Exploring The Individual Experiences Of An Older Adult

In order to explore the individual experiences of an older adult in the United States, we conducted an interview of a 78-year-old white male living in Silver Spring, Maryland. Throughout this paper, the interviewee will be referred to as Edgar; this is not his real name. The interview was conducted in the home of one of the interviewers because it is close to Edgar’s home. Throughout the interview, we discussed Edgar’s personal experiences with ageism, the physical and psychological effects of aging, family and social supports in old age, and the transition from work to retirement. While his experiences with personal aging are similar to that of many other individuals his age, his experience as full-time male caregiver offers unique insight into an unofficial occupation dominated by women. Edgar is one of five siblings, however one of his brothers died at birth. He is the second oldest sibling, having two sisters and one brother. Edgar was born in St. Louis, MO, but since his father was a pilot in the military, he lived in many places including post-WWII Germany. His experience in Germany was â€Å"eye-opening,† â€Å"sobering,† and a â€Å"reality check† in his own words. At the age of nine, Edgar saw the extreme poverty, destruction, and desolation left behind by the Second World War, and it defined his character from then on. He noted that every child like to believe that they are an action-hero, but his experience in Germany forced him to understand that â€Å"that’s all make-believe.† AsShow MoreRelatedThe Aging Population Is The Fastest Growing Population1574 Words   |  7 Pages65 -85 and 9 million individuals will be ages 85 and older (Ouchida Lachs, 2015). Perceptions of the elderly have slightly changed for the better in recent years, but biases and discrimination are still very widespread in our society today. â€Å"Ageism† is a phrase coined by Robert Butler in 1969 and implies a preconception, prejudice, and discrimination against older adults and can come in many forms. A kind of ageism I will be focusing on is the related to older adults and their treatmentRead MoreForgiveness Intervention Assisted Older Adults1228 Words   |  5 PagesThe forgiveness intervention assisted older adults by exploring this topic, maybe for the first time (Ingersoll-Dayton, Campbell, Ha, 2009). The process itself took place over a period of time. Forgiveness is not necessarily something that can be processed overnight. The time allotted for these sessions provided the group members with several weeks to explore the topic. The sessions involved a group facilitator and group members. The group facilitator was a trained professional who was knowledgeableRead MoreHelp Aging Adults Cope with the Process Concept of Death 1722 Words   |  7 Pagesestablish new relationships with other group members, as well as come to terms with relationships they once valued. Purpose and Rationale The purpose of this group is to help aging adults cope with the process concept of death and coping with the end of life to which an existential approach will be applied. The everyday aging adult faces many challenges that have to do with the process of aging, such as loss of certain privileges (e.g. driving), loss of vision and hearing, loss of friends and family, lossRead MoreAgeism And Stereotypes Of Health Care Essay1454 Words   |  6 PagesAgeism and stereotypes of older people can have an important impact on their physical health, mental health and overall wellbeing. Negative stereotypes of older people being dependent and decrepit can be internalized and become self-fulfilling. These ageist thoughts and stereotypes can lead to older people not seeking health care in general and to not get treatment appropriate for their illness or medical condition due to their age and not based on any other factor. Older people also suffer fromRead MoreUse of Orthotics in Fall Prevention755 Words   |  3 Pages Falls have multiple precipitating causes and predisposing risk factors, which make their diagnosis, treatment, and prevention a difficult clinical challenge. Identifying effective interventions to prevent falls and fall-related injuries among older adults is a major area of research and policy development in geriatrics. Several published clinical guidelines review the evidence for fall prevention strategies and provide recommendations for assessment and intervention (Rubenstein Josephson, 2006)Read MoreRehabilitation Of The Body Is Only One Phase Of A Continuing Life Essay1410 Words   |  6 Pagesrehabilitation of the body is only one phase of a continuing life. Similarly, facing a traumatic event such as EOL adds uncertainty about the future and awareness of human’s temporality. A study of lived experience of son and daughter caregivers seemed potentially helpful to understand EOL existential experience of the caregiver role and potential development of information that strengthens caregiver’s preparedness. Bachner et al. (2011) and Wong and Tomer (2011) discussed the value of death acceptance asRead MoreA Reflection on Adult Development, Wisdom, and Wellness999 Words   |  4 PagesReflection on adult development, Wisdom, and wellness Successful adult development is seen as the program of possessing inner feelings of happiness and being content with ones past and present performance (Ouwehandet al., 2007). Happiness, it seems to me, is generated via conditions of health and the capacity of wisdom that enables one to accept difficult situations and to turn challenging situations into growth-filled opportunity. Ryffs (1989) definition of successful adult development reinforcesRead MoreStacys Story: There is Beauty in Aging1522 Words   |  7 Pagesproject. I provided her with an overview of the kinds of questions I’d be asking and made sure that she’d be comfortable answering them. I formulated questions based on the subjects that I anticipated writing about, and asked her to expand on any experiences or subjects that she felt were unique or important to her development. She agreed to try her best when responding to them, and soon after we began the interview. At about five foot four inches high, Stacy is an averaged-sized Caucasian woman. SheRead MoreEffect Of Exercise On Health1499 Words   |  6 Pagespaper will discuss the impact of exercise on improving pain, the effects of exercise in relation to the ability to learn, and exploring the interrelationship of exercise and chronic medical conditions. Impact of Exercise on Pain Research has shown that exercise has a significant effect on improving pain. What is pain? Pain is â€Å"an unpleasant sensory emotional experience associated with either actual or potential tissue damage† (Lilley, 2011, p. 184). Unpleasant feelings of pain could affect a person’sRead MoreAgeism : Discrimination Against Older People865 Words   |  4 PagesAgeism Ageism is â€Å"discrimination against older people.† (Webster’s, 2003) The words age and racism combined to define this prejudice. There are studies that show one in every five workers in the United States are over fifty-five. Around sixty percent of workers state they have experienced ageism in the workplace. (North, 2013) Yet, the elderly are not the only ones who experience age discrimination. Ageism happens to children, teenagers, and middle-aged adults. Age discrimination appears to be prevalent