By Jessica Solomon
In SAGE: A Journey to the Final Station—My Years Working in Assisted Living, released in April 2025, Liz Renshaw-Breen delivers a vibrant, unfiltered, and deeply human look at a world too often hidden behind industry buzzwords and brochure smiles. Part memoir, part exposé, Breen’s debut book is a candid, compassionate, and at times laugh-out-loud funny exploration of what it truly means to age—and to care for those who are.
Once a young advertising professional in San Francisco with little patience for the elderly—“a burden on society,” she once believed—Breen’s life takes a sharp and unexpected turn when she relocates to the small town of Ojai, California. There, the best job she can find is as a marketing director at a local retirement community. It was meant to be temporary. But what unfolded was a profound transformation.
From Reluctance to Reverence
At first, Breen admits, she dreaded the thought of working with seniors. But that quickly changed as she met residents who shattered every stereotype she had. They were artists and activists, lovers and thinkers. She found herself inspired by 80- and 90-year-olds still full of life, including a couple of nonagenarians who found love later in life. “I went from fearing aging to being in awe of it,” she reflects.
She doesn’t sugarcoat the challenges. Breen recounts the relentless pressure to “keep beds filled,” the emotional toll of resident deaths, and the reality of working in an environment where business priorities often clashed with compassionate care. She is equally honest about her own moments of frustration—yelling at overworked support staff, juggling burnout with a volatile marriage, and grappling with the emotional weight of the job.
A Peek Behind the Curtain
What makes SAGE truly remarkable is its balance of warmth and honesty. Breen doesn’t romanticize assisted living, but she doesn’t vilify it either. Instead, she offers a human portrait of a system straining under competing demands—where dedicated staff work long hours for low pay, where families place their trust (and money) in communities hoping for dignity and peace, and where residents face the end of life with humor, stubbornness, grace, and grit.
Through stories that are at once hilarious and heartbreaking—like 96-year-old Bob who balks at his $4,000 rent but quips, “I’ll take the girlfriend for $700 a month”—Breen gives readers permission to laugh through the tears. She shows that aging, while inevitable, isn’t something to dread. It’s something to witness. Something to honor.
A Book for Every Caregiver—and Every Human
If you work in senior living, care for an aging loved one, or simply want to better understand what lies ahead, SAGE offers more than just reflection—it offers connection. Breen’s storytelling has the rare ability to educate and entertain simultaneously. Her humility and humor make even the toughest topics accessible, and her honesty invites trust.
As one reviewer puts it:
“SAGE is more than just a memoir; it’s a guide, a companion, and a source of inspiration. Liz Breen’s candid and heartfelt narrative invites readers to laugh, learn, and reflect—making it a must-read for anyone touched by the journey of aging and caregiving.”
The Final Station, But Not the End
In the end, SAGE is not about endings at all. It’s about how people live—right up until the last chapter. It’s about the wisdom that comes from slowing down. The beauty of second chances. The quiet, daily heroism of caregivers. And the stories that live on, even after a resident’s final goodbye.
Liz Renshaw-Breen has gifted us a story that’s honest, irreverent, and deeply needed. With SAGE, she reminds us that aging isn’t just a destination—it’s a journey. And it deserves to be seen in full color.
Buy the Book: SAGE: A Journey to the Final Station—My Years Working in Assisted Living
