James L. Werth, Jr., Ph.D., is Assistant Professor, Counseling Psychology Program, Department of Psychology, and Fellow, Institute for Life-Span Development and Gerontology at The University of Akron. Dr. Werth is also a volunteer psychologist and group co-facilitator at Violet’s Cupboard, a support group for gay and bisexual men with HIV/AIDS.Dean Blevins, MPH, Ph.D., is an Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and a Postdoctoral Fellow, Centers for Mental Healthcare and Outcomes Research, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System.

• Werth, Blevins, Introduction. Field, How People Die in the United States. Webb, Effects of the Media/Public Attitudes. Cerminara, Legal Overview. Keespies, Preston, Miller, End-of-Life Choices. Chang, The Process of Medical Decision-making. Prevost, Miller, Dying in Institutions. Ditt, Advance Directives. Werth, Psychological/Psychiatric Issues. Wells, Allen, Family/Caregiving. Doka, Religion/Spirituality. Hayslip, Diversity/Disenfranchised/Oppressed Groups. Volicier, Decisions By and For Adults with Questionable Mental Capacity. Kazak, End-of-Life Decisions and Children. Crow, Raye, Personal Stories. Orentlicher, Conclusion.

"In the 40 plus years that I have been in the field, there has been an explosion of books and articles. Few have been as academically sound as this one. It is truly an excellent effort...an excellent text. It is an important contribution to the field. While it is decidedly academic and would greatly serve those in academia, it has many gems for those who are not academic. It is a must for professionals in the field, as well as academics. I highly recommend this book." - Gerry Cox, Ph.D., Illness, Crisis & Loss"I truly enjoyed this book. The authors' language and organization exhibit clarity and made for an easy read. It was very informative and would be a perfect textbook for a gerontology course or a bioethics course. This book will greatly benefit health professionals, educators, students, and people dealing with end-of-life decisions about themselves or loved ones." - Shilpa Shashidhara, PhD., MABMH, University of North Texas, in Activities, Adaptation and Aging