Life Span Interview Assignment | Get Paper Help
USE THE INTERVIEW I COMPLETED IN THE FILES
****THIS IS A SOCIAL WORK COURSE
Submit a 3- to 5-page paper in which you provide a narrative analysis of the Life Span Interview you completed. The paper should:
Provide a chronological history of the individual’s major life experiences.
Identify specific biological, psychological and sociological influences that shaped the individual’s experience.
Analyze the individual’s experiences by applying theory and concepts learned throughout both HBSE courses.
Provide your reflection of the experience, both in interviewing the individual and analyzing their narrative.
Explain what you learned and how you will apply this to future social work practice
Human Behavior and the Social Environment II
Week 10 LIFE SPAN INTERVIEW
Below are some questions to start the conversation with your interviewee. Do not hesitate to add additional questions as needed. You are encouraged to reach out to a senior center, adult living facility, or nursing home to locate an interviewee. When interviewing an individual, please consider how to show respect to an individual of this age within their cultural values.
Begin your interview with demographics…………….
How do you prefer to be addressed?
Mr.Lawrence or Everett
What is your age?
I am 72 years old
Where were you born?
I was born and raised in Tifton, GA.
How do you identify your ethnicity?
I identify as African American
How do you identify your gender?
I identify as a male
Remembering the Past…………………….
What is your earliest memory?
My grandmother was a sharecropper, my earliest memory is sitting on the porch with her shucking peas.
Who were your friends when you were growing up? Did you maintain those friendships throughout life? Any reason why or why not?
My friends growing up were other African American boys in my neighborhood, being specifically I mostly hung out with a guy named David Greene and Joshua Lloyd. I maintained those friendships throughout adulthood. David was killed during the war and Joshua passed a few years ago before his 70th birthday.
What was your favorite thing to do for fun (movies, beach, etc.) growing up? In your young/middle adult years? As an older adult?
Growing up my favorite thing to do was to go to the segregated pool with my friends. You could pay a nickel and swim for the whole day we’d be gone from sunup to sundown.
In my young/middle adult years my favorite thing to do was play music, Joshua and I started a little band and we would often travel around to perform. We weren’t that good, and we only had 2 songs, but it was always a great time.
As an older adult? I enjoy gardening and spending time with my family. The quarantine has me feeling a little alone so I’m hoping this ends soon so I can see my children.
What was school like for you as a child? What were your best and worst subjects?
As a child, school was segregated and about 3.5 miles away from my house. We would have to walk everyday so I would often skip school to hang out with my friends. My favorite subject was literature, I liked hearing about different places and reading stories; it made me feel like there was more in life and I needed to leave Tifton. My worst subject was science because our teacher didn’t know the subject and was trying to teach us the book.
Over the years……………
What was the happiest moment of your life?
The happiest moments of my life would have to be when my children were born. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,
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What world events had the most impact on you?
Desegregation had the biggest impact on me. I always wanted my children to have better than me so the opportunity for them to attend the better schools and have a “equal” playing field was amazing. However, over time, I saw what desegregation was and I regret ever wanting it.
Do you have military experience? If so, how did it mold you as a person?
N/A
Was religion/spirituality a part of your youth? Adulthood? Currently?
I have been a southern Christian Baptist my entire life
Who is the person who influenced your life the most?
The person who has influenced me the most in life would have to be my wife. She has pushed me in every way. I went back to school and got a degree because she saw my potential and believed in me. She sees the best in me even when I don’t.
Have you lost a loved one? If so, how has that loss affected your life?
In 2015 my daughter passed away and my world completely stopped. She was young and had a massive heart attack. It taught me to not take life for granted and that time is too short to waste. It made me want to be a better father, husband and person. I give my family their flowers now.
What are some of the most important lessons you feel you have learned over the course of your life?
The most important lesson that I learned in life is that my path is my own and completely up to me. I have to live with every choice and decision I make.
As you look back over your life, do you see any “turning points”; that is, a key event or experience that changed the course of your life or set you on a different track?
The summer after I turned 18 I was getting into a lot of trouble. We were getting caught up doing some pretty dumb stuff. One of my friends was killed trying to steal someone’s car, something we did together often. That changed my entire life. I saw how easy it was to lose everything and I did not want my life to end for something stupid. I moved away from Tifton a month later and never looked back.
What are some of the important choices or decisions you made that you have learned from?
At 18, I made the decision to relocate with no money and no job. I was homeless for 7 months before I was able to save up and get a place. That time taught me that I can make it through anything. It put a sense of drive and determination to succeed in me that I did not know I had.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the way I raised my children. They grew up to be successful, Productive and independent. They are better than me in everyway and for that I am most proud.
How would you like to be remembered?
I would like to be remembered as a good man. A man who helped others, who inspired, who made a change in his community and showed someone that no matter where they are from, they can go far and do anything.
Currently Experiencing………………………….
What has been your experience with aging? (physically, socially, environmentally)
My experience with aging has been overall good. Nothing to really discuss here.
How would you define successful aging?
In my mind, successful aging has little to do with physical issues and changes. At some level, we will each deal with an aging body and mind, choosing to adapt or lament the inevitable. This is a personal journey that may or may not be visible except to ourselves or our spouses. And “success” means different things to everyone. Successful aging, to this senior, means still finding purpose and delight in every single day I am gifted to remain on this planet. Each unhappy friend lacks one thing, purpose. Even when we chat and they admit this is the problem, most will not motivate themselves to find one. Every vital senior I have ever encountered, regardless of physical limitations, is happy because they have found purpose that lights their inner fire.
How do you see yourself today? [elder, senior, older adult; use this term in the following questions]
I see myself as an old man and I am so thankful. I never thought I’d see 72
How are your friendships as a [use term identified by individual]?
My friendships as an old man are a lot more relaxed. We speak when we speak and we rarely see each other but when we do talk it is a great time and like we never fell off.
Are you involved with [use term identified by individual] activities or social clubs? What does this mean for you?
Not at this time, but when all of this is over I’m joining every club open.
Have you had any experiences with services not being available to you as a [use term identified by individual]?
I’m not THAT old yet.
Have you experienced discrimination as a [use term identified by individual]? Other types of discrimination?
I have only experienced racial discrimination and we will be here all day if we’re discussing that.
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