How to Age Gracefully

How to Age Gracefully

A thoughtful and poignant meditation on aging and mortality, How to Age Gracefully tells the story of author Barbara Scoblic’s life inside an assisted living facility through essays and conversations.

When she entered an assisted living facility in Bethesda, Maryland, at age eighty-three, journalist and memoirist Scoblic wasn’t expecting to find such rich subject matter. But the residents and staff surprised her with their kindness, wisdom, and sometimes wicked sense of humor—and inspired her to begin taking notes on their conversations, both those she was a part of and those she overheard. The pieces in this collection, which consider grief, the occasional indignities of living in an aging body, the importance of friendship and community, and the surprising ways we can grow more creative as we grow older, are born of Scoblic’s observations and experiences of life in assisted living. The resulting work is essential for anyone entering the later years of life—or anyone who intends to.

Author: Barbara Hoffbeck Scoblic
Publication Date: June 25, 2024

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“With deft strokes Barbara Scoblic shines light on conversations in the dining room, bringing to life the reality of our new home.”
— Sheldon Krys, former Ambassador to Tehran

“Barbara Scoblic has tackled what is a tough subject for most of us: old age. So, unless you’re planning on a heart attack or some other way to skip your advanced years, this book may be worth your time. She has a wealth of thoughts for those of us lucky enough to be senior adults.”
— Joy Hakim, author of A History of Us

“Barbara Scoblic has the ability to turn observations and conversations into mini short stories, complete with humor and pathos.”
— Barbara Finkelstein, author of Transcending Stereotypes: Discovering Japanese Culture and Education

“Barbara Scoblic is a new voice who deserves to be heard. Her book, How to Age Gracefully, tells a story too often ignored: the challenges and gifts of life’s later chapters. Everyone can benefit from reading this.”
—Jay Winik, author of August 1865

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