Gawande shares personal stories of his patients' and his own relatives' experiences, the realities of old age which involve broken hips and dementia, overwhelmed families and expensive geriatric care, and loneliness and loss of independence.

In the beginning of the book he explores different models of senior living,[1] including concepts such as poorhouses, multi-generational households and nursing homes.

Gawande explores personal stories as well as accounts from geriatric doctors such as Keren Brown Wilson, an originator of the assisted living concept.

In the latter part of the book, Gawande shifts to end-of-life medical care and mentions practices such as euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.

[7] In February 2022, Searchlight Pictures announced the development of a film adaptation written, directed, and produced by Aziz Ansari in his feature directorial debut.