Marilyn Laken, PhD, RN, has published over 100 research articles and chapters, testified before Congress, and was interviewed on radio and television on topics related to health and access to health care. She currently lives in a continuing care retirement community in Asheville, North Carolina, to be free of the responsibilities of home ownership and to learn firsthand about the biology and culture of aging.
""Aging or getting old is something most of us will confront in life. And with our life spans growing, the joys and frustrations of becoming old compel us to prepare as we navigate this complex, challenging, and new period of life. Thanks to Marilyn Laken's I've Never Been Old Before: A Practical Guide to Aging, we don't have to look far for help. Andy Rooney once said, 'The best classroom in the world is at the feet of an older person.' In this case, Laken shares her keen research and learnings and provides the reader with insightful guidance to ensure they arrive to 'old age' not just prepared but ready for all that this time of life offers and requires.""-Stephen Panus, author of bestselling Walk On ""Marilyn Laken has provided a unique perspective for understanding and navigating the new territory each of us will enter sooner or later. Being 'old' is not for sissies, and Marilyn has provided information and ideas for addressing the challenges and understanding of how to make the best of them. My copy of the book is already underlined and dog-eared! No doubt, I will refer to it over and over again.""-Kathleen Cochran, managing director and strategic communications (ret.) of Price Waterhouse Coopers ""Dr. Marilyn Laken explores the realities of aging through a comprehensive array of extensively researched topics that we should all be thinking about. Her background as a nurse, biological anthropologist, and someone who has maneuvered the realities of aging personally results in a book that is both relevant and thorough. Whether you are in your later years, getting there, or a child or caretaker of someone who is, this book will provide you with well-researched topics, practical tips, and useful resources."" -Marie Sola, founder and president of Daughters of Change ""Marilyn Laken has neatly and tightly wrapped up the questions of aging adorned with a ribbon of understanding and insight to navigate maturation. If you are lucky enough to have the opportunity for another year around the sun, Marilyn's guide, I've Never Been Old Before, fills in the black box of aging and decision-making. This is a collective resource and takes the mystery out of growing old. 'Wrinkles are a badge of a well-lived life, not something to be hidden or removed.' A must-read for anyone thinking about or entering retirement in the golden years."" -Letitia (Tish) E. Hart, author of Reach Out with Acts of Kindness: A Guide to Helping Others in Crisis ""Marilyn Laken's subtitle says it all: A Practical Guide to Aging. Very well-researched, I've Never Been Old Before sets realistic, practical expectations for any reader who is caring for someone in their older years or wants to prepare for what's to come. This is a book I will refer back to time and time again, seeking tips to make the experience of aging easier to manage right up to the very end."" -Cathy Carroll, founder of Legacy Onward, Inc., and author of Hug of War: How to Lead a Family Business with Both Love and Logic