The DRM Guide to Disability Resources on the Internet: Sponsors

	DISABILITY RESOURCES ONLINE
	Monitoring, Reviewing and Reporting on Resources For Independent Living
	Updated 2/2006
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Aging With A Disability: What The Clinician Needs To Know
edited by Bryan J. Kemp and Laura Mosqueda
The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004. Softcover, 307 pages, $24.95
As a lifelong book lover and a former librarian, I am convinced that certain books are meant to fall into the hands of readers who need them -- even when one of those readers is a book reviewer. Take Aging With A Disability: What The Clinician Needs To Know for example. Edited by Brian Kemp and Laura Mosqueda, this thought-provoking work interested me as a reviewer. On a personal level, however, it hit closer to home since my husband and I have major disabilities and are now, in our fifties, experiencing much of what is covered in this collection of assorted research, clinical advice, and anecdotes.
Kemp and Mosqueda draw upon their expertise in the rehabilitation field to bring together a varied group of professionals and consumers who address the special concerns of aging with a congenital disability or one acquired early in life. Pointing out that the current middle-aged population is faced with the dual dilemma of being the first generation of disabled people to survive past middle age and actually feel the effects of aging earlier than their nondisabled peers, Kemp and Mosqueda stress the need for prevention and vigilance.
In addition to the usual examination of the aging process, there is an excellent section about aging with specific medical conditions such as spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, polio, and developmental disabilities, as well as a hard look at the accompanying socioeconomic issues. Highly recommended for college and medical libraries, clinical staff, and interested consumers.

-Reviewed by Sally Rosenthal


About the reviewer: A former college librarian and occupational therapist, Sally Rosenthal deals with the effects of cerebral palsy and blindness -- some days better than others. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband, a polio survivor, her guide dog Boise, and their rescued cat Toby