Internet Guide to Anti‐aging and Longevity

Citation

Fourie, I. (2006), "Internet Guide to Anti‐aging and Longevity", Online Information Review, Vol. 30 No. 6, pp. 750-751. https://doi.org/10.1108/14684520610716261

Ageing is certainly an issue that most internet surfers are bound to face sooner or later. Instead of novices and inexperienced searchers hoping for the best when using search engines or directories, a publication such as Internet Guide to Anti‐aging and Longevity can offer an excellent point of departure with references to pre‐selected high‐quality sites.

Apart from the introduction there are 11 chapters. The introduction covers the structure of web sites, the evaluation of web content, search engines and directories, discussion groups, web forums, blogs, the invisible web and the need to be watchful for unsubstantiated information. The actual chapters cover the following: general health sites, ageing and seniors sites, anti‐ageing and longevity sites, diseases and conditions of ageing, effects on length of life, experimental and futuristic approaches, research, interactive tools, as well as institutes, clinics, organisations and societies, publications and statistics. A wide variety of interesting subtopics is included in these chapters, such as hair loss, hearing loss, memory, menopause/andropause, vision loss, skin conditions, alcoholism and alcoholic consumption, antioxidants and vitamins, diet, fitness, genetics and heredity, marriage, metal disorders and mental health, pet ownership, sleep, sexuality and sexual disorders.

Internet Guide to Anti‐aging and Longevity also includes a glossary, bibliography and a five‐page index. The glossary is fairly detailed, including a list of dictionaries used for the definitions. A wide variety of terms related to ageing is explained, such as “alopecia” (hair loss), “andropause” (male menopause) and “presbycusis” (age‐related hearing loss), as well as web‐related terms such as “portals”, “search engines”, “synonyms”, etc.

Although a very useful guide that should belong on the shelves of all public libraries, health libraries and other library types serving senior citizens, readers should note the reminder in the preface: “remember to consult a physician before embarking on new treatments, diets, or exercise regimens”. Senior staff members and potentially senior staff members (which would include all of us) of any organisation can certainly also benefit from Internet Guide to Anti‐aging and Longevity – and I hope to see an update by the time I consider myself a senior citizen.

To improve the quality of this compendium, there should be an explanation of the rationale for selecting the different sites. A useful addition might also be methods that can be used to keep track of changes to specific web sites and new information such as may be found when using current awareness services or site monitoring software.