Sage

Part memoir and part examination of several assisted living communities. Young, ambitious and working in advertising in San Francisco, Renshaw-Breen wasn't a fan of old people. They were slow, she believed, "a burden on society." But after moving with her husband to small-town Ojai, California, the best job she could find was marketing director at a retirement community.

To her surprise, many of the community's residents defied her previous assessment of seniors. Some, though in their 80s and 90s, were physically and mentally fit. She met painters, poets, and political activists. She was inspired by longtime married couples still in love and by a passionate new romance between two nonagenarians. Many residents, including dementia patients, became her friends. She advocated for staff who were often overworked and underpaid. The author also candidly outlines the challenges of a demanding job...under constant pressure to fill beds, she experienced stress and burnout. In addition, she navigated a volatile marriage.

Throughout she gives a frank account of assisted living communities. Her memoir offers a peek behind the curtains of an industry in which the desire to compassionately serve and the wish to financially profit, clash.

Renshaw-Breen acknowledges her drive to maximize profits, but she cared deeply about the residents, whether they were patient and admirable or cranky and demanding. The author is also upfront about her own strengths and shortcomings; she recounts, for example, times she yelled at support staff. Humor plays a pivotal part; in one facility, 96-year-old Bob is told his apartment costs 4,000 dollars a month and an additional 700 dollars for a girlfriend to move in. He happily responds, "I'll take the girlfriend for 700 per month."

This vibrant narrative challenges the view that the twilight of life lacks brightness. Renshaw-Breen witnessed the candid reality of aging-a journey society shuns yet one which affects us all. She shares her elderly mentors' gift of guidance on marriage, mortality, and insights into what truly matters in life.

Sage: A Journey to the Final Station--My Years Working in Assisted Living sheds light on some secrets from life's final chapter.