There is a well-established discrepancy between decisions predicted by normative models for decision making and the decisions people actually make. This difference is also reflected in medical decision making, where patients are expected to participate in their treatment decisions, yet often make non-normative choices. The problem may be exacerbated in the future, as age-related decrements in cognitive and decision-making ability collide with a rapidly-aging population with growing healthcare needs. These issues will be addressed by the speakers and a discussant who are renowned for their expertise in bridging theoretical and applied research. The speakers will present theoretical frameworks, hypothesisdriven experiments, and evidence-based interventions that achieve optimal decisions and health behaviors without attempting to teach patients to make decisions according to normative models. The discussion will feature the social and policy implications of the research and will encourage questions and commentary from the audience.