Part One: Introduction
Hello, everyone! My name is Joshua Gaston. One thing I would like the class to know about me is that my life is deeply centered on faith, fatherhood, service, and transforming painful experiences into purpose. I am a father of two young children, an author, minister, speaker, and the founder of Rebuilding Broken Men, Inc. My nonprofit focuses on addressing intergenerational trauma, strengthening men and families, and protecting children. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Church Leadership from Oakwood University and am currently pursuing my Master of Social Work at Georgia State University. My professional interests include trauma-informed care, behavioral health, child welfare, advocacy, nonprofit leadership, and community-based social work.
Personally, my experiences with older adults have come through my family, church, and community. Older adults have often served as sources of wisdom, spiritual guidance, encouragement, and historical knowledge in my life. My family’s experiences have also helped me recognize some of the challenges that can accompany aging, including dementia, declining health, changing family roles, and the possible loss of independence. These experiences have shown me that older adults need more than medical care. They also need patience, dignity, companionship, advocacy, and opportunities to remain connected to their families and communities.
Professionally, I gained direct experience with older adults while serving as Director of Marketing at Tayler’s Sanctuary Assisted Living Facility. In that role, I communicated with hospital social workers, discharge planners, prospective residents, and their families regarding assisted-living placement. I conducted tours, explained available services, and helped families consider whether the facility could meet their loved one’s needs. This experience helped me understand how emotional and complicated later-life transitions can be. A family may be trying to make an important decision while also experiencing fear, grief, financial pressure, uncertainty, or guilt. It taught me that social workers must listen carefully and support both the older adult and the family without overlooking the older adult’s wishes and dignity.
Through this class, I hope to develop a more complete understanding of the biological, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual dimensions of aging. I also want to examine my own assumptions and learn how social workers can better advocate for older adults. I hope to gain practical knowledge about assessment, dementia, caregiving, long-term care, grief, healthcare systems, social isolation, and policies affecting older adults. Ultimately, I want to become a social worker who recognizes the strengths of older adults while responding compassionately and effectively to the challenges they may face.
Part Two: The Meaning of Aging
When I hear the terms “older adulthood” or “later life,” I think about a stage of life marked by transition, reflection, wisdom, and legacy. I do not believe aging should automatically be viewed as decline. Later life can still include growth, purpose, learning, meaningful relationships, and service to others. Older adults carry memories and experiences that younger generations can learn from. However, I also recognize that aging can involve physical limitations, grief, changes in identity, retirement, financial concerns, and the loss of loved ones.
At this point in my life, I imagine older adulthood as a time when a person begins thinking more deeply about what they have built, whom they have helped, and what they will leave behind. I picture someone who has lived through victories, disappointments, changes, and losses but still possesses purpose. I also imagine a person who may need additional support while continuing to deserve autonomy and a meaningful voice in decisions about their life.
I believe I will begin thinking of myself as an older adult at approximately 65 years old. However, this assignment has helped me recognize that chronological age does not tell the entire story. Two people can be the same age and have very different health conditions, energy levels, responsibilities, resources, and perspectives. How someone experiences aging can be influenced by genetics, lifestyle, trauma, relationships, environment, healthcare access, finances, and social support.
When I envision myself in later life, I hope to look mature and distinguished while remaining active, strong, and engaged. I expect that my appearance will change, but I hope I will feel comfortable with those changes instead of viewing them negatively. I want to see the signs of aging as evidence that God has allowed me to live, grow, and gain wisdom.
I hope my health will allow me to remain mobile and independent. As someone interested in trauma-informed practice, I understand that childhood adversity and chronic stress can affect health throughout a person’s lifespan. This motivates me to care for my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health now rather than waiting until I am older. I know I cannot control every health outcome, but I can make choices that may improve my quality of life.
I envision spending my later years with my children, grandchildren, family, and close friends. I hope to continue preaching, writing, mentoring younger people, serving communities, and contributing to the mission of Rebuilding Broken Men, Inc. I would also like to travel, enjoy peaceful moments, study Scripture, and share the knowledge I have gained throughout my life. My greatest pleasure would come from seeing my children flourishing, watching the work I began continue to help others, and knowing that my life created a positive legacy.
One problem of aging that concerns me is cognitive decline, particularly dementia. The possibility of losing important memories, becoming unable to recognize loved ones, or losing the ability to communicate and make independent decisions is frightening. This concern is personal because I have seen dementia affect my family. Cognitive decline does not affect only the individual; it also affects loved ones who may become caregivers while grieving changes in someone who is still physically present.
I also fear the isolation and loss of dignity that some older adults experience. No one should feel forgotten simply because they have aged or require assistance. These concerns strengthen my desire to become a compassionate social worker who sees the whole person rather than defining someone by an age, diagnosis, or limitation.
To me, effective gerontological social work means protecting dignity, encouraging independence whenever possible, supporting caregivers, and ensuring that older adults continue to be heard, respected, and valued.
Joshua,
Thank you for sharing your experiences with all of us. I look forward to hearing more about your experiences and how they have shaped your thinking about older adults. I think you will enjoy some of the materials we are reading, as we are trying to think about aging differently than as a time of decline and to consider older adults as valued in our culture as opposed to a burden.
You are not alone in your concerns and fears about dementia. It is one of the most often mentioned concerns about aging. We will be spending some time talking about that in the next couple of weeks. We will also talk about the importance of social and individual capital as we age. Our ability to access financial, social, and spiritual resources allows us to age with grace.
I look 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 the video so you don’t have to watch the whole thing if you already know the beginning. You might find it helpful, and this process will place your image right at the top of your blog post automtically. Here is a link to the video: https://gastate.view.usg.edu/d2l/le/lessons/3694485/topics/77644126