience of life relative.  In the end, although John Farrell had multiple moments to recall in his youthful 89 year old life, there where only four days that he felt he got right (pg. 364).  I reflected on my own life; (although at the moment is about half the number of 89) how many days, moments or times have I gotten it right?  I won't answer, but it's an interesting thought.
Aging keeps our worlds relative (relative to how much time each has left).  On page 350, as Solara and John are running for their lives, she asks John if he still wants to marry her.   He says yes, but she reminds him that time is running out.  His reply, "I know.  That's why it's all that matters."  Time is always running out, and after reading this book, I realize how this is a very good thing.  It is one of the most powerful drivers of our lives, and if there is any one thing that I believe each human who has ever lived will say he/she wasted, it is time.
I absolutely loved this book!
Now on to the final summer read....
Trish

Still Alice

Another interesting read...at times it even felt like a true story.
There were so many different things going on that I could relate to that it did make it real. I can appreciate the author's dwelling on the career protion of Alice's life. It seems she was imagining how she (the author) would feel if she lost her memories. Afterall, the acquisition, use and sharing of knowledge is her "crowning glory" and essentially her identity. Thus, she continued to bring it to the forefront so that we could feel what Alice had lost more realistically.  I belive it would be the same for all of us though, not just a college professor. We build so much of our identity on successes in our career and to lose that would be overwhelming to the majority of us.
I loved the daughter's...they are so like my own (one in Pharmacy school and one studying theater). It was expertly portrayed. The Pharmacist, could deal better with facts and wanted tangible ways to help, she needed structure. Where as the actress kept her Mom "in the moment". And what a glorious time they had. That is exactly how these minds approach life. We often look to the health care professional for the answers and feel they should be able to understand and handle the situation better than others. This case was proof positive that there is more than one effective approach in dealing with the illness. The most therapeutic approach for Alice to experience joy, love, and usefulness was just to experience the "here and now."

This book was an effective look at Alzheimer's Disease from many different perspectives. We saw  the relationship perspectives the characters had but also the different personality perspectives. Each were valuable to the story and to providing insight to the fact that there is more than one "correct" way to live day to day with Alzheimer's Disease.

Sandra

"What Are Old People For?"

Hi to you all! I have completed "Still Alice" and Post Mortal" and will discuss those later, but I first want to address "What Are Old People For".

Wow! My initial thoughts were that this book would not be as interesting as the other books but I was certainly mistaken!
I started this book last evening and at 2 a.m., I had to make myself put it down. I realized that I have fallen into the narrow mindset described as "Declinism" and now I am most unhappy with myself for being there. I too had been looking at aging as a great decline. (This is partially because, being a nurse, I am constantly dealing with illness instead of wellness. )
As I was reading, I realized that I have witnessed this other aspect of aging, I just did not understand the impact of it.  I recognized the importance of the elderly sharing their wisdom and knowledge gained from life experiences in my own family but I did not view it as so vital to our society.  The studies in understanding the role of elders for the advancement and continuation of homo sapiens were a breath of fresh air. The incredible impact of 3 generational interdependence was beautiful. After all, how many of us have seen a grandmother coming in to assist the mother when a new child is born? How many of us knew that these actions were actually furthering our society and the success of our species? How would we feel if we died as soon as our reproductive capabilities had ended? I knew we needed each other but did not comprehend it so fully.

Looking at life from this perspective, I wonder what the impact of our current "global" world this will have on our species in the long run. As we are more mobile, moving away from our extended families, what will happen? There will be less "grand-parenting". The new generation will not have the benefit of their grandparents wisdom. The grandparents will be looking for fulfillment in their later years and their families are not there for them.
This serves as a direction as to what leaders in our communities should be looking toward.  We need to consider the development of more intergenerational activities on the community level. Combining the services of adult day programs with child day care and afterschool activities could help to meet these needs. CHild care in workplaces, not just for convenience, but as a means to the continuation of our species. Volunteerism of the elderly will become more important than ever to meet their personal fulfillment needs. These opportunities will also be a means for the youth of an area to learn the culture and to benefit from the wisdom of the many years of experience of the elderly generation even in the absence of their own grandparents.

My mind is racing...I can't wait to get back to the book tonight. I am interested to see if anyone else has started this book.

Happy reading!
Sandra

Some instructions

Hello,

A few of you have been having trouble posting.  A couple of suggestions: Make certain you 'publish' once you've posted.  Also, if you reply to someone's post directly, your comments are only to that post.  To be seen, the reader will need to click on 'comments' which is fine, but then your post is less likely to be read.  If any of you have 'helpful hints' please post them for us.  Thanks!

Still Alice

Thank you, Dr. Wassel for inviting me to blog...

I finished Still Alice last night and started The Postmortal (great so far!).
My favorite lines from Still Alice are: "Some tomorrow soon, I'll forget that I stood before you and gave this speech.  But just because I'll forget it some tomorrow doesn't mean that I didn't live every second of it today.  I will forget today, but that doesn't mean that today didn't matter." (pg. 253)
Poignant on so many levels.
Those of us without large globs of Amyloid severing our memories, thoughts, perceptions etc, are told to "live for today, for yesterday is gone and tomorrow hasn't arrived!" How very difficult for us.  Our yesterdays programmed us to be who we are today, and our tomorrows give us hope to continue the journey.
I tried to imagine only having today...  actually, only each moment.  I simply couldn't do it.  In a way it might be liberating, but the vapors of identity floating by would remind me just enough of what I was losing.  But, when one is forced into  single moment reality by this devastating disease, the person affected and those surrounding him/her must accept single moments, and that they DO matter.
I loved Alice's daughter, Lydia.  She got it.  She knew what "single moment" to reach for, and found ways to live them with her mother.  For example, at the end of the book, Lydia is rehearsing lines for a play.  She doesn't ask her mother to analyze the words or the specifics of the scene.  But, she knew her mother could feel the emotion through her acting, and that is what she got; a very important interaction from her mother that kept her connected.
Dr. W, I see your point about the hype of Alice's career status by the author.  I would have liked to get a bit more involved in Cathy, the part-time pharmacist raising two kids, or Mary or Dan from the support group.  I believe the author, having a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Harvard, reflects much of her own personal experiences in academia that are not experiences of the average reader (certainly NOT me!).
I can't wait to read more of The Postmortal.  My mind falls so easily into futuristic (or historical!) science fiction.  I love it!
Thanks!   Trish

Hey, hope everyone is doing well. Just wanting to check that I am on the blog. Reviews to come soon.

I have finished Still Alice and I have mixed feelings about it.  I think the author did a wonderful job of creating this book from Alice's point of view.  I think he was incredibly selfish for even considering taking another job in the midst of his wife's illness.  On the other hand, he knew Alice wouldn't be around forever.  I am still torn about that issue.


Would I want to know if I carried the gene that would lead to Alzheimer's?  Absolutely.  My mother had breast cancer and after her death, her doctors approached me about genetic testing.  After giving it some thought, I had the test and it was negative.  In my opinion, not knowing would be much worse for me.


I have also completed The PostMortal.  When I read that the book was considered science fiction I was reluctant to start reading it.  I am so glad that I gave it a chance!  It has quickly became one of my favorites.  I thought I wanted to live forever but now I am not so sure.  


I have ordered the third book and am looking forward it's arrival!  I read through the other books much too quickly!


Emily


Emily,

Thanks for your post - I have another issue with Still Alice and am wondering if any one else has it - - - that of the author making such a big deal about Alice being a professor at Harvard.  Like her having ALZ was a bigger deal because of her profession.  Does that bother any one else? 

Also, Emily thank you for sharing such a personal experience to put it into perspective.  If breast cancer ran in my family, I like you would want the test because they can do something about it (to a point), not certain about ALZ.  Can't wait to hear your thoughts on The PM.  And to hear from others.

Congrats on being the very first to post!

Dr. W.

So has anyone finished Still Alice?  I've got some issues with this book and am interested to hear if anyone else does also. 



I've also been in touch with the author, Magary but don't want to invite him to view our blog until we get some blogging going on.....

and I'm still working on the third book....so how is it going?

From Dr. W - my first blog

Hello Gerontology students and Friends!

This past spring while reading the Sunday newspaper book reviews, a review of Drew Magary’s  new book, The Postmortal  grabbed me and I knew that I needed to read it.   I am not a science fiction type but  after the first page, the book took  control of every waking moment I could spare.  Here it was the end of spring semester and all the grading that needed to be completed and all I wanted to do was read this book! Okay, I’d say to myself grade one more paper and then you can read one, no two chapters - -they are short after all! And off I’d go to grade that one paper so I could get back to reading more about the ‘cure’ for aging.  And then it hit me - - summer reading for the gerontology program , after all how many gerontology graduate programs have summer reading that includes fiction - -and science fiction at that?  To round out summer reading, we’ve added Still Alice by Lisa Genove and What are Old People for? How Elders Will Save the World by William H. Thomas. 

I’ve now read The Postmortal  (even my husband couldn’t put it down!!!!) and Still Alice. I am about halfway through What are Old People for?  

This is our blog to chat about these books, meanings, how it relates to gerontology, our aging, the aging of old people, and society and to debate different ideas in a civil manner.  I am hoping we don’t all have the same ideas and point-of-view because that would be booooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggg……..!

There is no grade attached to this blog, no required number of blogs, no downgrading for misspelled words (but I always spell check ).  New graduate students entering in the fall are encouraged to join the blog with the current students.  All points of view are valued - - so have at it. I have been in touch with the author of The Postmortal  and may invite him to blog.  This blog is open for others to view but only those invited (gerontology students and faculty) are able to post. 

This is my  first blogging attempt and I am excited….I’ve got some questions about the two books I’ve completed but really wish someone else would begin the discussion - - - as I don’t want to lead it but rather participate with all of you…

I think that is enough for now - -

Can't wait to hear from you.......

Dr. W.