The American Geriatrics Society's Complete Guide to Aging and Health: How We Age*caring for Parents*long-Term Care Choices*wise Health Care Decisions*

Well-organized and thoughtfully written, this hefty handbook on aging is worth its weight in gold. Williams, a gerontologist and director of University of North Carolina's Program on Aging, addresses the myriad health-related concerns of elders, their families and caregivers. The first section covers the normal aging process, including a discussion of preventive care. Next is a discussion of health-care decision making--from the basics of choosing a doctor to the specifics of how older people tolerate multiple medications. A third section deals with increasingly complex ethical and legal issues and health-care financing. The last part, comprising more than half of the book, describes specific health-related conditions (e.g., neurological, psychological, respiratory, circulatory, etc.) of aging, including symptoms, causes and treatment or management. This comprehensive, easy-to-read volume will be an invaluable reference for the nation's growing population of elders. Author tour. (Apr.)