Jack Aging Phenomenally Please allow me to introduce

Jack Aging Phenomenally

Please allow me to introduce Jack; I interviewed Jack and was fortunate enough to spend a few hours with him for this project, and what life lessons he has learned as he has adapted to the life aging process. Jack is a very proud man and a very compassionate gentle giant. There are several ideas we have discussed over the regarding aging that I would like to highlight in the following power point. We will see how Jack adapted to his aging in regards to Independent Relationships and Earning a Living, Bereavement, Quality of Life and Longevity.

Jack was born April 26, 1936. He is 80 years old and is a retired enlisted Navy veteran. Jack is still fully functional as far as ambulation goes however over the past six months he has become more frail due to the loss of his soulmate of 55 years. Jack still tries to be as independent as possible including driving himself to local establishments and eateries. Jack did not graduate from high school; however, joined the Navy in 1952 at the age of 17. I asked Jack what influenced him most about his childhood, and he said he remembers a time that his mother could only receive food through food rations and would drive to Windsor, Canada to purchase meat because no meat was available in the United States. He also said he remembers gas being rationed because of WWII. Jack was born into a family of one brother and two sisters and of course his mom and dad.

Jack returned from being stationed in France with his first and only wife in 1958, when they had finished his Navy career in San Diego, California. As we spoke of this time in his life, Jack remembers taking his new wife rattlesnake hunting in the mountains of San Diego and teaching her while she was nine months pregnant to kill the rattlesnakes and make hats, belts and wallets from snakeskin. His favorite international destinations visited while with the Navy included Austria, Italy and other European countries.

The following year they began their family with their firstborn child. The family grew throughout the 60’s and 70’s into a full home of seven children, all who grew up in this same home, which he still live in today. This home is located in Eastpointe, Michigan and he has lived in it a total of 45 years so far.

Jack has fond memories of his first job at the Sunoco station in Detroit in 1963. Even though he was lacking a high school diploma, he did learn a lot through his Navy career on the destroyer ship in the Korean War. His first genuine career job was at Utylite, where he began at a $1. 86 an hour making transformers. He continued his career for 30 years with this company and he advanced to foreman and then continued on to become general plant foreman, where he supervised 234 workers every day. In 1993, after retiring from Utylite, he began his career at Protective Vinyl in Mount Clemens, where he completed seven years while becoming a successful manager of all buildings operation.

Family has always been extremely important to Jack, as he did not speak much about relationships with his family growing up; he did speak highly of his seven children and 14 grandchildren. He and his wife have unfortunately experienced losses of two of their children. His oldest at the age of 52, just two years ago and his second born lost in an auto accident when he was only 13. Both of these losses were obviously devastating but his compassion and companionship with his long time wife created a great support team and the strength to overcome these difficult challenges. No parent expects or desires to see their child taken from them; however, it is apparent that this family has a great support from family and friends and depends on a strong sense of strength from God.

Jack is a senior citizen with a love for life and he still expresses a huge desire to stay independent. Independence - a sense or state of physical, psychological, and spiritual autonomy, selfidentity, self-respect, control and degree of functional capacity. (Phillips et. al. 2010) Jack realizes that health is beginning to weaken; however, he is still very independent and was very excited to show me his garden and reminisce about when the kids used to play in the backyard, climbing the large trees and assisting with the past gardens. Grief, mourning and bereavement are often used interchangeably. (Phillips et. al. 2010) His wife, who was taken from him at the age of 77 had struggled with health issues and this was devastating for him. This loss a great deal of grief. Bereavement – the situation of individuals who anticipate or experience the loss of someone significant through death, and the subsequent adjustment made as a result. (Phillips et. al. 2010)

Bereavement – the situation of individuals who anticipate or experience the loss of someone significant through death, and the subsequent adjustment made as a result. Grief, mourning and bereavement are often used interchangeably. (Phillips et. al. 2010) Jack has experienced a great deal of loss in his life. As far back to WWII and loss of several cohorts and the losses of his two sons to a horrible accident and illness. Jack’s most recent and most devastating loss is the love of his life and cohort of 55 years – his wife!

Housing A physical structure which accommodates older people’s activities of daily living. (Phillips et. al. 2010) Even though Jack will mourn the love of his life, by no means is he ready to live in a retirement community or give up their home of 44 years!

Quality of Life is characterized with dependency on others for survival. In adolescence, balance of dependency and living independently become the major source of conflict between parents and children. Unfortunately, these conflicts are a real issue that is seen between parents and children in the adult age transition. While interviewing Jack, he made it known that his children upset him when they try to control him or micromanage his affairs regarding the upkeep of his home or yard or on his health care.

Independence - a sense or state of physical, psychological, and spiritual autonomy, self-identity, selfrespect, control and degree of functional capacity. Jack is a very prideful man, as many aging adults are, and wants to continue his independence as long as possible but he is realistic with the concept; that it is dependent on his health. We discussed his home and possible restrictions of the staircase and yard work required and how to maintain a healthy balance between happiness and heartache.

LONG TERM CARE Currently Jack is having some health issues which require the assistance from a family member to drive them to doctor’s appointments occasionally. He admitted that when the time came that he was no longer able to complete the necessary upkeep on the home safely, he would take the necessary steps accordingly. Long-term Care – The help and support provided to individuals over a continuous and generally long period of time because they are unable to carry out the normal, personal care activities of daily living for themselves as a result of a functional disability or chronic medical condition. (Phillips et. al. 2010)

Quality of life is a multi-dimensional concept embracing subjective and objective appreciation of an older person’s life situation in the context of their social cultural and economic environment. (Phillips et. al. 2010) Fortunately Jack and his daughter, makes it a priority to ensure a good quality of life for Jack.

While researching healthy living with longevity, I found an article called the “Extended Life: Four Strategies for Healthy Longevity” (Brickey, 2001) according to this article, there are four primary goals to be met for a healthy longevity. • • Be Optimistic For Long-Term Health Be Grateful: Gratitude Build a Healthy Perspective Be Proactive: Deal With Your Problems Be A Learner: Embrace Lifelong Learning and Change

Quality of Life and Longevity Quality of Life - As defined by the World Health Organization, an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the cultural and value systems in which they live in relationship to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns. (Phillips et. al. 2010) Longevity – should be understood in relation to the term of life expectancy and life span. Longevity is the long duration of a persons existence. (Phillips et. al. 2010)

References Brickey, M. "THE EXTENDED LIFE: Four Strategies for Healthy Longevity. “The Futurist” Sept. 2001: 52. Retrieved from: : //search. proquest. com. proxy. lib. wayne. edu/docview/21856499 6? pq-origsite=gscholar Phillips; Ajrouch; Hillcoat-Nalletamby Key Concepts in Social Gerontology Author Judith Phillips; Kristine Ajrouch; Sarah Hillcoat. Nalletamby ISBN 978 -1 -4129 -2272 -2 Publisher SAGE Publications, Limited Publication Date March 31, 2010