**7 PAGES NOT INCLUDING TITLE PAGE AND REFERENCES PLEASE**
The purpose of this assignment is to engage an older adult in a narrative interview about his/her life experiences and perspectives
on growing older and later life.
To complete this assignment successfully, students must:
1. Identify an adult who is over age 65, not a family member or client, and who is willing to participate in an in-depth life
history interview. Depending on the persons age and physical health, you may need to consider conducting the interview
in two parts. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, it is advised that this interview is completed via phone and/or virtual platform.
Please discuss with the instructor as soon as possible if you foresee an issue in effectively completing this step.
2. Develop an interview instrument that includes (a-h).
a. Demographics of the person (age, gender, ethnic background, marital status, number of children, employment
status, history).
b. Perceived physical functioning: Is it different from when the person was younger?
c. Perceived mental functioning: (short- and long-term memory, clarity of thought, thought process): Is it different
from when the person was younger? How has it changed?
d. Historical events: Have any large-scale events (e.g. the Great Depression, social movements, presidential
elections) influenced the persons attitude toward life?
e. Socio-demographics: How has gender, ethnic, cultural, religious, and socioeconomic background affected the
person over his or her lifetime?
f. Current political and social climate: How do current policies, programs, services and social attitudes about aging
affect the person?
g. Personal philosophy of aging: What are the persons personal views, attitudes, beliefs, feelings about growing
older?
h. Additional questions: Incorporate at least two additional questions. These can be questions you develop or you
might read through and find some great questions here: https://storycorps.org/great-questions/
3. Conduct the interview at a time and in a place chosen by the older adult. Make sure that before you begin the interview,
you inform the person that all information will remain confidential. Inform the person that you will not use any identifying
information in the final write-up of the interview. In the paper, please use a pseudonym or only the first name of the
individual you interviewed; consult with the HIPAA policy on page 3 for more information.
4. Write a life history paper and interview (6-8 pages, excluding the title page, references, and appendix) in clear,
grammatically correct, and professional language. The paper should include the following elements.
a. Introduction. Describe the person and how you met this older adult. b. Describe a-h. c. Theory. Consider your participants lived experience of aging in the context of a biological, psychological or social
theory. You may use a theory we have discussed in class (encouraged but not required) or another theory you are
familiar with from another class/practice to describe your observations. What elements of the theory align with
the experiences of the individual? d. Conclusion. Summarize the interview and add your reflections about learning from this older adult. What insights
did you gain? e. In-text citations & reference list. Cite the references you consulted to develop the interview instrument and for
identifying the theories of aging according to the style manual of the American Psychological Association. f. Appendix.
i. Attach the interview instrument you developed to your paper. )
ii. Write and send a thank you note to the person you interviewed. Submit a copy of that note with your
paper.
You can make up any name you want and how i know this person. could be my grandmas best friend.
