Simmons and MacBean's model distinguishes three stable periods of aging, each followed by a transition. Extended Middle Age, with few changes from middle age, ends with dramatic changes or loss of health or spouse, which they call Ready or Not. A New Me is a stage in which a new identity must be built. This means living creatively within our limits and past our losses, and ends with the onset of frailty and dependence, which they call Like It or Not. Older persons then settle into the last stable phase, Rest of Life, which is characterized by major losses, and yet new beginnings.
Death is the final transition.
The authors suggest five possible options for where one will live, and the pros and cons of each are explored. The myth is dispelled that the last years of life need to be spent in isolation, discomfort and loneliness. Many older people do thrive despite the reality that life has shrunk, and our bodies waste away. Growing old is the greatest challenge we have to face in our lifetime. Simmons and MacBean show us how to thrive and fully live with a body that is no longer the body of youth, but with a spirit that remains eternally young.