The American writer Betty Friedan once said: "Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength." It was interesting to have the opportunity of interviewing someone in the late adulthood stage because it gave me insights to understand my mother and the challenges she may be facing during her journey of growing old. The person I interviewed for this paper is a white male age 58 named Wayne.
Wayne was born in Seattle, Washington. He was raised in a traditional home with a father and a mother in the Seattle suburbs. Wayne was the youngest of six children, and his family of origin was economically deprived. Wayne married and divorced twice and had no biological children. He has a Master’s Degree in Social …show more content…
He was also concerned about the end of life preparations and arrangements for the future.
During the late adulthood period, physical changes indicate the passing of time contrary to common belief; older people can remain fit, active and agile well into this period (Feldman 2014). Wayne copes with the physical challenges by trying to maintain good nutrition, exercising, and keeping up with his annual doctor visits. When concerns arise, he makes additional appointments to follow up with his physician. At times, he is frustrated with the physical challenges faced during this period, which corroborates Daniel Levinson’s Transitional State in which states that as people transition to late adulthood; they struggle with aging (Feldman 2014).
In addition, because of his concern about mental health and cognitive functioning, he continually begins new projects and learns new skills. He enjoys challenging himself and others on ideas and concepts regarding his work and other modern concerns. In preparation for the end of life, Wayne has spent a lot of time thinking about the right course of action concerning finalizing his preparations, including a current effort to determine the disposition of his possessions and