Bainbridge author Jeannette Franks will sign copies of her new book, “To Move or To Stay Put: A Guide for Your Last Decades,” this weekend in Poulsbo.

The book event is from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 4 at Liberty Bay Book Co. at 18881 Front St.

As a Ph.D. gerontologist working with older people for over 35 years, Dr. Franks said she felt compelled to write this book.

“Far too many people make far too many unfortunate decisions in their last decades. On the other hand I’ve seen older people make brilliant choices. I need to share those,” she said.

Franks said she had to write a book that is about staying out of institutional settings, avoiding inappropriate housing, forestalling premature poverty, and more.

It’s not another book on exercise, nutrition, caregiving, or any one of a dozen age-related topics that have flooded bookstores, she added.

Franks has written the unique book as a nonprofit endeavor solely to enhance aging for her boomer cohort and for adult children of aging parents and grandparents. She said she is determined to make people smarter about getting old.

Any profits from the book will go to Sustainable Bainbridge, a nonprofit environmental organization.

Franks has taught courses on aging, ethics, and grief and loss, as well as courses on geriatrics and gerontology for the University of Washington.

The book is available at local independent book stores or at www.jeannettefranks.org.