The sixth edition represents a thorough revision from the fifth edition, with a new chapter discussing neuroscience and aging. Among the most important changes are:
• New discussions on the link between brain and behavior.
• New discussions of global aging and the economics of aging.
• New discussions of microgenetic research and the meta-analytic technqiue.
• Revised discussions of osteoporosis, arthritis, theories of aging, and new information about dietary sodium and treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
• New How Do We Know? features in Chapters 2, 3,
4, 10, 11, and 13.
• New or revised Current Controversies features in Chapters 2, 3, 5, 10, 11, 13, and 14.
• New discussion of aging in place, home modification, congregate housing, assisted living, special care units, and the Green House concept of small home nursing homes.
• New discussion on ecology of aging and community-based living options, including discussions of assisted living.
• New discussion of gender differences in depression and mortality, and inclusion of a life-span view of alcohol abuse.
• New Discovering Development features on caring for aging parents and on successful aging.
• A new combined chapter on attention and memory that integrates these two areas of research into a more general information processing framework. Links are also made to the earlier chapter on neuroscience and aging.
• New subsection on making end-of-life intentions known.
• New discussion of the four-component model of grief, and the dual process model of coping with grief.
• New section on Social Security and Medicare.
• New discussions on nutrition and exercise.