Stewart - Living the good long life: a practical guide to caring for yourself and others

Copyright 2013 by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.

All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Stewart, Martha.
Living the good long life / Martha Stewart.
1. Older peopleHealth and hygiene. 2. Older peoplePsychology.
3. Well-beingAge factors. I. Title.
RA777.6.S74 2013
613.0438dc23 2012011827

ISBN 978-0-307-46288-6
eISBN: 978-0-307-95321-6

Book design by Special Projects Group, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

v3.1

This book is dedicated to all former, present, and future caregivers, including my mother, Martha Kostyra. And it is also dedicated to all of us who wish to live good, long, and productive lives.

I have long been interested in the very important subjects of health and health care, with the goal of living well now and into the future. Ive always sought out the best medical treatments, read as many books and articles as I could on these subjects, and asked lots and lots of questions of my doctors as well as of my friends and acquaintances in the business of health. I believe that being informed about all aspects of health is the best way you can prepare yourself to enjoy a good, long life.

In putting together this book, I relied on the expertise of many, including the excellent doctors and care providers at the Martha Stewart Center for Living (MSCL). I am grateful to Dr. Audrey Chun, director of MSCL, for all that she did to help define what this book could and should be, and for setting the tone in her wonderful foreword. Dr. Albert Siu, professor and chair of the department of geriatrics and palliative medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, also greatly contributed to my understanding of the subjects covered herein. Other doctors at Mount Sinai for whose expertise I am grateful include Dr. Christine Chang, assistant professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine; Dr. Sita Chokhavatia, associate professor of medicine in the division of gastroenterology; Joan Griffiths Vega, facilitator of an Alzheimers caregiver group and group teacher for a mindfulness-based caregiver stress-management group; Ella Jolly, geriatric psychiatric social worker; Dr. Jana Klauer, physician with an expertise in nutrition and metabolism; and Dr. Michael A. Palese, associate professor of urology and director of minimally invasive surgery. I am so thankful to Dr. Brent Ridge, former VP of Healthy Living at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, for his work in putting together the original proposal for this book. In researching the voluminous text, we relied on the work of Dr. Gerald Imber, author of The Youth Corridor ; Linda Packer, MSW, LSCW, geriatric care manager and founder of Prime Life Network; and Dr. Dennis Popeo, attending psychiatrist at NYU Langone Medical Center.

I am fortunate to have a great team of doctors with whom I consult regularly, among them Dr. Albert Knapp, clinical associate professor of medicine at NYU School of Medicine; ophthalmologist Dr. Stuart Aaron; gynecologist and obstetrician Dr. Jane Galasso; dermatologist Dr. Catherine Orentreich; and Dr. Steven A. Stuchin, associate professor at NYU School of Medicine and chief of orthopedic services at NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases.

I am indebted to my personal trainer, Mary Tedesco, for all that she does to keep me in shape, as well as to James Murphy, director of the Iyengar Institute, for his yoga lessons, and to Dr. Wanda Lopez for her unique chiropractic care. In researching how to prevent falls (one of the biggest health risks for seniors), the work of Fall Stop...Move Strong proved invaluable, and for that I thank the groups cofounders, Celeste Carlucci and Julie Kardachi.

I have learned much over the years about financial matters, including estate planning, from my banker, Jane Heller, senior vice president of private wealth management at US Trust, Bank of America. I am also thankful to Carlyn S. McCaffrey, lawyer and partner at McDermott, Will & Emery LLP.

For a list of all who contributed to the production of this book, please turn to .