Customer Reviews

The Merck Manual of Health & Aging: The Comprehensive Guide to the Changes and Challenges of Aging- for Older Adults and Those Who Care For and About Them

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This seems to be an abridgment of all the material found in the Merck Manual home addition of relevance to aging or typical diseases of aging. It is missing some of the detail, and my guess is that there are better books for a more sophisticated older reader, including the Merck Manual itself. It is printed in relatively large type. There is an enormous quantity of common sensical repetition, such as the trope about "people tend to slow down a bit as they age". This mantra is repeated in one form or another every few pages.

I own an online medical supply and equipment business and am also a legal aid hotline attorney. In both capacities, I have alot of dealings with older adults and people who care for them. This comprehensive, highly informative manual belongs in the library of anyone interested in quality healthcare for seniors.

An excellent general and inclusive reference. Easy to access and very clear explanations nd detail.

After finding the Merck Index an invaluable reference over the decades, I purchased the Merck Manual. Unlike the Index, the Manual has virtually no supportive references for its claims. The Manual can only be viewed as a most rudimentary "reference" book for the relatively ignorant laymen. Entering terms into a Google search would prove a better use of your time than reading this ersatz Merck effort.

My father has stayed remarkably healthy all his life but, at age 94, he is starting to have some medical issues. He is also remarkably dumb about how the human body actually works (sorry, Dad!) so I went looking for some type of a guidebook to help him better understand the changes he is going through.
When I saw the review that said this book was "dumbed down", I immediately bought him a copy hoping it would be something he could use. He just adores this book and asked me to buy a second copy for a friend.
To be honest, I still haven't actually seen it, although I did read through some sections on the Merck interactive website and found them to be simple, concise, and written in a very positive tone. My Dad now feels more in control over the challenges he is facing. Perhaps it will work well for your loved one.

This is an excellent book covering, in detail, specific medical listings. It is a valuable addition to our medical library.

Everyone should have this book on their book shelf. Well written, comprehensive and clarifies medical questions and concerns. Don't even hesitate for a moment to purchase this book.

Those who are most likely to use THE MERCK MANUAL OF HEALTH AND AGING will be laymen and not particularly knowledgeable about matters medical. This kind of reader will find much to like and some things less to like. First the good news. The index of the book is clear and easy to read. Whatever health and aging issues one wants to find can be quickly located. The many chapters are written such that most high school graduates can grasp some complex and nuanced topics. Further, each chapter begins with an introductory "pep" talk by a senior citizen who haS overcome that particular disease. As long as the authors stick to basic issues such as heart disease, cancer, the nature of aging, and the like, they are on firm ground. The problem arises when they discuss possible approaches to a disease or condition. The authors clearly are in the camp of traditional medicine, surgery, and prescription drugs as favored approaches. They tend to gloss over nontraditional means such as the role that nutritional supplements may play. True, the authors urge one to take the basic A, B, C, D vitamins, but they say little or nothing about the benefits that other supplements like Carnosine or Alpha Lipoic Acid may play. Still, for a one volume fits all approach, this book is hard to beat.

I have found this book to be well written for everyone to understand and I refer to it often.

I bought this as a gift. My mother wanted to know more about aging and what to expect at 60, what is normal. She seems to be utilizing the book.