Old Age is a Terminal Illness: How I Learned to Age Gracefully and Conquer My Fear of Dying

Alma H. Bond, PhD
Universal Publishers (2006)
ISBN 1581129041
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (1/07)

Dr. Alma Bond draws from a successful career of 35 years in psychoanalysis in her search for answers on life and death.  Using examples from her professional practice and her own personal life experiences, Bond writes a remarkable story of conquering the fear of death.

As a result of a period of severe depression, after losing five close friends in a ten-year period, Alma Bond began a “death journal” patterned after Sigmund Freud’s “Interpretation of Dreams.”  This approach helped her come to terms with death. By sharing the stories of her five close friends she has provided insight into the struggle with the fear of death, offering hope and encouragement to those suffering this malady.

Dr. Bond writes to help others face their fear of death so they can live a full life in the present.  Additional benefits of conquering this fear are better health and less conflict. An inquisitive theme threads its way into Bond’s writing as she addresses the delicate subject of death on a personal level.  Her sense of humor helps the reader through the uncertainty of the unknown and the dread of leaving loved ones behind.

Dr. Bond writes with sensitivity, as she helps the reader examine their lives and fears by vicariously living through her experiences. Her references to classic literature, the arts, philosophy and psychoanalysis add a depth and richness to her story. I found myself revisiting my dreams to discover hidden messages as I read of Dr. Bond’s dream journal.  Her compelling accounts of friends visiting her in dreams were emotionally charged with dramatic implications.

Dr. Bond’s challenges the reader to explore the fear surrounding death and the realities of death in hopes of relieving some of the suffering experienced by the dying and their loved ones alike.  In her search for answers Dr. Bond concluded that her life will go on through the lives of her grandchildren, and through her writing. She has learned to express gratitude for the full and rich life she has lived and is living in the present.

Through her memoir “Old Age is a Terminal Illness,” Dr. Alma Bond has opened the door for the reader to experience self-analysis and spiritual probing in their struggle to conquer the fear of death.

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