ROBERT LEVINE, M.D., served as Chief of Neurology at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, Connecticut, for 22 years, and is now in private practice. He is also Associate Clinical Professor at Yale University School of Medicine.

Introduction
The Consequences of Time: How the Aging Process Affects Us
Understanding the Enemy: The Diseases and Disorders Associated with Aging
The Luck of the Draw: How Age and Disease Can Rob Us of Dignity and Vitality
Aging and Loss: What It Means in Terms of Dignity and Vitality
Ageism: Society's Attempt to Deny Dignity to Older People
Taking Charge: Strategies in the Quest for Dignity and Vitality
It's Never Too Late: Additional Strategies in the Quest for Dignity and Vitality
Over the Horizon: Aging in the New Millennium
Observations and Conclusions

The Rolling Stones (now in their 60s) have sung to us for years about what a drag it is getting old, but it doesn't have to be that way. Despite living in a youth-oriented society, many of the aged patients seen by Dr. Levine have kept their emotional zest, intellectual zeal, and empowering dignity. Levine points to well-known public figures clearly aging with dignity and vitality. And this neurologist author shows steps we can take to age while retaining these qualities in defiance of a society that challenges this quest. Living longer is not enough for most of us; we don't want to just survive. The quality of our life as we age is most important, and much of that depends on our attitudes and approach. This text includes strategies to optimize self-esteem as well as health, including attention to nutrition, exercise, health care, education, mind stimulation, sexuality, social activities, and cosmetics and cosmetic surgery.
The Rolling Stones (now in their 60s) have sung to us for years about what a drag it is getting old, but they have proven that it doesn't have to be that way. Despite living in a youth-oriented society, many of the aged patients seen by Dr. Levine have kept their emotional zest, intellectual zeal, and empowering dignity. Levine points out well-known public figures who are clearly aging with dignity and vitality. The neurologist author shows steps we can take to age while retaining these qualities, defying a society that challenges this quest. Living longer is not enough for most of us: we don't want to just survive. The quality of our life as we age is most important, and much of that depends on our attitudes and approach. The text includes strategies to optimize self-esteem as well as health, including attention to nurtrition, exercise, health care, education and mind stimulation, sexuality, social activities, and cosmetics and cosmetic surgery.
Readers are shown the physiological facts of aging, from cellular to systemic changes. The most common diseases in old age are described, and actions are suggested to avoid many of the diseases. Levine also explores how the disorders change abilities and self-perception.