Includes bibliographical references (p. 213-216) and index.

Society is prejudiced against aging / Margaret Morganroth Gullette -- Society is becoming more accepting of aging / David Oliver Relin -- People are afraid of growing old / Andrew Weil -- People are becoming less afraid of growing old / Stacie Stukin -- A significant number of seniors experience decreased mental function / Brenda L. Plassman, et al. -- Overall, mental function does not lessen with age / Laura L. Carstensen -- Government benefits for retirees must be preserved / Chuck Hagel -- Government support for retirees discourages personal responsibility / Robin J. Klay and Todd P. Steen -- The medical system is not prepared to deal with an aging population / Conn Hallinan and Carl Bloice -- Medicare is changing to meet the needs of an aging population / Mark Schlesinger and Jacob S. Hacker -- Encouraging delayed retirement will minimize age-related economic problems / The Economist -- Encouraging delayed retirement is not practical / James H. Schulz and Robert H. Binstock -- The problems of aging are worse for ethnic minorities / M. Joanna Mellor and Helen Rehr -- Not all ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by the problems of aging / Gay Becker, Yewoubdar Beyene, Edwina Newsom and Nury Mayen -- Mass retirements and corresponding economic problems are probably inevitable / Kathy Krepcio -- Mass retirements and corresponding economic problems need not be inevitable / Ken Dychtwald, Tamara J. Erickson, and Robert Morison -- An aging population will be a financial burden to society / Faisal Islam -- An aging population can contribute much to society / Suzanne Perry and Michael Aft -- Retirement planning is vital / Jeffrey R. Kosnett -- Standard retirement planning overlooks financial hazards / Cait Murphy, Julia Boorstin, and Margaretta Soehendro -- Science will soon be able to slow or stop the aging process / Aubrey de Grey and Michael Rae -- Science cannot stop the aging process / Harriet Hall -- Indefinitely prolonging life would be desirable / Michael Anissimov -- Indefinitely prolonging life would not be desirable / Sherwin B. Nuland.