As people enter the later years of life, they usually engage in a process called

As people enter the later years of life, they usually engage in a process called life review. This involves organizing one’s memories and reflecting on the significant actions and developmental mile stones that shaped one’s life. It is through the life review that people attempt to gain a final understanding of themselves and the world around them. Choose an adult (70 years or older) for an in-depth, life-review interview. Ask the person the following questions: 1. Who were the most important people that contributed to your development, both as a child and as an adult? In what ways were they important to you? 2. What events or developmental milestones were particularly significant in your life? Why? 3. How has aging affected you physically, psychologically, and socially? 4. How do you feel about your life? Has it been satisfactory? In what area have you been most satisfied? Least satisfied? 5. How often do you think about your eventual death? What thoughts go through your mind when you think about death?
Resources:
Meuser (2018). Life Review in Aging: A Primer. University of New England
(Links to an external site.)
http://www.legacyproject.org/guides/lifeinttips.html
(Links to an external site.)
Peck’s Theory of Aging
Robert Peck’s theory focuses on aging and the aging process. Robert Peck’s theory has 3 developmental tasks that somewhat parallel those of Eric Erikson’s phase of integrity versus despair in the later years.
Robert Peck’s three developmental tasks associated with aging and the aging process include:
Ego Differentiation versus Work Role Preoccupation: The older adult adjusts to retirement and enjoys leisure activities that they were unable to partake in while they were gainfully employed.
Ego Transcendence versus Ego Preoccupation: The individual accepts their own mortality without fear.
Body Transcendence versus Body Preoccupation: The aging person maintains a sense of wellbeing, happiness and satisfaction despite the physical declines associated with the aging process.
Psychological Needs of the Elderly
https://www.hhs.k-state.edu/aging/outreach/peak20/pcc-resources/meaningful_life/psychosocial_needs.pdf
Actions
Also remember to protect the person’s identity when you write the report. No actual names should be used. Either provide a fictitious name (..for the purpose of this interview the participant will be referred to as ….) or refer to the person as interviewee or participant.
Writing Your Report
After interviewing the adult write your report. The paper should be 4-7 pages long (not including the cover page or references page) double spaced and 12 font. You need to have a cover page with title, your name, class and quarter. Additional pages need to have headers and page numbers.
The report should have the following headlines:
REPORT Cover Page with title etc.
Introduction (headline is not necessary as it is self-explanatory)
Describe the purpose and context of the assignment. Explain what life review is and what psychological function it has. (15 points)
Participant
Describe your participant (age, family context, ethnic background, educational background,…) and possible difficulties you ran into. (10 points) Interview Summary
Provide a summary of the interview. Address each question and focus on answers that reflect age appropriate/typical responses or unique responses. You need to provide enough detal, so that the reader, who was not present at the interview, will be able to follow your conclusions. (35 points) Evaluation
This is the creative and most important aspect of your assignment. From your interview, summarize this person’s perception about his/her life. Are the significant events and milestones that shaped the person’s life the same as those described in the text? Compare your subject’s review with Erikson’s and Peck’s stages of late adulthood. Make sure you cite at least one reference that you have used to determine normative behavior and predictions based on Erikson and Peck’s theories.
How would you evaluate the person’s attitude toward life? Give reasons for your evaluation. (30 points) References
Alphabetically list the cited literature according to APA-guidelines.