I recently had the privilege of interviewing a 65-year-old elderly female who I will identify as Mrs X. Mrs X resides in San Francisco and has only one child with whom she raised together with her deceased partner. In her early years, she worked as a sales representative in the labour force and later retired over ten years ago in a managerial capacity. Regardless of her age, Mrs X still maintains an unrestrained account of her daily activities. The purpose of my interview was to get insight on ageing and understand some of the health issues they undergo.
Part II: Interview
1. Q: are you currently married, divorced or widowed?
A: Am a widower as my husband died five years ago
Q: How do you deal with his death?
A: when I remember him, I watch his favourite movies as his memories keep me strong
The death of a spouse such as a case for Mrs X is a risk factor for old age individuals as it plays a role in reducing the longevity and can bring about stress or social isolation. In most cases, widowed people especially the elderly are at a higher risk of acquiring chronic diseases due to various factors such as social isolation
2. Q: Do you currently have a caregiver?
A: yes I do. All thanks to my daughter
Q: How do you see the services being offered by your caregiver?
A: She does take good care of me and handles most of the chores. I am glad and happy to have someone who helps me out.
Usually, caregivers often offer services to older adults and are often influenced by state policies. For the case of Mrs X it’s accurate to say she has accessed healthcare support from a qualified individual and thus increases her time here on earth.
3. Q: What do you often do to keep your mental state intact?
A: When my friend’s visit, I play chess with them. Moreover, my daughter sends puzzles to me every week as she claims they help start my day
When it comes to attaining proper mental health, mental activity is the key for old age individuals. New neuron cells are always produced in an adults brain thus promoting neurogenesis even in old people. This production can be hindered by inactivity as mental activity is responsible for enhancing the creation of new cells. With the production of new cells, proper mental health is achieved. Psychological exercise has a positive impact on cognitive health. Thus Mrs X is bound to attain cognitive health as she does keep her mind busy.
4. Q: Any medical conditions you might be experiencing?
A: I have a sleeping disorder and was recently diagnosed with Insomnia. Also, I do have hypertension
Q: What medications are you taking?
A: I am taking cognitive behavioural therapy to help in resolving sleep disturbance
Studies have shown that hypertension, as well as sleep disturbance, is common in old age individuals. However, these are not a natural result of ageing and can be treated. If untreated, these conditions are responsible for reducing a person’s lifespan as they contribute to poor health.
5. Q: have you fallen this year?
A: a few months ago, I did fall once. I went and had my eyeglasses replaced
Q: did you inform anyone?
A: I have a journal where I record anything that happens to me, and when my daughter comes, she reviews it. It was even her idea that I get my eyeglasses replaced.
For older persons, falls represent a considerable amount of mortality rates. For the case of Mrs X, vision impairment can be considered as a contributing factor. However, falls in old age people might be attributed to various factors such as self –neglect or environmental hazards.
With regards to Mrs X’s current level of functioning, a suitable intervention should incorporate that focuses on the cognitive, physical and social aspects to increase her longevity.
