Being Mortal

afterthat,Ibegantofeelheavyinthechest.Itookmy pulse, and it was over two hundred.” Heisthesortofpersonwho,inthemidstofchestpain, ...

Orchard Cove, a retirement community in Canton, Massachusetts, outside Boston, where they could be closer to their sons. “Ididn’ ...

spendsayearormoreofoldagedisabledandlivingina nursinghome(atmorethanfivetimestheyearlycostof independent living), which is a des ...

ofthoughtinhismindwouldfallintowell-worngrooves and,howeverhardhetriedtoputthemontoanewpath, sometimes they resisted. Felix’s kn ...

Hedidnotfeelthisresponsibilitytobeaburden.With thenarrowing ofhis ownlife,his abilitytolook after Bella had become his main sour ...

tocough.Felixguidedherwaterglasstohermouth.She took a drink and managed to get the omelette down. “Asyougetolder,thelordosisofyo ...

contactsand avoidedisolation.Hemonitoredhisbones andteethandweight.Andhemadesuretofindadoctor whohad thegeriatricskills tohelphi ...

“ICANSTILLdrive,youknow,”FelixSilverstonesaidto me after our dinner together. “I’m a very good driver.” Hehadtorunanerrandtorefi ...

thehourwouldcomewhenhewouldhavetogiveuphis keys. At thatmoment, though, he wasn’tconcerned; hewas gladsimplyto beontheroad. Thee ...

3 •Dependence It isnot deaththattheveryoldtellmetheyfear.Itis whathappensshortofdeath—lossingtheirhearing,their memory,theirbest ...

becamemarkedlyimpaired.Whenwehaddinner,shehad toberemindedmorethanoncethatIwassittingacross from her. SheandFelixfeltthesorrowso ...

She grew severely confused, at times delusional and agitated. He couldn’t take care of her. He became exhausted from stress and ...

abovetheknee.WhatFelixfearedmosthadhappened. Herneedsbecamemassivelymorethanhecouldhandle. Bella was forced to moveto the nursin ...

moveherbackhome.He’djusthavetofigureouthowto deal with her. Their apartmentwasonly a floor away. But somehow thatmadeallthediffe ...

aftertheincidentwiththemenwhohadvictimizedher,it was apparent that she wasn’t safe living on her own anymore. My father-in-law o ...

expected. It had a full kitchen, enough room for her diningset,andplentyoflight.Mymother-inlaw,Nan, madesureitgotafreshcoatofpai ...

everyoneelsebutatelittle,lostweight,anddidn’tseem tolikehavingthecompany.Sheavoidedorganizedgroup activities, even the ones she ...

withvaricoseveinsthatleftherbedbound.MissS.was “unusuallysick”andhadaseventy-two-year-oldbrother with diabeteswho,in thiserabefo ...

“Ratsandmice overruntheplace.... Fliesswarm[the] foode....Therearenobathtubs.”A 1909 Virginiareport described elderly people dyi ...

readily found examples. Their appearance seemed straight out of Dickens—or those old state reports. The Guru Vishram Vridh ashra ...