I noted the way B.L.’s eyes lit up as she talked about her children or her accomplishments and how she looked downcast when talking about her health. It usually happened when she performed her life review. According to David Haber, life review is a structured evaluative process where one looks at their life events and finds meaning in those events. Haber added, “A life review is typically structured around one or more life themes, most often family themes—ranging from one’s own childhood, to the experience of being a parent, to being a grandparent; and work themes—from first job, to major life’s work, to retirement” (Haber, 2006). The difference between life review and remembering is that a life review is a comprehensive view of one’s life
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about her education. The first question—did you go to school?—was simple yes or no question that prompted B.L. to recall that memory, hence remembering. It asked for factual, concrete information regarding her life. The follow-up question—what was its meaning to you?—was a life review question. This question was not as straightforward as the previous and required her to reflect on the past and create her own meaning in relation to her life.
Life review questions seemed to elicit more of an emotional response versus questions about remembering. The question “did you have any brothers or sisters?” yielded a neutral facial expression. The next question, “if so, tell me what each was like” offered more nonverbal cues because it focused on her unique perspective and viewpoint of her siblings. She was then able to expound on their physical characteristics or personality and go more into detail about how they affected her. It was an abstract inquiry that gave her permission to …show more content…
She misses her grandparents each day, for an example. She still gets upset sometimes about her kidney failure limiting her ability to travel or spend her time freely. Some days, she wishes she could live a normal life and not worry about things that ail her. She says those days are few and far in between.
I found this interview to be enlightening because I was able to get an in-depth look into her life and know her on a more personal level. I sympathized with her. I also paid attention to her nonverbal cues and learned a lot from that. The most significant part of this assignment was how she remains optimistic despite her failing health and inevitable realization of death. She seemed almost peaceful about the notion of dying because she felt that she lived her life to the best she possibly could.
The most difficult part of this conversation (for both of us, actually) was when she opened up about her mother. She expressed resentment towards her mother because she was never around during B.L.’s important parts in life. I saw myself in her sadness because my own mother walked out on my life when I was a newborn. We shared this moment of mourning. It was a sensitive topic that grew us closer in the
about her education. The first question—did you go to school?—was simple yes or no question that prompted B.L. to recall that memory, hence remembering. It asked for factual, concrete information regarding her life. The follow-up question—what was its meaning to you?—was a life review question. This question was not as straightforward as the previous and required her to reflect on the past and create her own meaning in relation to her life.
Life review questions seemed to elicit more of an emotional response versus questions about remembering. The question “did you have any brothers or sisters?” yielded a neutral facial expression. The next question, “if so, tell me what each was like” offered more nonverbal cues because it focused on her unique perspective and viewpoint of her siblings. She was then able to expound on their physical characteristics or personality and go more into detail about how they affected her. It was an abstract inquiry that gave her permission to …show more content…
She misses her grandparents each day, for an example. She still gets upset sometimes about her kidney failure limiting her ability to travel or spend her time freely. Some days, she wishes she could live a normal life and not worry about things that ail her. She says those days are few and far in between.
I found this interview to be enlightening because I was able to get an in-depth look into her life and know her on a more personal level. I sympathized with her. I also paid attention to her nonverbal cues and learned a lot from that. The most significant part of this assignment was how she remains optimistic despite her failing health and inevitable realization of death. She seemed almost peaceful about the notion of dying because she felt that she lived her life to the best she possibly could.
The most difficult part of this conversation (for both of us, actually) was when she opened up about her mother. She expressed resentment towards her mother because she was never around during B.L.’s important parts in life. I saw myself in her sadness because my own mother walked out on my life when I was a newborn. We shared this moment of mourning. It was a sensitive topic that grew us closer in the