The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, Margareta Magnusson
The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly, Margareta Magnusson
Mothercare, Lynne Tillman
The Gift of Years, Joan Chittister
Breaking the Age Code, Becca Levy
Happy Go Lucky, David Sedaris
Being Mortal, Atul Gawande
Recipes for a Sacred Life, Rivvy Neshama
How to Care for Aging Parents, Virginia Morris
Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I Get Old, Steven Petrow
Getting Real About Getting Older, Linda Stroh
Lighter: Let Go of the Past, Connect with the President and Expand the Future, Yung Pueblo
I’ve Got Some Good News and Some Bad News: You’re Old, David Bernstein
Working Daughter: A Guide to Caring for Your Aging Parents While Making a Living, Liz O’Donnell
I Feel Bad About My Neck, I Remember Nothing and Heartburn, Nora Ephron
Honest Aging: An Insider’s Guide to the Second Half of Life, Rosanne M. Leipzig
Two Old Broads: Stuff You Need to Know But Didn’t Know You Needed To, Dr. M.E. Hecht
How Not to Be Old (Even if You Are), Jill Orr
The Happiness Hypothesis, Jonathan Haidt
Growing Old: Notes on Aging with Something Like Grace, Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
The Book About Getting Older, Lucy Pollock
I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jeanette McCurdy
The Inner Work of Age, Connie Zweig
The 36-hour Day, A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer Disease and Other Dementias, by Nancy L. Mace and Peter V. Rabins
The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle and Generally Have More Fun, Gretchen Rubin

Knocking on Heaven’s Door: The Path to a Better Way of Death, Katy Butler

The Art of Dying Well, Katy Butler

When Your Aging Parent Needs Help, Leslie Kernisan and Paula Spencer Scott

Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential Conversations With Your Parents About Their Finances, Cameron Huddleston

What to Do When I’m Gone, A Mother’s Wisdom to Her Daughter, Suzy Hopkins and Hallie Bateman

Let’s Talk About Death Over Dinner, Michael Hebb

From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life, Arthur C. Brooks

The Five Wishes, Aging With Dignity

The Book of Charlie: Wisdom from the Remarkable American Life of a 109-year-old Man, David Von Drehle

How Will You Measure Your Life? Clayton Christensen

Falling Into Grace: Insights on the End of Suffering, Adyashanti

Heartwood: The Art of Living with the End in Mind, Barbara Becker

The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield

Necessary Conversations: Between Families and Their Aging Parents by Gerald Kaufman

Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life by Henry Cloud

How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free: Retirement Wisdom That You Won’t Get from Your Financial Advisor by Ernie J. Zelinski

Dying Well: Peace and Possibilities at the End of Life by Ira Byock MD

Yours Truly: An Obituary Writer’s Guide to Telling Your Story by James R. Hagerty

Final Rights: Reclaiming the American Way of Death by Joshua Slocum

Heartfelt Memorial Services:: Your Guide for Planning Meaningful Funerals, Celebrations of Life and Times of Remembrance by Beverly Molander

The Good Death: An Exploration of Dying in America by Ann Neumann

Before I Go: The Essential Guide to Creating a Good End of Life Plan by Jane Duncan Rogers

The 10 “Concrete Steps” of a Grand Plan

  1. Write it Down: Create a ‘death binder’ of essential, obituary and funeral information
  2. Lawyer Up: Hire an attorney to get legit about your affairs.
  3. Bean Count: Get your financial house and plan in order.
  4. Advance Your Directives: Write your prescription for health, consider your medical thresholds.
  5. Know Aid ABCs: Get knowledgeable on government programs and long-term care plans
  6. Find Help: Research professional resources available to you
  7. Welcome Home: Educate yourself on the cost, scope and reality of the life and housing you envision.
  8. Toss It: Minimize the hell out of yourself and your stuff.
  9. Real Talk: Communicate with your people, early and honestly and often
  10. Buckle Up: Relinquish the keys and be ready to ride.

And there are 10 more slightly softer steps! Learn more about all 20 steps by ordering the book Grand Plans 2.0: How to Mitigate Geri-Drama in 20 Easy Steps on Amazon, today!

Reach out to learn more about personal consultations or to see how Grand Plans can share its mission of planful aging strategies with your organization. Presentation, workshop, column, book event and ambassador partners have included: