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A Guide to Understanding “Old People”
There are a few things I think everyone and their mother should know about the older generations that I myself just learned from my college gerontology class. With a growing older population it is important to know the misconceptions and basics about older adults in order to better understand them, no matter the field you are a part of. I wanted to share my findings from my final course project, interviewing an older adult and applying what I had learned from the course.
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The Interview
I was fortunate enough to interview my grandparents in person. The project was in all honesty, an excuse to finally sit down and talk about their life. It opened up a whole discussion we had never had before and afterwards, I felt that the bond between us had never been better. I did not write down their answers, but instead used this opportunity as a discussion, rather than an assignment. I wanted to be fully immersed and present in the moment.
They also appreciated the questions and felt understood as I told them about what I had been learning about and we spent a great deal of time discussion the newer ideas on intergenerational facilities. My grandma absolutely loved the ideas I was learning because they could relate.
