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Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live
Recipient of the 2023 Richard Kalish Innovative Publication Book Award Yale professor and leading expert on the psychology of successful aging, Dr. Becca Levy, draws on her ground-breaking research to show how age beliefs can be improved so they benefit all aspects of the aging process, including the way genes operate and the extension of life expectancy by 7.5 years. The often-surprising results of Levy’s science offer stunning revelations about the mind-body connection. She demonstrates that many health problems formerly considered to be entirely due to the aging process, such as memory loss, hearing decline, and cardiovascular events, are instead influenced by the negative age beliefs that dominate in the US and other ageist countries. It’s time for all of us to rethink aging and Breaking the Age Code shows us how to do just that. Based on her innovative research, stories that range from pop culture to the corporate boardroom, and her own life, Levy shows how age beliefs shape all aspects of our lives. She also presents a variety of fascinating people who have benefited from positive age beliefs as well as an entire town that has flourished with these beliefs. Breaking the Age Code is a landmark work, presenting not only easy-to-follow techniques for improving age beliefs so they can contribute to successful aging, but also a blueprint to reduce structural ageism for lasting change and an age-just society.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 12, 2022
762 people are currently reading
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October 31, 2024
Dr. Becca Levy has created a well-researched book about the impact of positive beliefs about aging and how it impacts longevity in Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live. The bottom line: if you have positive beliefs about aging, it can increase your lifespan by up to seven and a half years.
I was at a Leading Age conference in Nashville this week and a speaker referred to this research. Other critical points in Levy's book include:
* Japan has the longest lifespans in the world and Levy attributes it to their culture and respect for their elders.
* A U.S. study demonstrated that Americans who have more positive perceptions of aging perform better physically and cognitively.
* Positive age beliefs provide a buffer against dementia.
* Age beliefs can steal or add nearly eight years to your life.
* Age beliefs are mental maps of how we expect older people to behave.
* Only 25% of our health is based on our genes.
* Many examples of musicians, authors, runners, and actors are provided who achieved excellence later in life
Levy makes a highly compelling case for changing the cultural narrative about aging and for internalizing positive personal beliefs about aging.
I was at a Leading Age conference in Nashville this week and a speaker referred to this research. Other critical points in Levy's book include:
* Japan has the longest lifespans in the world and Levy attributes it to their culture and respect for their elders.
* A U.S. study demonstrated that Americans who have more positive perceptions of aging perform better physically and cognitively.
* Positive age beliefs provide a buffer against dementia.
* Age beliefs can steal or add nearly eight years to your life.
* Age beliefs are mental maps of how we expect older people to behave.
* Only 25% of our health is based on our genes.
* Many examples of musicians, authors, runners, and actors are provided who achieved excellence later in life
Levy makes a highly compelling case for changing the cultural narrative about aging and for internalizing positive personal beliefs about aging.
May 4, 2022
This is one of the most important and inspiring books I've ever read. I turned 50 last year, and as an only child, I'm also the primary caregiver for my 86-year-old mother who lives with my husband and me and suffers from dementia and severe osteoporosis. Every day, she admonishes me, "Don't ever get old." I am ageing. I see the harmful effects of a negative mindset about ageing on the regular. Madison Avenue hard sells us on anti-ageing treatments 24/7. But, if ever there were a magic pill, it's this book. Dr. Levy not only teaches us to think differently about ageing, she shows us how that new way of thinking can and will enhance our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. And, she backs it up with research and data. I particularly loved the advice to reframe a belief about older people as being about a different marginalized group. If we were saying X about women, would it be sexist? About people of color, would it be racist? Then it's problematic, not funny, and fostering an ageist culture.
Breaking the Age Code should be required reading for everyone on the planet - but especially in the United States. The appendices, not to be overlooked, are action-oriented and useful - the 'how' of this book after the what and why, and a powerful call to action. Changing one's mindset and entrenched thinking rarely happens overnight - especially when it's as institutionalized as ageism - but this book can help anyone and everyone who struggles with the idea of getting older and provides realistic, actionable guidance for addressing issues personally and as an advocate across multiple verticals in society.
I received a digital galley of this book in exchange for an honest review, and will include it in a TBR round-up for Women's Health Month in May.
Breaking the Age Code should be required reading for everyone on the planet - but especially in the United States. The appendices, not to be overlooked, are action-oriented and useful - the 'how' of this book after the what and why, and a powerful call to action. Changing one's mindset and entrenched thinking rarely happens overnight - especially when it's as institutionalized as ageism - but this book can help anyone and everyone who struggles with the idea of getting older and provides realistic, actionable guidance for addressing issues personally and as an advocate across multiple verticals in society.
I received a digital galley of this book in exchange for an honest review, and will include it in a TBR round-up for Women's Health Month in May.
December 8, 2022
2022 reads, #55. I complain here often about the 21st-century trend of releasing nonfiction books that contain only a blog article's worth of information, but has padded that article out to 300 pages so that greedy corporate publishers can charge us $28.99 for the "privilege" of reading that blog article. But Becca Levy's worthless Breaking the Age Code takes the cake when it comes to this, a 300-page book retailing for $28.99 that literally (and I'm not exaggerating here) presents us with exactly one line of useful information in the entire book, that information being, "If you think young, you'll feel young!" That already feels spurious to me, especially with her continual insistence that when anything bad physically happens to an old person, it's exclusively because they willed it with their mind to happen, and that all their problems would magically go away if they would simply envision themselves as young and healthy (not a single solitary word in this book about arthritis, glaucoma, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's, or any other physical ailment common to the elderly, besides her dismissively waving her hand in the air and saying, "Yeah, well, everybody gets those!"), but then I became infuriated when I wasted four hours of my life to actually finish the book, thinking that surely this couldn't be the one and only piece of information she's conveying here, just to learn that the entire rest of this book's page count is devoted either to examples backing up her theory, or endless, endless pages informing me that, believe it or not, people actually discriminate against the elderly, and that's unfair!
I agree, ageism is bad, but that's not the book I bought; I bought a book that's supposed to be a practical how-to guide to "breaking the age code," as it LITERALLY STATES ON THE FRONT COVER, surrounded by a bunch of NUMBERS and LETTERS all SWIRLING AROUND, OOOOOH SCIIIIIIEEEENCE!!!!! This book is not that, and in fact is not a book at all, but rather a cutesy Instagram motivational poster surrounded by 300 pages of nonsense. A rare miss from my therapist, who was the one who originally recommended it to me (who, to be clear, is usually spot-on when it comes to books she thinks I'll like), it does not come recommended. As is the case with a growing number of these nonfiction padded-out listicle-books, I instead recommend reading the 99-cent summary and getting the book done and over with quickly.
I agree, ageism is bad, but that's not the book I bought; I bought a book that's supposed to be a practical how-to guide to "breaking the age code," as it LITERALLY STATES ON THE FRONT COVER, surrounded by a bunch of NUMBERS and LETTERS all SWIRLING AROUND, OOOOOH SCIIIIIIEEEENCE!!!!! This book is not that, and in fact is not a book at all, but rather a cutesy Instagram motivational poster surrounded by 300 pages of nonsense. A rare miss from my therapist, who was the one who originally recommended it to me (who, to be clear, is usually spot-on when it comes to books she thinks I'll like), it does not come recommended. As is the case with a growing number of these nonfiction padded-out listicle-books, I instead recommend reading the 99-cent summary and getting the book done and over with quickly.
June 19, 2022
This should be required reading for everyone regardless of age — especially medical professionals, marketing professionals, Hollywood, and “influencers.” Ageism creeps in everywhere, where you are not expecting it, and where you don’t see it. I was looking for birthday cards this week, I could not believe how many ridiculed aging. And even I have been guilty of using the phrase “senior moments.“ I even had good role models – – a grandmother who was still rototilling her yard in her eighties; my mother who was still actively gardening and sparing verbally with all comers in her 80’s. Yet I’ve succumbed to a lot of the ageist beliefs that marketers are constantly beating us with on aging and how to avoid it (especially geared toward women). No more.
Side note: I listened to this on audible as opposed to reading.
Addendum: so far two doctors to whom I’ve mentioned this book have written it down to read 👍
Side note: I listened to this on audible as opposed to reading.
Addendum: so far two doctors to whom I’ve mentioned this book have written it down to read 👍
June 23, 2022
Good message, but very repetitive.
September 12, 2022
Breaking the Age Code is burdened with both the demands of scientific rigor and the need to support the author's thesis that “negative age beliefs that dominate in the US and other ageist countries.” (Amazon blurb) And it apparently aims to do so in a way that will appeal to mass market readers. In other words, it sets out to accomplish a nearly impossible task.
It is hard to write a book on science aimed at the popular market. Science is all about detail and logical exposition, and good science is generally messy. We saw that as we watched science play out in real time and headlines during the first year of COVID. Explaining science accurately in the language of average readers is difficult, and few are good at it (Stephen Hawking springs to mind). A common approach is to break the complex story into nuggets of information and to use personal stories to humanize difficult-to-digest data This reaches bottom in Internet sales pitches of health products that keep the reader stringing along until the price tag finally comes clear (“but today you get two for one”). But it’s a tried and true technique that has made self-help books popular. Which makes it an editor’s go-to option. I can’t help but imagine the meeting between the author and her agent or publisher:
Pub: Doctor, what an exciting project you have brought us. Every oldster will want a copy.
Doc: Yes, we are excited to present our research—and, uhh, "oldster" is an example of the endemic ageism in—
Pub: (nods impatiently) We’ll need somewhat more, uhh, punchy text. You see, people want to read stories, not just facts and logic. People … we need real people. And famous people or unusual stories.
Doc: But single instances don’t make the case. The 100-year-old Japanese woman is an outlier, as is the iron nun.
Pub: Yeah, but people will love them. They can relate to them.
Doc: But the data …
Pub: You mean footnotes, bibliography, that kind of stuff? Definitely convincing. But too complex. Basically, you need to cut a lot of the rationale, get to the point quicker. But I like the graphs, particularly the ones with straight lines. Worry not. This is a killer concept. I’ll have Marketing work through the text … I think they’ve got Morgan Freeman on the hook for an interview.
That's not to belittle the research that went into this, and the old guy in me is tempted to believe the conclusion (oops. Ageism.) Had it been presented in 100 pages or so with all the bibliography attached, it would have been strong. But the selective presentation, for example, of the glories of centenarian worship in Japan without much mention of the fish and vegetables based diet and low level of obesity in the periods studied raised questions. Yes, there was passing mention of epigenetics, but more or less as a way of excusing the need to address that fish and vegetable diet. Larding the text with examples of remarkable old people (yes, there are old healthy old people, and the ones mentioned are statistical outliers) makes good reading but poor science. Levy notes (p. 95) the average age of Nobel Laureates is 65 (so, there!). Surely she knows Nobels usually arrive as the result of work being evaluated over decades. She goes on to as support for old age being “not the result of a single gene” (to which the appropriate scientific answer is “Duh”) and is presumably aware that one of the breakthroughs in the study that supports her point is that of telomeres, but possibly unaware that the original research was done in 1975 and resulted in a Nobel thirty-four years later in 2009. Many of the hard sciences are this way.
All in all, a lot of interesting research that the author has made available through notes and bibliography, but which is diluted by selective presentation. One can only assume that an editor without much scientific background made cuts and tucks to make the idea more “punchy.” But that just may be the suspicious nature of an older reader at work.
It is hard to write a book on science aimed at the popular market. Science is all about detail and logical exposition, and good science is generally messy. We saw that as we watched science play out in real time and headlines during the first year of COVID. Explaining science accurately in the language of average readers is difficult, and few are good at it (Stephen Hawking springs to mind). A common approach is to break the complex story into nuggets of information and to use personal stories to humanize difficult-to-digest data This reaches bottom in Internet sales pitches of health products that keep the reader stringing along until the price tag finally comes clear (“but today you get two for one”). But it’s a tried and true technique that has made self-help books popular. Which makes it an editor’s go-to option. I can’t help but imagine the meeting between the author and her agent or publisher:
Pub: Doctor, what an exciting project you have brought us. Every oldster will want a copy.
Doc: Yes, we are excited to present our research—and, uhh, "oldster" is an example of the endemic ageism in—
Pub: (nods impatiently) We’ll need somewhat more, uhh, punchy text. You see, people want to read stories, not just facts and logic. People … we need real people. And famous people or unusual stories.
Doc: But single instances don’t make the case. The 100-year-old Japanese woman is an outlier, as is the iron nun.
Pub: Yeah, but people will love them. They can relate to them.
Doc: But the data …
Pub: You mean footnotes, bibliography, that kind of stuff? Definitely convincing. But too complex. Basically, you need to cut a lot of the rationale, get to the point quicker. But I like the graphs, particularly the ones with straight lines. Worry not. This is a killer concept. I’ll have Marketing work through the text … I think they’ve got Morgan Freeman on the hook for an interview.
That's not to belittle the research that went into this, and the old guy in me is tempted to believe the conclusion (oops. Ageism.) Had it been presented in 100 pages or so with all the bibliography attached, it would have been strong. But the selective presentation, for example, of the glories of centenarian worship in Japan without much mention of the fish and vegetables based diet and low level of obesity in the periods studied raised questions. Yes, there was passing mention of epigenetics, but more or less as a way of excusing the need to address that fish and vegetable diet. Larding the text with examples of remarkable old people (yes, there are old healthy old people, and the ones mentioned are statistical outliers) makes good reading but poor science. Levy notes (p. 95) the average age of Nobel Laureates is 65 (so, there!). Surely she knows Nobels usually arrive as the result of work being evaluated over decades. She goes on to as support for old age being “not the result of a single gene” (to which the appropriate scientific answer is “Duh”) and is presumably aware that one of the breakthroughs in the study that supports her point is that of telomeres, but possibly unaware that the original research was done in 1975 and resulted in a Nobel thirty-four years later in 2009. Many of the hard sciences are this way.
All in all, a lot of interesting research that the author has made available through notes and bibliography, but which is diluted by selective presentation. One can only assume that an editor without much scientific background made cuts and tucks to make the idea more “punchy.” But that just may be the suspicious nature of an older reader at work.
August 21, 2022
As an integrative physician this book did not have alot of new information for me but there is a good discussion about agism in our society and how all ages in our culture are coming together to challenge it. I appreciate this discussion of the power of mental and emotional attitudes although I think that levels of toxicity, poor food quality and high chronic socioeconomic stress are at least equal factors causing premature aging in all age groups.
November 13, 2022
It's a good message (ageism isn't just discriminatory, it negatively impacts health) with maybe a long article's or a booklet's worth of data to support it. If the author had stopped there, this would be good. But to fill out a 300-page book, the author rolls out a repetitive series of anecdotes that she probably wanted to illustrate/humanize the data but instead dilutes her message. I got the message after the first couple of chapters and then just skimmed the rest.
May 10, 2022
THRILLED to finally have Becca Levy’s research and findings about aging well all in one place! I’ve been bringing her research about the impact of our beliefs on how we age into my aging education work for many years now. So to discover this book was a real find for me. Highly recommend this wonderful resource for any and all who want to experience a full and meaningful later life. This book is accessible for all. Thanks Becca Levy!
May 11, 2022
Essential reading. Scientific and evidence-based as well as personal and relatable. A quick and easy read. Not to mention 3 Appendices with tips and tools for dismantling age bias from the micro to the macro levels. Practical as all get out. Will be recommending this book to everyone I know and continuing to practice the "ABCs" and beyond.
Let's do this.
Let's do this.
August 11, 2022
Even though Levy's chatty style kinda bugged me (which is rare for me, usually I am all for a chatty informal style) and she gave too many personal stories as examples, this book ended up being better than I thought it would be. I appreciated all of the studies that she referenced and included in her notes section. Very thorough in seeking out relevant research related to her topic.
What I liked the best was that she actually gave suggestions about what to do/how to change & impact the issue of negative age beliefs/ageism. So often I read a book that spends a long time outlining a problem and then it never concludes with how to address it. The easy part is noting a problem and explaining it. Much harder is coming up with ways to combat the problem. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much in terms of how to change aging beliefs so was pleasantly surprised when she addressed it.
She gave a lot of specific examples as to what a person could do to change their own beliefs and also ideas on how to combat ageism in society. You can consciously look for positive role models and examples of healthy aging. You can increase your intergenerational friendships. Most people are friends with people close in age to themselves. Generations in the West are kept separated from one another, especially old people. Seek out activities with a more diverse age groups - volunteering, taking a class, an exercise group etc. If you aren't sure if a comment is ageist, try substituting a different marginalized group for "old" and see if it sounds discriminatory. Don't solely blame an individual for their struggles with aging but note the environmental/situational explanation for the issue at hand.
One bit I liked about the fear of aging and the obsession with looking young, is to say to yourself "How do I look?" (meaning how do I view life) rather than "How do I look?" (physically). Stop being afraid of your future self. Ask yourself, who profits from my fear of aging? Where does this fear originate? Are these fears based in facts or anxiety?
In terms of dealing with ageism in society, get involved in politics. Currently, Medicare reimburses therapists with older patients at a lower rate than therapists who work with younger people. Out of 145 medical schools in America, only 5 have geriatric departments. All medical schools require pediatric training but only 10% of schools require geriatric training. The US Civil Rights Act does not include age. When you encounter an ageist stereotype in an advertisement or tv show, write a letter/post of complaint. Boycott companies with demeaning advertising.
Only 25% of our health in old age is due to our genes. 75% is environmental. Some of that environment we cannot easily change (pollution, clean water etc) but a lot we do have control over. Your perception/interpretation of aging is one thing in your control. Studies have shown over and over and over that people who have positive age beliefs live, on average, 7 1/2 years older than those with negative beliefs. Not to mention, their lives are more enjoyable!
It doesn't make sense to fear aging, since you never know what lies ahead because you have never had this experience before.
Old age is an excellent time for outrage - Maggie Kuhn/founder of The Grey Panthers
What I liked the best was that she actually gave suggestions about what to do/how to change & impact the issue of negative age beliefs/ageism. So often I read a book that spends a long time outlining a problem and then it never concludes with how to address it. The easy part is noting a problem and explaining it. Much harder is coming up with ways to combat the problem. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much in terms of how to change aging beliefs so was pleasantly surprised when she addressed it.
She gave a lot of specific examples as to what a person could do to change their own beliefs and also ideas on how to combat ageism in society. You can consciously look for positive role models and examples of healthy aging. You can increase your intergenerational friendships. Most people are friends with people close in age to themselves. Generations in the West are kept separated from one another, especially old people. Seek out activities with a more diverse age groups - volunteering, taking a class, an exercise group etc. If you aren't sure if a comment is ageist, try substituting a different marginalized group for "old" and see if it sounds discriminatory. Don't solely blame an individual for their struggles with aging but note the environmental/situational explanation for the issue at hand.
One bit I liked about the fear of aging and the obsession with looking young, is to say to yourself "How do I look?" (meaning how do I view life) rather than "How do I look?" (physically). Stop being afraid of your future self. Ask yourself, who profits from my fear of aging? Where does this fear originate? Are these fears based in facts or anxiety?
In terms of dealing with ageism in society, get involved in politics. Currently, Medicare reimburses therapists with older patients at a lower rate than therapists who work with younger people. Out of 145 medical schools in America, only 5 have geriatric departments. All medical schools require pediatric training but only 10% of schools require geriatric training. The US Civil Rights Act does not include age. When you encounter an ageist stereotype in an advertisement or tv show, write a letter/post of complaint. Boycott companies with demeaning advertising.
Only 25% of our health in old age is due to our genes. 75% is environmental. Some of that environment we cannot easily change (pollution, clean water etc) but a lot we do have control over. Your perception/interpretation of aging is one thing in your control. Studies have shown over and over and over that people who have positive age beliefs live, on average, 7 1/2 years older than those with negative beliefs. Not to mention, their lives are more enjoyable!
It doesn't make sense to fear aging, since you never know what lies ahead because you have never had this experience before.
Old age is an excellent time for outrage - Maggie Kuhn/founder of The Grey Panthers
April 28, 2022
I can't believe how ageist I've been, seriously. No more!
September 11, 2022
This book is downright amazing, giving me the chance to consider aging in a completely new light. I'm quite glad I started reading it, almost on a whim, if I recall, looking over newly released books. I was just interested enough to give it a try, perhaps due to being the right age that such matters as ageism are starting to perk my interest. But the topic of this book is very much an issue for people of all ages, I would have liked to have been more aware of these issues decades ago.
To briefly sum things up, this book concerns the psychological and social implications of age-related beliefs. Ageism is a unique prejudice that can have profound effects on everyone (given enough time), and yet, it is one prejudice that in much of society, is completely accepted. Even people who are extraordinarily careful to avoid offending marginalized groups often routinely denigrate people based on age, and internalized ageism can have very unfortunate effects on social, psychological, and physical health.
I can see more clearly how harmful age-related beliefs have hurt me, from when I was hesitant to try things in my youth because I thought myself to be "too young" up until now, when I worry about attempting something due to being "too old." And certainly, I should stop makes assumptions about others due to their age as well.
This book makes me want to be a crusader for anti-ageism in a way that sort of surprised me, seeing as I hadn't considered the issue all too deeply before. Maybe that's because I see so many people like me, of all ages, who are so nonchalant about something that really is quite important.
I should mention that the research that went into this book is quite detailed in terms of how positive age beliefs can boost both mental and physical health. There are numerous anecdotes that present these findings in impactful narratives, but more importantly, the underlying research into the psychology of age beliefs is very thorough.
To briefly sum things up, this book concerns the psychological and social implications of age-related beliefs. Ageism is a unique prejudice that can have profound effects on everyone (given enough time), and yet, it is one prejudice that in much of society, is completely accepted. Even people who are extraordinarily careful to avoid offending marginalized groups often routinely denigrate people based on age, and internalized ageism can have very unfortunate effects on social, psychological, and physical health.
I can see more clearly how harmful age-related beliefs have hurt me, from when I was hesitant to try things in my youth because I thought myself to be "too young" up until now, when I worry about attempting something due to being "too old." And certainly, I should stop makes assumptions about others due to their age as well.
This book makes me want to be a crusader for anti-ageism in a way that sort of surprised me, seeing as I hadn't considered the issue all too deeply before. Maybe that's because I see so many people like me, of all ages, who are so nonchalant about something that really is quite important.
I should mention that the research that went into this book is quite detailed in terms of how positive age beliefs can boost both mental and physical health. There are numerous anecdotes that present these findings in impactful narratives, but more importantly, the underlying research into the psychology of age beliefs is very thorough.
April 24, 2022
More important than gender, income, social background, loneliness or functional health, was how people thought about and approach the idea of old age.
Senior moment first appeared in print in 1997, in a piece in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle in which a columnist quoted a vacationing banker who had forgotten the score of his ongoing tennis match.
Over 90% of Deaf individuals are born to hearing parents, so when young Deaf people meet older Deaf people, they often develop admiration and often form strong ties with these role models with whom they share an identity.
Those over the age of 50 control 77% of the total net worth of US households and spend more on travel, recreation and personal care products than any other age group, even though they only make up 32% of the population.
It matters less when and what you do than that you build up positive age beliefs and trust that your body will respond in kind.
Senior moment first appeared in print in 1997, in a piece in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle in which a columnist quoted a vacationing banker who had forgotten the score of his ongoing tennis match.
Over 90% of Deaf individuals are born to hearing parents, so when young Deaf people meet older Deaf people, they often develop admiration and often form strong ties with these role models with whom they share an identity.
Those over the age of 50 control 77% of the total net worth of US households and spend more on travel, recreation and personal care products than any other age group, even though they only make up 32% of the population.
It matters less when and what you do than that you build up positive age beliefs and trust that your body will respond in kind.
June 5, 2022
Important to again be reminded that the "images in our head" the "pictures in our mind" play such a vital role in our experiences. Longitudinal study from Ohio shows that age beliefs stole or added almost 8 years to lives. We seniors are often complicit in stereotyping old age. Ageism is alive and well in all aspects of our American society. Really a double whammy if you are female, even more so if you are person of color. Take a look at the list of false age stereotypes. . .
October 9, 2022
A potential life changer. It has made me realise how easy it is for us to think ourselves old and ill rather than being positive and leading a full life. It's made me re-evaluate recent life decisions, and changed my attitude to difficult situations.
May 25, 2022
Ms. Levy's research is very interesting and could have long-term implications for our society that has an ever-growing senior population. Her alliances with progressive movements seems at odds with what she is trying to accomplish. Progressives such as Ibram X Kendi and his ilk are out to dismantle tradional family roles and values. Foundational cultural rot and the de-emphasis of the family exacerbates ageism because there is mechanism teaching children to respect elders, or anyone else for that matter. The delineation and focus on our differences is what drives these "-isms" and is the basis of the tension between and among groups.
November 22, 2023
“As you think, so it goes,” is probably the best short summary of Levy’s book. Offering research from around the globe, Levy argues that the way a culture thinks about age produces physical and mental health results in its populations, for better or worse. Cultures that value the elderly and age fair better. The U.S., with its prevalent ageism, does not. Levy notes that positive attitudes towards age can even facilitate healing, with patients under the care of medical practitioners who have positive attitudes about age heal faster. So, what can we do? First, notice the bias, then attempt to change it in ourselves, then our culture. She calls us to challenge ageism in the media, the law, and our communities. Levy may be overly optimistic, but what’s the alternative? Sure, I’m not going to take up downhill skiing, but that does not mean my life is over. And Levy has numerous examples of people at advanced ages who made great contributions to their lives and the lives of others. It’s inspiring. I hope it works!
April 22, 2022
Put This on Your Reading List
As we approached the baseball field a neighbor’s child greeted my husband with “Hey Old Man”. No reproach from her parents but I had no problem saying “That is an ageist remark”. Her mom laughed and I didn’t. Dr. Levy has written an easy to read book on aging and how societies influence our well being. I particularly like the exercises at the end of the book that have helped me to examine my own age beliefs and ways to make a change. Wish I had read this 40 years ago.
As we approached the baseball field a neighbor’s child greeted my husband with “Hey Old Man”. No reproach from her parents but I had no problem saying “That is an ageist remark”. Her mom laughed and I didn’t. Dr. Levy has written an easy to read book on aging and how societies influence our well being. I particularly like the exercises at the end of the book that have helped me to examine my own age beliefs and ways to make a change. Wish I had read this 40 years ago.
September 27, 2022
Sad to say my review is "meh" - and I really had high hopes for this book. I was hoping I'd learn some actionable ways to live longer better. It's not to say it wasn't interesting, I just didn't learn anything new.
May 1, 2024
2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars.
Use of “stories” to illustrate and support concepts, how society/cultures/media/experiences/environment/personal viewpoints shape our perception of aging.
For me, no new information and at times repetitive and redundant.
Use of “stories” to illustrate and support concepts, how society/cultures/media/experiences/environment/personal viewpoints shape our perception of aging.
For me, no new information and at times repetitive and redundant.
October 22, 2023
I'm going to start with the conclusion (of the review) here. The message and lessons of "Breaking the Age Code" is required reading and I definitely recommend the book. It slots in nicely with research on the placebo effects, negative effects of bullying, the results of internalized -isms of every and all flavors, and socialization pros and cons - just to give you a gist. So this is a solid recommendation from me. It's fascinating reading.
However, and this is why I started with the recommendation, I have some major bones to pick with this one.
I'll start with a minor one. The book is, simply put, a bit longer than it needs to be. It's a common flaw of pop-science books, so it's not that big a deal. Except, I think it's a contributing factor to the other issues of the book. Rather than nit-pick every single one though, I'm lumping them together under the rubric of "academic overreach" (even if I cringe from doing so considering how the terminology is used for political posturing against academia). What I mean is that Levy is reaching further in her conclusions than I think she should. As a result, it's awfully fuzzy what can actually be supported at times.
Again, I'd say this is pretty normal, but that doesn't make it right. It also absolutely ruins the reading experience. Which is why I find myself both liking and disliking the same book. So while I recommend "Breaking the Age Code," I can't quite look you in the eyes doing so...
However, and this is why I started with the recommendation, I have some major bones to pick with this one.
I'll start with a minor one. The book is, simply put, a bit longer than it needs to be. It's a common flaw of pop-science books, so it's not that big a deal. Except, I think it's a contributing factor to the other issues of the book. Rather than nit-pick every single one though, I'm lumping them together under the rubric of "academic overreach" (even if I cringe from doing so considering how the terminology is used for political posturing against academia). What I mean is that Levy is reaching further in her conclusions than I think she should. As a result, it's awfully fuzzy what can actually be supported at times.
Again, I'd say this is pretty normal, but that doesn't make it right. It also absolutely ruins the reading experience. Which is why I find myself both liking and disliking the same book. So while I recommend "Breaking the Age Code," I can't quite look you in the eyes doing so...
December 28, 2023
Appreciate that the (enriching) scientific portion gave way to storytelling at times to keep the book engaging. One of my favorite nonfictions of the year (the bar is not high this year)
February 26, 2023
The "review" below won't tell you much about the book itself. It will tell you a lot about how the ideas in the book related to my life experiences. If you are trying to work out if you should read this book or not, this review might not help you much.
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My major takeaway from this book is that ageism killed my father. He was doing just fine into his late 80s -- playing tennis most mornings, resting afterwards, writing the tennis column for a local newspaper, enjoying social events with his tennis buddies. Yes, there were some non-tennis events too: visiting art museums, socializing with his wife's art club buddies, playing bridge, socializing with bridge friends.
And then his doctor told him he was too old to play tennis. Now if I had heard that (being a baby boomer and, hence, rebellious by nature), I would have just ignored silly advice from a clueless white male. But my dad was from the Greatest Generation and he did what he was told. He stopped playing tennis, he stopped exercising, he dramatically reduced his socializing, and you know how this story ends. It took three years of slow decline.
I lived with him in Florida during that period and spent many hours taking him to doctors of various types. And so I can personally attest to how right Becca Levy is about the demeaning attitude of many medical professionals. The dermatologist was particularly offensive, calling him "Old Fellow" rather than his name. His nurses would speak to a 90 year old man in the high-pitched voice you might use for a child or a dog. How I wish (with the sharp vision of hindsight) that I'd found another office where he wouldn't be disrespected.
Thinking back to those three years of decline, I see there's a question Becca Levy did not answer. Her thesis is that believing old age is decrepitude makes that decrepitude more likely. I agree with her on that. And I agree with her that positive beliefs and the good habits engendered can postpone death.
But everyone does die in the end and most people go through a period of decline. She doesn't say anything about that period. It's possible that positive beliefs about old age can make that period better, but the fact remains that many people will die after a period of being very frail and very ill. It's hard to see how her thesis helps when you spend almost all of your day lying in bed, probably in pain, barely able to speak.
Now if you are wincing after that last sentence, I understand and sympathize. Death isn't pleasant to witness and prosperous westerners in the 21st century aren't used to seeing death or the lead-in to it. So that might be Dr. Levy's next book: a rethinking of how we view that period before death and death itself.
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My major takeaway from this book is that ageism killed my father. He was doing just fine into his late 80s -- playing tennis most mornings, resting afterwards, writing the tennis column for a local newspaper, enjoying social events with his tennis buddies. Yes, there were some non-tennis events too: visiting art museums, socializing with his wife's art club buddies, playing bridge, socializing with bridge friends.
And then his doctor told him he was too old to play tennis. Now if I had heard that (being a baby boomer and, hence, rebellious by nature), I would have just ignored silly advice from a clueless white male. But my dad was from the Greatest Generation and he did what he was told. He stopped playing tennis, he stopped exercising, he dramatically reduced his socializing, and you know how this story ends. It took three years of slow decline.
I lived with him in Florida during that period and spent many hours taking him to doctors of various types. And so I can personally attest to how right Becca Levy is about the demeaning attitude of many medical professionals. The dermatologist was particularly offensive, calling him "Old Fellow" rather than his name. His nurses would speak to a 90 year old man in the high-pitched voice you might use for a child or a dog. How I wish (with the sharp vision of hindsight) that I'd found another office where he wouldn't be disrespected.
Thinking back to those three years of decline, I see there's a question Becca Levy did not answer. Her thesis is that believing old age is decrepitude makes that decrepitude more likely. I agree with her on that. And I agree with her that positive beliefs and the good habits engendered can postpone death.
But everyone does die in the end and most people go through a period of decline. She doesn't say anything about that period. It's possible that positive beliefs about old age can make that period better, but the fact remains that many people will die after a period of being very frail and very ill. It's hard to see how her thesis helps when you spend almost all of your day lying in bed, probably in pain, barely able to speak.
Now if you are wincing after that last sentence, I understand and sympathize. Death isn't pleasant to witness and prosperous westerners in the 21st century aren't used to seeing death or the lead-in to it. So that might be Dr. Levy's next book: a rethinking of how we view that period before death and death itself.
December 4, 2022
Interesting premise: our thoughts about aging may affect how we age. This book got me thinking about my beliefs about aging and increased my awareness of ageism.
July 4, 2022
Breaking the age code by Becca Levy
Breaking the Age Code is a landmark work, presenting not only easy-to-follow techniques for improving age beliefs so they can contribute to successful aging, but also a blueprint to reduce structural ageism for lasting change and an age-just society.
The flow of this book is so smooth and easy that it is unputdownable.
The narration is fluid and grows on you. The author has done a splendid job at weaving and presenting us her reasearch and findings and found a way beautiful way to translate it us readers through various Stories and to do list to create a grand canvas packed with life altering lessons.
Many life lessons are subtly infused along with the story that made it an absolute favourite read for me. Like for instance how majority of illness be it CVDs, hearing impairment or memory its root cause not age but rather the stereotypical mindset that comes with ageing.
Straight forward and striking paced writing kept my mind totally glued into the book and i breezed through the book in single sitting.
Grab an espresso and savor the book
It's literally a roadmap on how to age gracefully, elegantly and most importantly successfully!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars
Breaking the Age Code is a landmark work, presenting not only easy-to-follow techniques for improving age beliefs so they can contribute to successful aging, but also a blueprint to reduce structural ageism for lasting change and an age-just society.
The flow of this book is so smooth and easy that it is unputdownable.
The narration is fluid and grows on you. The author has done a splendid job at weaving and presenting us her reasearch and findings and found a way beautiful way to translate it us readers through various Stories and to do list to create a grand canvas packed with life altering lessons.
Many life lessons are subtly infused along with the story that made it an absolute favourite read for me. Like for instance how majority of illness be it CVDs, hearing impairment or memory its root cause not age but rather the stereotypical mindset that comes with ageing.
Straight forward and striking paced writing kept my mind totally glued into the book and i breezed through the book in single sitting.
Grab an espresso and savor the book
It's literally a roadmap on how to age gracefully, elegantly and most importantly successfully!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars
July 4, 2022
Breaking the age code by Beca Levy
Two words describe this book aptly: Life altering!
Becca Levy brings a holistic guide for us readers that talk about Ageing and how decode it, which is accessibly written to enlighten and empower.
Time waits for no one and as time passes our life just passes by. AGING can be a staggering change, it's a big part of life, whereas it's a common occurrence for everyone get exposed to diseases that comes with ageing, but what i learnt from this book is that it doesn't have to be like that and I feel this book would be a great revelation to everyone young and adult alike.
I found the book to be absolute treasure, the writing style is immensely readable, not dense with sound advice.
It's a comforting, digestible guide presented with life stories, research findings and much more. It's teaches them how to avoid pitfalls and work out a routine that's best for everyone. I found it to be truly captivating and intricately designed to acquire knowledge, the author has the gift of getting right us into the book. Hence even though being a nonfiction self help book it not only was this a reflective and positive read, but also an enjoyable one as well.
If you are looking a refreshingly crafted self help book then this is for you.
Two words describe this book aptly: Life altering!
Becca Levy brings a holistic guide for us readers that talk about Ageing and how decode it, which is accessibly written to enlighten and empower.
Time waits for no one and as time passes our life just passes by. AGING can be a staggering change, it's a big part of life, whereas it's a common occurrence for everyone get exposed to diseases that comes with ageing, but what i learnt from this book is that it doesn't have to be like that and I feel this book would be a great revelation to everyone young and adult alike.
I found the book to be absolute treasure, the writing style is immensely readable, not dense with sound advice.
It's a comforting, digestible guide presented with life stories, research findings and much more. It's teaches them how to avoid pitfalls and work out a routine that's best for everyone. I found it to be truly captivating and intricately designed to acquire knowledge, the author has the gift of getting right us into the book. Hence even though being a nonfiction self help book it not only was this a reflective and positive read, but also an enjoyable one as well.
If you are looking a refreshingly crafted self help book then this is for you.
January 24, 2024
Well-researched, eye-opening, motivating, this is an important book. Ageism definitely exists, having experienced it myself. At 67, I hike, belly dance, garden, lead a study group, read widely 10-12 books a month, teach Qigong, and have an active love life. Yet I’ve been treated as frail when I am not. Medical practitioners have told me sports injuries were due to age rather than the sports. I’ve also been told to act my age. What does that even mean?
Breaking the Age Code helped me to see where the family I grew up in perpetuated negative attitudes towards aging and made me aware of how widespread, pernicious, and systemic these attitudes are everywhere. My child and her children are in training to be elderly, so I will be speaking up about the injustice of writing off the elderly as sick, grumpy, decrepit, and a burden on society. Dozens of my own friends and acquaintances from 50-90 are as healthy, happy, productive and active as I am. This older part of the human population is a “silver reservoir,” not a “silver tsunami.” Thank you, Becca Levy! Great book for discussing in a group.
Breaking the Age Code helped me to see where the family I grew up in perpetuated negative attitudes towards aging and made me aware of how widespread, pernicious, and systemic these attitudes are everywhere. My child and her children are in training to be elderly, so I will be speaking up about the injustice of writing off the elderly as sick, grumpy, decrepit, and a burden on society. Dozens of my own friends and acquaintances from 50-90 are as healthy, happy, productive and active as I am. This older part of the human population is a “silver reservoir,” not a “silver tsunami.” Thank you, Becca Levy! Great book for discussing in a group.
November 13, 2022
Interesting read, it's definitely an important topic to learn about however the book for me was repetitive.
Important takeaways:
- What we believe about aging impacts how we age
- Agesim is deeply rooted, especially in Western cultures
- There's very little awareness of agesim in our societies and especially in media and more harmfully in medicine
Personal reflection, as with sexism, agesim is an outcome of capitalism. I found myself disagreeing with the notion that hospitals shouldn't prioritize the young over the old however this is a problem that exists purely because usually health care systems are capitalistic and therefore there's an ROI concept embedded in its functioning.
Important takeaways:
- What we believe about aging impacts how we age
- Agesim is deeply rooted, especially in Western cultures
- There's very little awareness of agesim in our societies and especially in media and more harmfully in medicine
Personal reflection, as with sexism, agesim is an outcome of capitalism. I found myself disagreeing with the notion that hospitals shouldn't prioritize the young over the old however this is a problem that exists purely because usually health care systems are capitalistic and therefore there's an ROI concept embedded in its functioning.
January 7, 2023
Such a great book for many reasons. Written by a doctor and scientist at Yale from copious and well-documented original research. The importance of a positive attitude as one ages was a real eye opener.
Thanks to my friend Duncan, who knows the author, for the referral. Highly recommended for anyone who is planning on getting older.
“A call to action, providing practical and proven methods to help older humans develop positive views of their lives.”
Thanks to my friend Duncan, who knows the author, for the referral. Highly recommended for anyone who is planning on getting older.
“A call to action, providing practical and proven methods to help older humans develop positive views of their lives.”
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