Older Adult Development Interview and Reflection
Part 1: Older Adult Interview
Please, tell me about your childhood, school, family, and work life.
Well, I was born in Monroe, Louisiana in a family of seven children. I enjoyed my childhood as the last born child and son in the family. Since then, a lot has changed. The manner in which the teenagers lived completely differs from the one we live now. Nonetheless, it was exciting and interesting. My father died of stroke when I was 7-years old and my mother passed on when I was 13-years old, she suffered from tuberculosis. However, I had the privilege to attend elementary school up to grade 4. Now, I am a retired U.S Army’s logistics officer.
Do you consider yourself old?
Unfortunately I do. But, I do not mind it. When I first noticed that I had started getting old, it was a little bit disappointing. Now it is well, maybe because I am used to the feeling of being old.
What cognitive, physical, and psychological development issues have you encountered during your older age?
I am not leading a happy life at this stage of life. I am overly depressed, destressed, and worried by lack of enough finances, and for that reason am really scared. I drink alcohol, smoke, and take “wrong diet” whose nutritional value is low. Two years ago, I had a heart attack. Today, I am overweight and suffer diverticulosis and irritable bowel syndrome. My doctor also diagnosed me of high blood pressure. I am overstressed since I have no wife to take care of me. My old age has come with changes in oral health which has seen my 23 teeth being removed. Recently, I contracted nosocomial infection and MRSA after undergoing a thigh operation following a wound infection; my movement has been highly limited. Last, my level of judgement, sound decision making, learning, and retrieval of past information has to some extend been impaired. In the clinic, the doctor said these are signs of dementia.
How did peers influence you during your adolescence/young adult age?
Well, I did not experience modern technologies such as computers, MP4 players, smartphones, but I and my peers were always out and about. Besides me, there were many peers whom we shared a lot and spend most of the time during adolescence. There was negative and positive peer influence during my young adult age. I spend most of the time with peers whom we shared similar goals, interest, and focus for life. I found acceptance among my friends, and freely shared my adolescence experiences with them. About our pre-marital sexual activities, I would rather not talk about that, because when I became an adult I had to deal with two divorces; the two divorces were caused by my detrimental behavior and poor decisions. Nevertheless, I created long lasting bonds with my peers.
What people or events influenced your development of morals such as ethics, faith, and culture?
When I was 29 years old, I was involved in an accident. Unfortunately, this is not the worst experience. Thank God, I survived, but after thorough treatment, the doctor said he was out of alternatives to help me, and I would move with a wheelchair. However, I remembered what my mother taught me, to always pray and have hope in God. I prayed and suddenly I begun walking again. My father and mother were very responsible. Now over 50 years since they died, and I still emulate them when it comes to respecting culture, diversity, and humanity. While working under the U.S. Army as a procurement officer, I learned the need for diversity among people.
How have these experiences formulated who you are as a mature adult?
The death of my parents and the accident I had made me appreciate every moment of my life. I realized that we must always be thankful for the best is yet to come. My two divorces made me realize my detrimental behaviors and bad decisions, decisions made out of substance influence. In terms of the physical, cognitive, and psychological changes, I acknowledge aging as “a natural progression laid out by God”. Old age comes with dreaded pains and aches, and the only secret to a happy life is having a positive mental health.
Part 2: Reflection
Introduction
In an effort to learn and understand the aging process and the factors that influence their development, I interviewed a 68-year old man, and a family friend whose name I will identify as Mr. Z for purposes of privacy protection. The general objective of the interview was gaining insight about the factors that influence their older age development. The continuity theory of aging suits the interviewee’s responses and thus will be used in writing this reflection essay.
Description of the Selected Theory (Continuity Theory)
According to (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2016), the continuity theory of aging posits that “in making adaptive choices, the middle and older aged people tend to form and maintain existing psychosocial patterns by applying familiar skills, knowledge, and strategies. As per the theory, people tend to engage in similar activities to keep leading familiar lifestyle patterns as they become old. Developed by Robert .A, continuity theory uses a life course perspective whereby the process of aging gets shaped by culture, history, and social constructs. As per Robert the founder, continuity in aging remains a dynamic and evolutionary developmental process wherein people grow, transition, and adapts (Bonsdorff & Ilmarinen, 2013). However, the changes evident during one’s development are consistent with his or her underlying ideology and past life experiences.
Describe the Interviewee (Gender, Age, and Ethnicity)
As highlighted in the abstract, the interviewed person was Mr. Z who is a close family friend of mine. Mr. Z is a gentleman aged 68-years old. The interviewee was born in Monroe, Louisiana where he grew up and schooled his elementary education up to grade four. Mr. Z is a Black or African American, and this makes his ethnic diversity. Professionally, the interviewee worked as a procurement officer in the U.S. Army for 35 years until he retired after his 62nd age. Besides all, Mr. Z values diversity, respect for all, and hard work.
Theory in Relation to Interviewee’s Responses
According to (Bonsdorff & Ilmarinen, 2013), continuity theory gives a framework for comprehending how older people use their past concepts, experiences, and constructs to adapt to the changes brought about by normal aging. The theory helps us understand the adjustment to retirement. In our interview, Mr. Z is already retired by still remembers his past encounters since childhood. Today, he relies on the morals taught to him by parents, teachers in school, and those learned during his work life. Despite all that, the interviewee feels free to discuss his current stage and experiences based on his past experiences, concepts, and encounters. Why Mr. Z had two divorces is untold, but he discloses his bad behavior and decision making formed during his adolescent age. However, Mr. Z still bonds and relates well with people, a habit formed during his young adult age.
The desire to maintain memory, physical fitness, and psychological wellbeing is one thing that worry’s the interviewee at his current age. The fact that Mr. Z is not leading a happy life is for the reason that employing past constructs, concepts, and experiences is not possible at the moment (Bonsdorff & Ilmarinen, 2013). For example, the interviewee took healthy diet while in middle age, but not takes “wrong diet due to financial distress. Despite being a retired procurement officer, Mr. Z still admires work ability, and demands resources to work. It pains him that dementia has poised, and thus his usual ways of decision making and delivering sound judgement is impossible. In continuity theory, an individual has to adjust to the psychological, physical, and cognitive changes brought by aging (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2016).
Ethical and Cultural Strategies in Older Adults
Certain ethical and cultural strategies are mandatory when dealing with older adults’ insofar optimum development, promotion of resilience, and their wellbeing is concerned. These ethical and cultural strategies include concrete support and care, acceptance that change is normal in normal aging, crisis avoidance, social connectedness, and other strategies (Perkins & Ball, 2012). Promoting older adult resilience requires utmost acceptance of them as part of the society. Important to note, although aging comes with certain impairments, it at the same time comes with wisdom. Older people are the heritage of the society, and are there to advice the adolescents and younger adults.
Another surest way to promoting optimum development is utmost care and support. Older people suffer cognitive, physical, and psychological impairments which lower their ability to take care of themselves (Perkins & Ball, 2012). Caregivers must offer them desired support. Support and care means providing them with quality health care, hygiene, and a balanced diet. Without this kind of care, old adults remain depressed and destressed. Again, it is prudent for counselors to protect older people’s privacy and confidentiality, this helps promote resilience. Still, older people have to maintain a hopeful outlook as this is the surest road to crises avoidance.
Conclusion
Continuity theory of aging helps us understand how older people use their past constructs, concepts, and experiences to adjust and adapt to the changes associated with normal aging. Normal aging is associated with decreased mobility, cognitive impairment, and psychological development issues. Adjustment to retirement and after retirement is based on this theory, and normal aging has to be understood from a continuity perspective. The fact that the interviewee accepts that old age comes with drastic transitions makes this interview suit under the continuity theory concept, that normal aging requires an individual to adjust from past experiences and concepts to newer ways of life.
References
- Bonsdorff, M. E., & Ilmarinen, J. (2013). Continuity theory and retirement. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Kail, R. V., & Cavanaugh, J. C. (2016). Human development: A life-span view (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
- Perkins, M. M., & Ball, M. M. (2012). Relational autonomy in assisted living: A focus on diverse care settings for older adults. Journal of Aging studies, 26(2), 214-225.