Recent studies show that our decision-making skills improve as we age and that our happiness levels peak at age eighty-two. In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Daniel J. Levitin turns his keen insights to what happens to our brains as we age. Using a rigorous analysis of neuroscientific research, he challenges many of the beliefs that surround aging, including our assumptions about memory loss and our focus on life span instead of health span. This book draws on cutting-edge insights from developmental neuroscience and individual differences psychology to show that sixty-plus years is a unique developmental stage that, like infancy and adolescence, has its own demands and distinct advantages. Levitin takes a scientific approach to what we all can learn from those who age joyously, combining it with the advice of exceptional individuals who thrived far beyond the conventional age of retirement. Together, these insights will revolutionize the way we plan for old age as individuals, family members, and citizens within a society where the average life expectancy continues to rise.