Imagine a young person fighting tooth and nail for the rights and comforts of older people and identifying with them as if she too is old. That is what the author of Ageing & You: Roadmap to Reaching a Good Age, Maris Ikperikpe sets out to do in her book.

She starts the first chapter by attesting to the fact that life expectancy has increased even in developing countries. Ikerikpe, in chapter two, describes prejudices against older people as ageism and goes on in chapter three to accuse the society including younger people, media and the government of contributing to ageism through compulsory retirement, elderly abuse, abandonment of senior citizens and vocabularies which describe older people as “ugly, dirty, foolish and lonely”.

In chapters four to six, the author tries to dispel some myths about older people. She dismisses them as constituting economic burden, and insists that al old people look frail and aside ageing the same way. She does this by advocating positive ageing (capacity of older people to live active lives) and for the government to stop raising barriers against older people by providing pension benefits, quality healthcare, credit schemes, housing consideration and policies that are responsive, especially, to the needs of older women. Younger people are equally advised to provide family support for their old.

Chapters seven to nine deal with planning for old age through personal pension schemes and additional voluntary contributions. The book advises people to save for their old age without waiting for the government because, “Social welfare for the older persons in particular has never been the priority of government in Nigeria…government welfare system presently needs a fundamental change”. But for those who are too poor to save, the government is asked to provide for them. The author also calls on older people to join a network and do volunteer work during retirement because it can increase their lifespan. The book also advises older people to take on volunteer work which is capable of facilitating their longevity.

Chapter ten deals with diseases more common to older people such as hearing loss, glaucoma, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases, tuberculosis, and cancer. Ikperikpe advised older people on how to eat right, to take regular tests, how to manage menopause, overcome depression and take preventive shots for influenza and pneumonia.

The author explains that indulgence in alcoholism, smoking, bad eating habits and injury while young can affect one in old age.
It is therefore, paramount to say that both old and young need to read the book because of the benefits contained therein. For the young, it will help them to prepare for old age and not dread it while the old people can continue to live healthy, successful and have productive lives even while old.

The book is well edited except for a few some typographical errors on page 213- ‘not (m)ore than; ‘drugs or(f) any kind’ and on page 221 ‘b(r)east cancer’. On page 222, ‘f(a)ecal’, There is also grammatical error on page 214 ‘once you have quit(ted)’.
It can be said that the book is a blueprint for the society’s effective provision for older people and an eye-opener.