Book excerpt: "[This book] has been honedÖinto an elegant compendium. This outstanding work should be widely read -- it is perhaps the best example of an integrative approach to gerontology." Score: 94, 4 stars --Doody's This book serves as an authoritative textbook and guide to the physical changes and common pathologies associated with the aging process, with special emphasis on the psychological and social implications of these changes in the lives of older adults. This fifth edition presents the newly available research findings that differentiate "normal" aging from actual pathology. The authors provide a thoroughly updated and expanded review of important topics in aging, including death and grieving, complementary and alternative therapies, nutrition, exercise, and much more. The book also demonstrates how the elderly population can gain greater personal control over aging through lifestyle modifications and preventive health strategies. Key topics introduced and discussed: Psychosocial theories of aging Changes and disorders in the skeletal, nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems Dementia, delirium, and mild cognitive impairment Aging in persons with lifelong disabilities This volume serves as a comprehensive textbook for students studying to become health care professionals, and is also a fundamental resource for gerontologists, nurses, social workers, psychologists, rehabilitation specialists, clergy, and counselors.