Everyone ages, but not everyone prepares for it. UNCG alumna Susanna Barton helps caregivers, as well as those who are entering that stage of life.
She started her business focused on educating others on preparing for the second half of life, Grand Plans, after an unexpected turn in her own life. About seven years ago Barton received a call from someone regarding the welfare of an older couple she knew but had not kept in close contact with.
“Unknown to me, (this couple) had assigned me as their primary caregivers,” she said.
Barton took on the unexpected role for two years, while simultaneously having her own family obligations with two teenagers and her own father suffering a brief illness and passing away.
“It opened my eyes to how much we all have to do to prepare for the aging experience,” Barton said. “I wrote down what I needed to do to make things easier for my children.”
This includes medical care, housing, legal documents, a financial plan, and what will happen to pets, among other things.
With one in four adults in the U.S. acting as caregivers, planning is essential. Barton wrote a book, “Grand Plans,” to help others not be caught off guard like she was. Her focus is to help others think through legal, financial, housing, and care decisions as they age.
Barton — who was previously a journalist, and then in education communications — decided she wanted to focus on this as a full-time career, realizing how important it was.
I felt there was a greater purpose in sharing the lessons I learned.
Susanna Barton
“I felt there was a greater purpose in sharing the lessons I learned. This demographic is shifting so quickly. When we go through hard times, we want to share lessons to benefit others,” Barton said. “I wanted to shift gears from communications to something more flexible, and this seemed like the right path to me.”
She was unfamiliar with the official field of gerontology until a friend mentioned it to her. She researched programs and applied to UNCG. She graduated in December 2025 with her master’s degree in Gerontology, earning the degree online from where she lives in Jacksonville, Fla.
“Attending UNCG and earning my MS degree in the Gerontology program was so affirming. It gave me street cred and the science to know what I was talking about, not just my experience,” Barton said. “I could have gone in and learned what I did was not best practice. It also opened my eyes to the ecosystem of people in the field of gerontology. This program was affirming in every way.”
Barton said the faculty and fellow students also made the program enriching.
Dr. Eifert and Dr. Caro were so supportive. And even though the program was online, I felt so connected. UNCG has such a well-run program and it’s so educational.
Susanna Barton
“Dr. E (Eifert) and Dr. Caro were so supportive. And even though the program was online, I felt so connected,” she said. “UNCG has such a well-run program and it’s so educational.”
While earning her degree, Barton expanded her business, blogging, writing a free bi-monthly Grand Plan newsletter with aging information and reviews on books that cover aging, and conducting Mindful Aging workshops.
Upon graduation, she was also part of a Jacksonville TedX talk on aging. Barton is also designing a new workshop.
“People are reluctant to talk about preparing for aging, until you get them talking about it, and then it’s hard to get their lips zipped,” she said. “Older adults who are moving through that season are starting to talk more.”
Barton admits that following a “Grand Plan” can take a lot of work, but is worth it in the end, saying she and her husband are still finalizing their own.
“I did most of my directives and financial piece and am having conversations with my kids about what we want, making them normal, healthy conversations. I still need to work on decluttering,” she said. “My eyes are very wide open. I try to be aware of what I still need to do as I age.”
For new caregivers, Barton offers a few tips: Ensure legal documents are structured correctly, such as living wills and health care wishes.
“And find relief that there are so many wonderful people in the aging and gerontology fields to find support,” she said. “All caregivers get to a point where it is too much. To build a team to support you is a big deal, instead of thinking you can do it all alone.”
By Sarah Newell