How We Age

A doctor's journey into the heart of growing old.

by Marc E. Agronin, M.D.

A Flight Better Avoided

I was standing in the airport recently, leaning on my carry-on and waiting for my flight when I heard a scream in the background. In the post - 9-11 era one might be quite alarmed to hear a woman screaming in the airport. But in this case I knew immediately that there was no matter of national security at hand. Read More

Is Alzheimer's Disease a Walking Death?

A caller to Pat Robertson's "700 Club" broadcast on September 13th posed a challenging question. A friend of the caller has become bitter at God because his wife is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Read More

Taking Action, Preserving Hope

The ability to accurately diagnose Alzheimer's disease in its earliest stages is slowly becoming reality. As I discussed in a recent blog, a new type of brain scan may allow us to identify physical signs of the disease before symptoms are prominent or even noticeable. This possibility raises a serious concern: how will people react to the diagnosis? Read More

Alzheimer's Disease: What's Ahead

The latest news on Alzheimer's disease seems promising: new genes have been identified that are associated with the late-onset form of the disease. With this discovery, our understanding of the risks of Alzheimer's disease for the vast majority of its sufferers has taken a step forward. But what does this mean, practically speaking, for someone today? Read More

The Last of the Last

On the day of his special honoring, Mr. Buckles was brought to the World War I Memorial in Washington, DC. Bystanders on the sidewalk stood along both sides of the stone pathway and applauded as he was wheeled past. These clapping crowds . . . stood in wonder as the last of the last World War I veterans came to honor the memory of his compatriots. Read More

Learning From The Old Ladies

An acquaintance of mine told me the following story: His mother had recently moved into a new condominium on Miami Beach. But she had one major complaint: "I can't stand being around all of those old ladies!" she informed him one day. "But how old is your mother?" I asked him. He smiled; "She just turned 92." Read More

Marc E. Agronin, M.D., is the author of How We Age: A Doctor's Journey Into The Heart Of Growing Old. He is the Medical Director for Mental Health and Clinical Research at the Miami Jewish Health Systems.

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