Written by established and emerging leaders in a broad array of disciplines, this two-volume set provides undergraduate and graduate students, scholars, professionals, and policymakers with an overview of the field of aging that examines the social landscape as well as key changes, challenges, and solutions.The people who make up the rapidly growing population of Americans over age 65 are changing, and as a result, our nation will change. This shift presents new issues, controversies, and challenges that affect health, wellness, welfare, retirement, politics, and economics. This two-volume work examines where we are and where we are headed, paying careful attention to the differential impacts of gender, race, class, marital status, and other social variables. It considers key changes in demographics, old-age policies, families, work, and death and dying.Volume one covers an array of demographic issues, policies, and politics, highlighting how factors such as gender and race shape families, income, retirement, immigrants, and veterans across the life course. The second volume covers education, religion, volunteering, exercise, nutrition, and health care policies across the life course. Topics addressed include the old-age welfare state, the extension of retirement age, home care, care work, nursing home care, end of life planning, and euthanasia.

Volume 2: Health and WellbeingIntroductionMadonna Harrington MeyerChapter One: Education across the Life CourseElizabeth A. DanieleChapter Two: Creativity and Wisdom across the Life CourseMonika Ardelt and Carolyn E. Adams-PriceChapter Three: Religion and Volunteering across the Life CourseFengyan TangChapter Four: Biology and Aging: A PrimerDonna J. HolmesChapter Five: Leading Causes of Morbidity and Mortality among Older AmericansAnna Zajacova and Vicki Johnson-LawrenceChapter Six: Mental Health, Cognitive Ability, and Dementia across the Life CourseDonna D. McAlpine and Taeho Greg RheeChapter Seven: Unpaid Care WorkEliza K. Pavalko and Joseph D. WolfeChapter Eight: Elder AbuseJoah L. Williams, Melba Hernandez-Tejada, Emily S. Fanguy, and Ron AciernoChapter Nine: Nursing Homes and the Continuum of CareStephanie W. BurgeChapter Ten: End-of-Life and End-of-Life PlanningMegumi Inoue, Sara Keary, and Sara M. MoormanChapter Eleven: Grief and BereavementDeborah CarrAppendix A: Organizations for Older PersonsElizabeth A. DanieleAppendix B: Documentaries about AgingElizabeth A. DanieleIndexAbout the Editors and Contributors