Select an older adult (65 years of age or older) to interview for approximately one hour. Do not choose a family member or someone that you know well for this experience.
You might try to arrange an interview with someone from church, in your neighborhood, the relative of a friend, a co-worker, etc. Please conduct the interview face to face. Your visit might focus on a theme (such as physical health, relationships, coping, cultural background and practices, feelings about aging, good resources for the elderly, plans for living arrangements), OR it could be general in nature. Ask questions that elicit values, opinions and feelings. Most people will share their story if they have a willing listener.
Two questions to include in your interview are:
How has he or she changed since they were 25 years old?
Discuss their thoughts on illness and wellness? Has their personal definition of illness and wellness
changed over throughout their life? If so, how?
In addition, address two agencies in your local area that you can use as a referral source to enhance your own nursing practice. Give a brief overview of each agency and explain the opportunities the agency offers for improving health of older adults.
Optional questions are listed below.
After the visit, write a refection paper. Write the paper using APA guidelines. Include a cover page and a reference page. Each section of this paper will be graded on completeness of report, and critical reflecition and thought.
Include two scholarly articles to support an idea from this interview. In addition, cite your textbook at least once in your reflection paper.
Optional Interview Questions
1. What are the client’s greatest concern/stressors at this time?
2. What other stressors/distresses in life at this time? Include those related to: basic growth need deficits; under or over affiliations with others; and insecure attachments (review developmental tasks for this age group)
