Two Old Broads: Stuff You Need to Know That You Didn't Know You Needed to Know

by M. E. Hecht, Whoopi Goldberg, Tamela Rich (Editor)

Overview

Written by renowned surgeon and expert on the art of aging, Dr. M.E. Hecht, with her friend Whoopi Goldberg lending her unique point of view, Two Old Broads is laugh out loud funny and—tells it like it is for all of us who left middle age in the dust and want to be present, positive, and as extraordinary as ever in our golden years.

Whoopi joins Dr. Hecht in a lively conversation about growing older with no apologies. Dr. Hecht, who passed away a few short months prior to publication, shares her 93 years of wisdom with Whoopi and their fellow “broads.” Together, these two kindred spirits will help you:

• stay active physically and mentally
• make finalizing your will more rewarding than it sounds
• navigate tricky subjects, such as whether you need a home aide
• win friends and influence people or take a nap, depending on the day
• discover joy in relationships even when your excretions outweigh your secretions
• get up financially, physically, and emotionally after a fall
• keep a sense of humor about getting older (of course!)

Imminently practical and—rooted firmly in the adage that getting older is not for sissies, Two Old Broads is the aging book for the ages. You've survived the past; why not embrace the present and prepare for the future so you thrive and find more time to laugh along the way?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780785241645
Publisher:	Harper Horizon
Publication date:	11/08/2022
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	168,300
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

M. E. Hecht, MD, was a renowned surgeon that brought innovation and healing to the world. A published author, freelance writer, and orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Hecht was a recognized expert with degrees from Yale, Columbia University, and the State University of New York, in addition to advanced study in Davos, Switzerland. After receiving her medical degree, Dr. Hecht became the assistant chief of orthopedics at Elmhurst Hospital, an affiliate of Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Always a brave innovator, she created the first ambulatory care unit for Cabrini Hospital and later established the country’s first group of surgeons devoted solely to rendering second opinions for elective surgery, the Hecht Group Second Surgical Opinion Institution.

Dr. Hecht continued to present, write, and contribute as a medical expert to a variety of international publications on strength, exploration, care, and aging. Her philanthropic endeavors abound, including helping young artists by cofounding the Singers Development Foundation. She believed in growing older; growing into it, but never "out of it." Her promise to do no harm was her life-guiding mantra.

Whoopi Goldberg is the bestselling author of Is It Just Me?, If Someone Says 'You Complete Me' . . . Run! and The Unqualified Hostess, as well as her children's books, including Alice, Whoopi's Big Book of Manners, and the Sugar Plum Ballerinas series for young readers. She is a prolific producer and entrepreneur and is one of a very elite group of artists who have won the Grammy, the Academy Award, the Golden Globe, the Emmy, and a Tony Award for her work in film, television, recording, and stage.

Table of Contents

Introduction xiii

Part 1 Broad Mentality

Our Broad Experience 3

You Are Not a Number 5

Eliminate the Negative! 9

Your Marvelous Machine 11

It's Been a Good Long While 15

Wisdom 19

You're a Guru 21

Part 2 Broad Life

O Tempora, O Mores (Oh the Times, Oh the Customs)-Cicero 25

Friendship Through the Ages 29

Dress Like a Broad 33

Dating (An Entirely Different Subject) 37

Dating (Another Take) 39

Sex Over Sixty? 45

Is There Life After Jimmy Choo? 49

Girdles 53

Excursions 57

Part 3 Broad Bones

The Aches and Pains Hour 63

Patients as Junior Partners 65

Four Ears Plus One Notepad Equals a Winner! 69

A Visit to the Doctor: Never a One-Way Street 71

Fear of Surgery from a Surgeon's Point of View 77

Medical Second Opinions 81

Getting Choosy 85

Fear of Anesthesia 89

Don't Get Ripped 91

You and Your Ears 97

Dental Phobia 101

Part 4 Broad Well-Being

How to Train Your Keeper 109

Inactivity: The Enemy 113

Don't Get Out of Bed So Soon 117

Senior Skin Care 123

Sports and Physical Activity 127

Living in the Past 133

The Time I Ignored My Own Advice 135

After the Fall 139

Medications: Take Full Control 143

Self-Examination (Yes, I Do Mean Yours!) 151

Part 5 Broad Shoulders

Am I Losing My Mind? 159

Nodding Off 163

An Approach to Your Will 169

Let's Talk About Attrition 173

Breaking Medical News 177

Crotchety with Charm 183

Part 6 Broad Insights

Lists Are Your Friends 187

A Morning Prayer 189

Who Are You Calling Eccentric? 191

The Sunday Comics 195

Grow Old or Grow Up? 197

Battle Hymn of the Republic 201

An Evening Prayer 203

Vale Dicta (Last Words) 205

Broad Encore 207

Epilogue: In Memory of M. E. Hecht, MD 209

Acknowledgments 211

Index 213

About the Authors 221

Editorial Reviews

10/03/2022

Orthopedic surgeon Hecht (The Slip and Fall Prevention Handbook) and actor Goldberg (The Unqualified Hostess) reflect on how women can make the most of their later years in this cheerful manual. They offer advice on how to deal with the physical, social, and emotional consequences of growing older, weighing in on sex after 60, how to be an informed patient, and how older women can approach breaking medical news to loved ones. Noting that dates can offer a break from routine, Hecht suggests that single readers look for potential partners at social events put on by community organizations or through friends. Hecht’s sensible medical advice emphasizes keeping active, and she provides exercises to relieve aches and pains. However, it’s Hecht and Goldberg’s less scientifically rigorous thoughts that most charm, as when they encourage readers to embrace being crotchety and eccentric. The authors’ humor amuses; for example, Hecht contends that one becomes a senior “when your excretions outnumber your secretions” and recommends that those suffering from insomnia “read a book.... If it’s boring, it can be a sleep inducer.” Goldberg’s contributions are brief and slight compared to Hecht’s, but there’s enough to please her fans. The result is a humorous guide to aging. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

10/04/2022

Retired orthopedic surgeon and aging expert Hecht and actress/The View host Goldberg (author of Is It Just Me?) submit a series of reminders for self-care and preventative-care as well as spirited living. These self-defining two "old broads" who became friends later in life offer alternating perspectives on creating a world full of zest and sparkle in the senior years. Hecht and Goldberg combine their wits and bold life experiences to invite women to live with as much inventiveness as possible. Practical tips such as how to work with doctors and discuss difficult issues with family members are juxtaposed against lifestyle approaches such as accentuating the positive, indulging in artistic dates, and hiring some help. The coauthors also urge readers to actively defy age exclusion and pursue social connections and continuous learning. A good life may be as simple as laughing more and checking for hearing loss. VERDICT While this advice is not new, it is a fun, often sassy reminder that no one is just a number. For all public libraries.

Library Journal

2022-09-14
Tips for women for growing older with panache.

Hecht, a retired orthopedic surgeon who died at the age of 93, just months before this book was published, and award-winning actor Goldberg, who is 66, share wisdom, anecdotes, and pithy one-liners on a host of topics that concern aging women. Among the many issues they cover are dealing with inevitable aches and pains, addressing hearing impairment and short-term memory loss (something Hecht experienced), choosing what to wear, caring for aging skin, dating, making new friends, remaining independent when needing outside assistance, and napping when necessary. Most of the advice comes from Dr. Hecht, with Goldberg adding her “two cents” to selected chapters. Hecht rings in on matters medical, social, psychological, and practical to help readers navigate the challenges of growing older. “Connections, continuous learning, and being socially active,” she advises, are crucial to health and happiness. She enthusiastically celebrates the pleasures and surprises of excursions. As for dating, while Goldberg prefers meeting on Zoom rather than in person, Hecht is open to dating and sharing activities, including sex. She warns against using dating services and apps, though, suggesting that it’s better to meet someone through friends or by participating in groups. Hecht brings considerable authority to her advice about navigating the medical system: finding a doctor or surgeon, making the most of visits, getting a second opinion, and dealing with one’s fear of surgery (or even fear of going to the dentist). She offers a set of exercises to do in bed that make getting up easier, and she encourages aerobic, toning, and range-of-motion activities, such as swimming, yoga, and golf, which keep the body fit. Most of all, the authors urge readers to forget assumptions that come with being 60 or 70 or 90: “You’re a guru,” the authors insist. “You are not a number.”

Two genial, upbeat guides for life’s later chapters.

Kirkus Reviews

A Wall Street Journal Best Book of 2022 About Aging and Retirement

Wall Street Journal

'As I refer to myself as World's Oldest Living Teenager, Two Old Broads from Dr. M.E. Hecht and Whoopi Goldberg speak of absolute delight to me. Sage, witty, informative — and wonderful. This book needs to be read by any woman who believes age doesn't matter unless you're a piece of cheese.'

Iris Apfel