Challenges in Later Life

Sister Mary Threadgold is founder of Sonas, an organisation promoting a positive attitude to ageing. Her book highlights the five areas of life that correspond to human need, namely the physical, social, intellectual, emotional and spiritual. She looks at issues that arise in later life in each of these areas and at possible ways of coping with these difficulties. Each section ends with a way of relating these issues to Christian thinking. Spiritual reminiscence and non-verbal communication are explored in the book. Sr Mary then considers the decisions that older people and their loved ones are faced with when it comes to choosing whether to go into residential care or to continue to stay at home in spite of diminishing health and mobility. There is an extensive section on where to go for help or advice as well as a number of appendices.