Sage

A Journey to the Final Station--My Years Working in Assisted Living

Liz Renshaw-Breen

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Hardback

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English

Tiamia Press
15 October 2025

Age groups: the elderly; Care of the elderly; Coping with old age

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.

By: Liz Renshaw-Breen
Imprint: Tiamia Press
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 22mm
Weight: 621g
ISBN: 9798989877539
Pages: 340
Publication Date: 15 October 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

At a relatively young age, Liz Renshaw-Breen fell into the world of senior citizens when she became the marketing director for an assisted living community in Southern California. She continued working in the industry for the next eight years at various levels of management. Through her work, she gleaned a behind-the-scenes look at the elder care industry and was privileged to learn from the many older adults she met. They taught her about dementia, family dynamics, the pleasures and heartbreaks of aging, and how to die with dignity, grace, and even joy. Liz has spent twenty years working in elder care, first in retirement communities and subsequently in home health, hospice, hospitals and primary care. She has a degree in Latin American Literature from UCLA. She lives with her husband, Marcos, in Northern California.

Reviews for Sage: A Journey to the Final Station--My Years Working in Assisted Living

""Throughout, [Renshaw-Breen] gives an interesting, funny, and frank account of assisted living communities from the unique point of view of a marketer.... ""Renshaw-Breen is an engaging, persuasive writer. Even when slipping in statistics and facts about unglamorous subjects like aging and sales marketing ...she sells us the whole package. ""A heartfelt, humorous portrayal of those who live and work in elder care homes."" -Kirkus Reviews