Interview Experience
Age-related problems are impacting a large number of aging people globally. However, aging is unavoidable; it is vital to comprehend the process. There are several theories concerning the mechanism of age-related dynamics. These theories are mutually exclusive in that there is no theory that best explains the process of aging, and on many occasions, these various theories contradict each other. Aging shadows a biological schedule controlled by changes in the expressions of genes responsible for defense, maintenance, and repair. Environmental attacks on living things prompt cumulative damage at specific levels, causing aging.
Expectations of Aging
The aging process occurs differently for every individual who does not know how the process will end, but they participate in bettering this process. Performing health measures that boost the proper functioning of the body is essential for individuals to age successfully. Good health and exercise play integral roles for individuals anticipating to age successfully. Older individuals are advised to apply health-promoting resources and to take part in healthy lifestyles., but there is a broad variability in the use of active lifestyles. Personal psychological attributes are understudied facets of the successful use of healthy characters like physical activity. The expectations and beliefs of individuals influence the use and maintenance of physical activity, which in turn undermines physical health. Expectations concerning aging are people’s beliefs on maintaining their cognitive and physical health as they age.
Expectations Regarding Aging (ERA) depicts how individuals anticipate age. However, on several occasions, older people do not anticipate aging successfully; thus, several researchers study the connection between Expectations Regarding Aging and health to comprehend the impact of aging beliefs on health. Engaging in physical activities combined with a decline in time spent in inactive behaviors is related to the success of older individuals across social, psychological, and physical domains. Individuals who spend most of their time walking are likely to be healthier than people who spend most of their time inactively. Adults who engage in several physical activities like jogging and walking are likely to experience age-related complications. Hence adults with positive Engagement Regarding Aging are probable to have good physical functions, and as a result, they tend to age successfully.
The rate of living theory upholds that when an organism’s pace of oxygen basal metabolism is big, its life span becomes shorter. According to cross-linking theory, the accumulation of cross-connected proteins destroys tissues and cells, reducing the rate of bodily processes, resulting in aging. The binding of proteins to glucose in a process that involves oxygen leads to several problems that lead to the impairment of cells and tissues. Free radical’s theory suggests aging occurs when toxic substances accumulate in the cells and tissue, which impact the normal functioning of an individual’s body. The theory also suggests that poor diet lifestyles, smoking, and drug abuse accelerate the free radical production in the body.
People who maintain negative age-related anticipations underestimate their ability to participate in physical activities, accepting a more inactive lifestyle. Older people assume that leads to unavoidable physical deterioration detached in physical activity. There is a positive relationship between positive Expectations Regarding Aging and aerobic activity. Therefore, negative Expectations Regarding Aging acts as a hindrance to physical activity. Inactive individuals are vulnerable to diseases like diabetes, pulmonary diseases, hearing loss, sight loss, back and neck pain, dementia and dementia, which massively undermine their successful aging. Social and physical conditions undermine the successful aging of individuals in that they enable individuals to what is important to them regarding their successful aging. Aging people require conducive environments from noise and distractions. Loud sounds tamper with their listening abilities and may result in heart failure and anxiety.
The availability of accessible and safe public facilities like walkways and transport services enhance individuals to continue with health practices that improve their health; thus, they age successfully. Individuals who refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol live and age successfully because their immunity is balanced and the body system is toxic-free. Older people who maintain health behaviors such as taking balanced diets and regular exercise age successfully because they become less vulnerable to infectious diseases, which impact their mental and physical well-being.
Details About the Person
I interviewed a 67-year widowed lady who was once a bank accountant. I met this interviewee in a home care for aging adults in one of the suburbs of an unnamed town. In her role as an accountant, she would sit for long hours, and during her free time, she seldom exercised due to work hangovers. In the interview, I discovered that the interviewee never observed balanced diets because she revealed obsessed with eating sugary foods in her youthful moments. However, upon her retirement at 55, she developed health complications like backaches and high blood pressure. Since her retirement, she has exercised and consumed non-sugary foods as her physician instructed her. Despite exercising, several complications are still emerging. Recently, she developed neck and leg pains that prevented her from doing her daily exercises.
The interviewee has two children who work in a shipping company in China. She revealed the two children have been integral in supporting her medical expenses and other expenses like clothing; she is the last born in a family of four siblings. All her three siblings are alive and are not battling any illness despite their ages. The widow’s husband perished twenty years ago while working as a plant operator in a cement manufacturing company. The lady has two grandchildren who are currently in their college studies. The two grandchildren spend most of their time in school, but they pay her a visit during holidays.
All three sisters are alive, but they have not visited each other in the last two years. The 67-year-old said she plays an integral role in the decision-making of her family. For instance, when her two grandchildren were joining college, she advised them of the courses they would pursue. According to the lady, having close family and friends impacts having a long life. Family and friends’ associations are important since they enable individuals to share their issues and advise each other on how to solve the problems. She narrated how her longtime friend Cate helped her cope with marriage life when she got married in the 1940s. The interviewee talked about her early days as a student. According to her, subjects relating to calculations were her favorite.
Hard work and determination are the two key aspects that have played significant roles in fulfilling her life goals. The lady was active in sports during her high school years and had her certificate of participation during the interview. She has been a staunch Christian since her childhood and spends most of her time watching spiritual programs and songs on television. However, every person in her family has the freedom to join any religion of their choice. The interviewee believes she is innovative since she understands how to solve issues during crisis time. She narrated to me how she developed her own alarm that would notify her to wake up to prepare for school one day. The alarm was made up of an old watch and an electric bell.
People are responsible for choosing the right meals that will not impact their aging on matters concerning their diet. She talked about the benefits of consuming greens and fruits than junk foods. She discouraged people from drinking alcohol and smoking since they tamper with their social life and their health issues. She also said she regularly visits her doctor, who advises her on the measures she should take when her health conditions worsen.
What I Learned
Most of the aging complexities are sequential in that they follow each other in a series manner. Taking the case of the interviewee, I discovered that the interviewee was first diagnosed with diabetes and blood pressure issues. Other complications like back and neck pain emerged later, and still, she also experiences walking difficulties. Since exercising and monitoring her diet, the interviewee has not experienced much blood pressure and diabetic challenges. She is, however, optimistic that she will conquer these challenges and expect successful aging. In addition, the medical care and facilities that the government is offering for older adults have boosted her fight for successful aging.
The widow relies on her trainer, who helps her carry out her training activities. She explained that she depends on homegrown foods, especially vegetables and fruits. The construction walkways in the interviewee’s rural area have enhanced all older adults in her residence to conduct jogs and walks as part of remaining health. Government workshops have enabled several older adults to get free advice on age successfully. From the interview with “Anonymous” interviewee, her aging process is significantly related to the immunological theory of aging. This theory proposes that aging occurs when the immune of a person reduces over time; hence, she becomes vulnerable to diseases that make a person age fast.
The lady’s case depicts how her health has been affected by various diseases since her retirement. According to this immunological theory, the cells and tissues of a person keep deteriorating as she keeps on aging. The interviewee started developing complications of blood circulation and high leaves of sugars, which probably implies that some cells responsible for regulating the two conditions started to malfunction as she aged. The case perfectly suits this theory because she has continued to experience other complications, including back and chest pains. As the lady revealed, she experiences a new complication that has forced her to look for medical attention each day. The interview let me know the significant connection between the meals and exercises the aging adults carry out.
The interviewee revealed that her diet only includes green vegetables and fruits. She said that she had not consumed carbohydrates for the last ten years. There is a relationship between aging people and the places they live. Additionally, she asserted this by saying she stays where most of the inhabitants are older people. These places are often isolated from the rest of other neighborhoods because the older people require serene and silent environments free from noise. I learned that older people require emergency medication because most of their complications occur unplanned. Older people need trained individuals because handling most older adults tends to be challenging. Besides, I discovered that older people need medical covers and other healthcare aids to support their successful aging. As in the interview, were not for the savings the interview had made when she was working, she would not have been capable of taking care of herself.
I noted that most older people age unsuccessfully due to a lack of preparation for aging. Individuals who take their time planning for their future in their youthful working days have the potential of aging successfully since they can afford medication and proper meals that enhance their well-being.
Interviewing old individuals is challenging since, at times, they forget the topic and answer irrelevantly. Interviewing older adults require high attention skills because older people lack the voice to respond to questions. The interviewee had hearing impairments, so I had to project my voice for her to get my questions. The process of interviewing older adults may be time-consuming as the older individuals take a lot of time to interpret the questions. Interviewing older adults may seem tedious, but from my experience, it is one of the most enjoyable events since one must travel from place to place to int6erview them. Besides, older adults know how to narrate their past histories, enabling me to know how and when some events happened in the past.