How Not To Get Old

‘A jolly quest to make the greying years more colourful’ The Times

When journalist Jane Gordon was hospitalised and left immobile after a nasty car accident, dependent on others to feed her and help her to the bathroom, she suddenly had to confront what it might be like to one day be old and infirm.

Determined to not only regain her strength but find ways to stay physically and mentally fit for as long as possible, Jane decided to road-test different self-help programmes designed to promote longevity. From ballroom dancing to brain training, learning a second language to silent meditation, joining the gym and improving her gut health, Jane seeks advice from top neuroscientists and medical professionals to assess the impact these courses have on her health, and whether they will stop her getting old before her time.

Part self-help, part manifesto, How Not To Get Old is about future-proofing your physical and mental wellbeing and taking control of the ageing process, rather than wallowing in it. For what begins as a clever experiment in the art of stopping time becomes a joyous celebration of what we CAN do, not what we can’t or shouldn’t, and ultimately demonstrates how later life is still very much for living…