Explore Loretha’s journey with accepting her diabetes diagnosis and making lifestyle changes to improve her health. What factors make it difficult for her to make these changes? Why does she ultimately decide to live more healthily? How does her journey impact the theme of Perceptions of Age and Health?

Analyze Loretha and her friends’ monthly dinners. How do these dinners shift over the narrative? What role do these gatherings play in developing the theme of The Bond Between Family and Friends?

Everyone in It’s Not All Downhill From Here demonstrates Resilience in the Face of Personal Loss. Which character portrays the most consistent resilience? Why? Use examples from the text to support your argument.