DEAR LIFE: ON CARING FOR THE ELDERLY

Book ID/图书代码： 01899519C80071

English Summary/英文概要： In this short, powerful book, Karen Hitchcock shines a light on ageism in our society. Through some unforgettable case studies, she shows what care for the elderly and dying is really like – both the good and the bad. With honesty and deep experience, she looks at end-of-life decisions and over-treatment, frailty and dementia.

Dear Life is a moving and controversial argument against the creeping tendency to see the elderly as a “burden”—difficult, hopeless, expensive and homogenous. While we rightly seek to curb treatment when it is futile, harmful or against a patient’s wishes, this can sometimes lead to limits on care that suit the system rather than the person. Doctors may declare a situation hopeless when it may not be so.

We must plan for a future when more of us will be old, Hitchcock argues, with the aim of making that time better, not shorter. And we must change our institutions and society to meet the needs of an ageing population. Dear Life is a landmark book by one of Australia’s most powerful writers.

Chinese Summary/中文概要： 「我們老人都有一兩個特殊技能，包括隱形的能力...當我如此向跟我年齡差不多的人們提起的時候，他們無不對我投以點頭和微笑。沒錯，我們是隱形的。我們的確會受到讚揚、尊重，甚至敬愛，但，我們絕非對任何人而言都是值得傾聽的。老爸，那時候是你，現在輪到我了。」 ──Roger Angell, 93

我們之中的大部分人都會經歷衰老，然而，我們的社會、醫療系統、保險制度乃至於我們自己，真的都準備好了嗎？

在這本短小但強而有力的散文中，醫生Karen Hitchcock帶我們一窺在我們的社會中老去是怎麼一回事。

透過許多令人難忘的案例，她為我們展示了照顧長者和臨終患者的林林總總，包括好的和壞的一面。以誠實且深刻的親身經驗，她也對自主結束生命的決定、過度醫療、虛弱和老人癡呆症提出自己的見解。

這是一本動人的散文，同時也是一個對於將老人視作負擔的疾呼反對，作者以其優美細膩的文筆，為我們道來一個一個人生故事，也引領我們思索，在社會、政治乃至個人層面，面對「老」，我們如何能做得更好。 (Zoe)

Awards/获奖情况：「在Hitchcock這本最重要的著作中，她以一種清晰、理性且充滿敬意的行文討論了當今迫切的議題。即使我們對於死亡本能性地想逃避，本書強而有力地抓緊每個機會讓我們得以正視它，這些文字深具啟發性且鼓舞人心。強烈推薦給所有珍愛人生的人，特別是那些致力於幫助我們有尊嚴地度過老病與死亡的專業人士。」 ──《澳洲人報》推薦

‘In Dear Life, Hitchcock has laid out her most important work to date in the type of clear, rational, respectful prose that the topic demands. As much as our natural instinct may be to avert our gaze from death, to push it from our minds at every opportunity, this essay is inspirational and aspirational in its scope. It is highly recommended to all those who hold life dear, and especially to those whose professional lives are devoted to helping us through illness and death with dignity.’—Weekend Australian

About the Author/作者介绍： Karen Hitchcock的臨床工作主要集中在疼痛、疲勞、醫學上無法解釋的症狀和肥胖方面。她同時擁有英語博士學位，並定期為澳洲的《月刊》雜誌撰寫文章。她也是澳洲《季刊》雜誌「親愛的人生」（Dear Life）專欄作家，她出版的短篇小說集Little White Slips獲得了2010年的昆士蘭文學獎（Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards）和斯蒂爾·路德文學獎（Steele Rudd award）。她是澳大利亞第一批政府認證可開立大麻處方的醫生之一。

Karen Hitchcock is the author of the award-winning story collection Little White Slips and a regular contributor to the Monthly. She is also a staff physician in acute and general medicine at the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne.

Format:TRADE PAPERBACK

Rights Status/版权销售情况：Simplified Chinese/简体中文：AVAILABLE

Complex/Traditional Chinese/繁体中文：SOLD

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