Week 4 Discussion
This week we will participate in a Report Back activity. This activity allows you to gather information about concepts that we are discussing during the unit and test them out in the world! As you report your results, please do not indicate full names. For this Report Back:
Respond with your answers to this unit’s Report Back questions.
Ask five adult volunteers this unit’s Report Back question(s). Using only adult volunteers adds standardization to this activity.
Report back on your results by Saturday, presenting your volunteers’ responses
Briefly summarize your observations, connecting your observations to this week’s readings.
After Saturday, check back and respond to at least two of your classmates’ posting, sharing insights from your experiences and discussing the responses.
Report Back – Resilience and Positive Aging
Ask five individuals to respond to the following questions*^:
What is your chronological age?
What is your psychological age? (If there is a difference, why?)
What is the ideal age? Why?
What has had the greatest impact on how “you turned out”? (Note, this question targets events, now people)
How old is “old”? Why?
What does it mean to be resilient?
What are two things that you do to actively savor and appreciate the experiences in your life?
*Practice gratitude: Feel free to preface interviews with sharing that your volunteers are helping you fulfill an assignment for class this week and that you appreciate them, and their assistance.
^The questions were developed in order invite reflection and to thoughtfully explore how our thoughts, experiences, and social environment shape perspectives on aging and resilience. If there is a question you, or one of your volunteers, is not comfortable responding to, this is OK. The question may be skipped.
Student Response 1………..Chelsea Lewis Main Entry
Contains unread posts
Chelsea Lewis posted Jun 12, 2021 10:21 PM
Person #1
1. 31 years old
2. 29 years old because it’s still on the cusp of old age
3. 29 years old — for the same reason as above
4. Meeting my best friend and moving together
5. In your 60’s is old because that’s the age where you get ready to die
6. To keep going when times are tough
7. I talk & think about them a lot
Person #2
1. 32 years old
2. I feel like I am 44 years old. I relate to older people more
3. 30 is an ideal age because you’re old enough to do what you want but still young. You’re also old enough to be taken seriously
4. Meeting my bf Ryan
5. Old is when you are content with life, and give up on aspirations
6. I think to be resilient means to be strong – mentally, physically and emotionally
7. I take pictures, but I also like to be present and I don’t allow phones during interactions (like dinner with friends)
Person #3
1. I’m 35 years old
2. 35 years old
3. My current age is an ideal age, I enjoy my life and don’t want it any different
4. Being picked on in school as a child shaped my life
5. When my kids have kids, then I’ll be old because another generation is coming
6. To get through hard events
7. I take pictures sometimes and but I also like to be present in the moment
Person #4
1. 32 years old
2. I feel my like my current age
3. Uh, 45 sounds ideal because I can retire
4. My parents
5. 85 is old because you’re bound to die
6. To be able to go through anything
7. I make things (jewelry, etc) and I talk about it
Person #5
1. I’m 56 years old
2. I feel like I’m 40. When I was 40, I thought 56 was really old but now I don’t like its old.
3. 30 is an ideal age because you’re still young but wise; you still feel physically good.
4. My father being an alcoholic and my mother struggling to help us get by
5. Right now I think that 70 is old and I base that off of my current age. But as I get older, “old” gets further away from me
6. To never give up even through hard times
7. I take a lot of photos, and reminisce over good times
This was an interesting exercise and my volunteers had fun. I loved listening to their reflections. They all summarized resilience similarly. But the rest of their answers were pretty varying. I found it intriguing that person #2 described being old as being content and no longer striving to reach goals because this weeks readings touch on how older individuals reach more contentment. Most of my other volunteers thought about old as in age, more than as a stage or state of being (person #3 said it was when they became a grandparent).
Student Response 2………..Emily T main entry
Contains unread posts
Emily Trimble posted Jun 12, 2021 11:04 PM
Hello class,
Personal answers
1. 22
2. 30. I always assume I am older than I am, I often have higher goals than others my age and a harder work ethic. I have long term goals and ambitions more than an a average 22 year old. I feel as if I am guilty of rushing through my twenties with a career in mind so I can have a more stable life and that isn’t typically the case. I am preparing now for my future with kids and money and career goals. My mind and body work at an older age but still young compared to my actual age.
3. I think an ideal age would be early 30’s, you’re often finished school and have a career you enjoy. You could have children (or not), youre at the age where being single OR married is considered normal. You often own a car and a house but still are young enough to make life changes if you decide with little push back. You’re often healthy at this age and still have the energy and time to enjoy yourself.
4. There is not one single event that leads me to how I turned out, however there are multiple events. Such as any moment in time where my crippling anxiety had taken over. I went into a depression at the age of 17, no one in my family suffers from that and no one knew how to handle it. This was a mind shaping time in my life and once we figured out what works for me I feel so in control of my life and my decisions.
5. I think ‘old’ is someone in their 80’s because most people in their 80’s are not physically or mentally capable of living the life they once had. Where as I know many people in their 60’s and 70’s who are still working and thriving.
6. To be resilient means to take what life has given you and grow with it, strive and become stronger no matter the circumstances.
7. I actively appreciate the people I spend my time with I no longer spend time with those ‘fake’ people I try to impress. It is important to me to enjoy my time and have people surround me who actually care about me. Another thing I try to savor are experiences with these people and time with my family. I used to work two full time jobs, this is my first summer not doing that and it has given me a lot of free time to spend time with those I love and do fun experiences that create memories.
Volunteer 1:
1. 30
2. 30
3. Anywhere between 30-40, you have your life figured out.. for the most part.
4. Having my children, it put everyone into perspective having to care for other people besides myself.
5. Old is anyone 70+, they’re usually in nursing homes and out of work by then
6. To overcome challenges
7. Family time, and appreciating the small accomplishments I have done. Small goals are just as important as large goals.
Voultneer 2:
1. 25
2. 20, I do not feel like an adult. I dont want the responsibilities of an adult
3. I think the ideal age is someone who can retire, so mid 50’s or 60’s. You have accomplished so much and now it is time to sit back and enjoy.
4. Going away to college, meeting new people and getting out on my own even just for a short period of time.
5. Old to me is retirement age, because all of your main life goals have already been accomplished
6. To be resilient is to always move forward
7. Two things that I appreciate is ‘me time’ and doing experiences or vacations rather than gifts. Then I get to make memories with my friends and family.
Voulnteer 3:
1. 45
2. 30, I feel like I still try to do things that I could accomplish in my 30’s. I have a younger mindset.
3. I deal age is 40, its a big mile stone in age but you already have made it though the hard part of school and all the firsts in life.
4. The greatest impact on my life would have to be being raised by a single mom, she taught me how to stand on my own too feet and how important it is to provide for yourself.
5. Old is someone in their 80’s, I don’t know many people in their 80’s.
6. I think resilient means to look at your situation and adapt
7. Two things that I appreciate in life is my dogs and any free time I have I spend with people I care about
Voulnteer 4:
1. 65
2. 65
3. I think I have the ideal age, I’m retired.
4. The greatest impact on my life was learning how to appreciate what I’m given, I started working at 13 and knew I couldn’t take anything for granted.
5. Old is someone in their 80’s, because I’m not that old yet. People die around that age.
6. Resilient means to learn from your mistakes
7. I appreciate all of my experiences, I’m glad I spent money when I had extra to do things that I will remember. I also appreciate a good home cooked meal because you have to cook it with family and it just always taste better.
Volunteer 5:
1. 42
2. 42
3. I think someone in their 40’s is ideal, I have already had my kids and they’re old enough to take care of themselves for the most part. I am married and love my job.
4. The greatest impact on my life was growing up in the church, the church was a second family to me. I never felt alone, there was always support.
5. Old is around 90, no one lives that old.
6. To be resilient is to adapt
7. I savor my gym time, it is a moment where I am alone and in my space. I also savor time with my friends.
Overall, everyone had very similar answers especially when it came to the definition of resilient. It is also interesting to see how everyone had different definitions for what they consider ‘old’ to be. It is interesting to see how may people believed family and personal time are important to savor in life. I also agree with this statement even thought it took me a few years to realize it.
Thanks,
Emily
