Each student will interview an older adult aged 65 or older using guidelines that are listed below. This writing project is designed to help you recognize and understand human development in diverse settings, to think about and explain how individual differences influence beliefs, values, lifestyle, and so on.
-The interview can be conducted through zoom, telephone, and many other methods without having to contact a person face-to-face. You can also interview an older adult who is your neighbor, friend, family member or a new person.
Select an elderly (age over 65) 1. Interview the person
a. Gather demographic information (year she/he was born, where, education, marital status, children, siblings, and religion)
b. Describe her/his life
i. How the life changed according to life events
1. Any historical event? (World War 2, Vietnamese War, Korean War, Water Gate, 9-11, and so on) – ask if any of these events changed the person’s life
2. Personal life events
a. Such as graduation, college, marriage, employment,
birth to a child, retirement, losses, major changes.
b. Ask how these personal life events changed the
person’s life
3. Any other particular event which changed the person’s life?
2. While interviewing the person, discuss how this person adapted to aging, and in your opinion, do you think this person adapted to aging successfully? If so, why? If not, why not?
3. You must discuss three issues from the class materials.
a. Three issues – for example, one of the aging theories, social support,
misconception about older workers, dying, bereavement, retirement,
aging and culture and so on.
4. What is your definition of successful aging and how is your definition different
from the definition we discussed during class?
5. After interviewing a person, what do you think is the most important factor for
successful aging?
Paper Format
-Your paper should include the following:
1. Include an introduction paragraph, with the last sentence indicating the main theme
of your paper. Paragraphs are at least 4 sentences.
2. Paper is to be typed, 12 font, double spaced, no spaces between paragraphs, but
indent (Tab Key) for each new paragraph, black ink, proper grammar.
3. Include a conclusion paragraph 4 pages in total.
