- One thing I would like people to know is that I’m vegetarian.
- I’ve worked with older adults, such as in caregiving. I helped with daily activities, such as physical activity and cleanliness.
- I would hope to learn more skills to support older adults and their families. I am also interested in the topic surrounding elder abuse.
PART TWO: The Meaning of Aging
- Think about the concept of “older adulthood” or “later life.” When you are ready, address the following questions in writing:
-
- At this point in my life, I think of older adulthood as the stage where a person has reached a point where they are more mature and have experienced certain milestones. I used to associate older adulthood with retirement, but I understand that ageing is different for everyone. When I hear later, I would imagine someone who has gained great knowledge about life and has had the time to build a life that is great for them.
- Think about yourself in later life or older adulthood.
-
- I would consider myself an older adult, probably around 60. I think by that point I would be comfortable with who I am and the life I had built. I hope that I would look healthy but also feel confident and happy. I know my appearance will change, but I would hope to embrace those changers than being concerned with looking young. I still want to be active and take care of myself. In my later years, I would want to enjoy;ife than worry about a job or money. I would want to travel and spend time with my friends and family. I want to have a career that keeps me financially secure before retirement but also fulfills me.
- One problem that I fear is having a serious health condition or losing my independence. I am a super hypochondriac and worry about my health constantly. I would worry about whether I get a condition and if that condition would stop me from being free. I am also pretty independent, and relying on someone is what I’m looking forward to. Additionally, I think losing people I care for would be one of the hardest parts. As people age, you experience more losses. I don’t know how I would cope with that. My biggest fears are health, independence, and quality of life. I hope when I get older, I can adapt to the changes that come while still living a fulfilling life.
Hi Koen!
I enjoyed reading your blog. I saw that you mentioned being a vegetarian. How long have you been vegetarian? I’m curious about what made you decide to make that change.
The first thing that stood out to me was when you stated, “I know my appearance will change, but I would hope to embrace those changes than being concerned with looking young” I think this is really beautiful that you are already thinking about embracing the changes that come in older adulthood.
I also share your fear of losing independence as we age. I’m so used to being able to do things for myself that the thought of having to depend on someone else is scary. I think we both just want to enter our seasoned era and still be healthy, independent, and enjoying life!
I’m really glad you spoke about losing the people we love as we get older. I actually thought about that too, but unfortunately, it was after I had already submitted my blog. Grief is something we don’t always think about when we talk about aging, but the reality is that the longer we live, the more loss we may experience.
Koen,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with all of us. When you write your blog posts, feel free to write them as small papers, without including the prompts from the assignment. I have read enough of them that, trust me, I remember the questions. That way you can add a bit more detail to your answers. I am curious about what capacity you worked with older adults. As you can tell from your classmates’ posts, our personal and professional experiences play a large part in how we think about aging and aging practice.
I will make sure we have some material on elder abuse. I think there is a section about Adult Protective Services in our policy module, but I will make sure it’s there.
Good health and independence are the two most important elements everyone strives for as they age. The Cruikshank readings include a great deal of discussion about independence that I think you will enjoy. And I think you will find Aronson interesting in her discussions of the medicalization of aging. I just hope she doesn’t trigger your hypochondriasis. Don’t feel bad, I think all of us get a little bit of a hypochondriac as we age.
I am looking forward to the conversations.
Dr P
Just an FYI – You are expected to include a featured image with these blog posts. If you watch the video on the blog or read my latest email, I explain how to upload your featured image. If you scroll down to the bottom on the right side of your post window, you will find “Set Featured Image.” I walk you through this in my video on using the blog. This information is about halfway through. You might find it helpful and it will place your image right at the top of the blog post. Here is the link to the video.
https://gastate.view.usg.edu/d2l/le/lessons/3694485/topics/77644126