Funeral list thoughts

While I was thinking of my list of people who I would invite one of the questions I asked myself was "who truly made a difference in my life?" aswell as "who cares for me?" This mostly consisted of close family memebers and friends I have known for many years. The people on my list are the same ones who make my life good and meaningful, so it goes back to that. The people who were there for me not only in the good but the bad, and who just enjoyed my company. On the list there were not people who I had encountered once or twice or where on a "hi" and "bye" level. I don't think those people are worth being there beacuse they aren't the ones who truly know and understand you.

Elderly people interview pt. 2

This is the second part of my interviews. Here I interviewed 3 more people.

My aunt Gloria-in her 50's
1. Do you think that the things you have lived through and the way you did these things made your life good and meaningful?

I don't think the things made my life meaningful, but I do think they taught me how to do things better, in a way that will make my life more meaningful.


2. Do you regret anything in your past?

Ummm, there are some things I think I would have changed. Do differently, so yea I do regret some things, but I can't change them.

3. If you regret anything do you think changing them would make your life more meaningful?

I don't really know. Maybe changing the thing I do regreat will change many things in my life and I don't want that. The things I did make me who I am today.

4. Specifically what would you say has kept you going and has made your life truly meaningful?

My only daughter. I been through soo much with her. After about 15 yrs of being apart and finally being with her really make me happy. I've done everything for her and that makes my life
meaningful.

5. What would do you think a typical elderly person would say makes their life meaningful?

Probably family. Well for me anyways. I was raised with a strong image of family being important. They should alwas come first.

Neighbor Anne- 65 yrs old
1. Do you think that the things you have lived through and the way you did these things made your life good and meaningful?

Well, the negative things
Really haven't done much to make me think me life is meaningful. Sure they helped me realize the right way to do things but they didn't make my life meaningful. The positive things on the other handdo make my life meaningful.

2. Do you regret anything in your past?

We will always have regrets, there's no hiding that. Specifically I don't know what I regret the most, there's quite a handful of things I regret.

3. If you regret anything do you think changing them would make your life more meaningful?

I would change them. My regrets are still memories from my past.its things I lived through. Changing somehting might make your life meaningful, but everyone needs 2 experience things, both good and bad.

4. Specifically what would you say has kept you going and has made your life truly meaningful?

Being able to keep myself goin and knowing that I have people surrounding me who care and love me.

5. What would do you think a typical elderly person would say makes their life meaningful?

Being healthy . Being able to go about their lives as though they were still young. Enjoying themselves and not having to depend on others.

My grandmother - 81 yrs old

1. Do you think that the things you have lived through and the way you did these things made your life good and meaningful?

Most likely yes. Well the things we go through help us in our future, we learn right from wrong and that helps us choose the path were gonna take, and this path leads us to a good and meaningful life.


2. Do you regret anything in your past?

I think everyone will regret something in their lives. So yes I do regret things.

3. If you regret anything do you think changing them would make your life more meaningful?

I don't think so. Those things made my life what it is now. Changing them would change me and how I view things.

4. Specifically what would you say has kept you going and has made your life truly meaningful?

My husband. Now he's sick and he can't do much but he's always been there for me. Even though we use to fight he stood by me. All my kids are in the United states except about two, out of my nine so when I feel lonely I know he's there.

5. What would do you think a typical elderly person would say makes their life meaningful?

Being with atleast one person who cares about them. Knowing you have atleast one of those in your lives makes you wanna keep going.

Old folks Q&A

1. What percentage of old people live with their families?
Nearly one out of every four U.S. households (23 percent, or 22.4 million)provides care to a relative or friend aged 50 or older.

http://www.eldercare.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=CG_Resources&file=article&sid=861

2. What percentage of old people live in poverty?
Poverty rates for people aged 18-64(17.4 percent and 10.8 percent, respectively)and the numbers in poverty (12.8 million and 20.2 million, respectively) remained statistically unchanged from 2005.

http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty06/pov06hi.html

3. What percentage of old people are widowed?
69 percent are widowed and live alone.

http://books.google.com/books?id=3nI4GIKIUwAC&pg=PA10&lpg=PA10&dq=what+percentage+of+elderly+people+are+married%3F&source=web&ots=AljylmwldV&sig=DhJHiVgW5RiGV28vLl8R7BQ7ueg&hl=en&ei=yAeTSbCCPIKqsAOs9e27Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result

4. What percentage have never married?
Only 3.6 percent of the elder have never married.

http://books.google.com/books?id=3nI4GIKIUwAC&pg=PA10&lpg=PA10&dq=what+percentage+of+elderly+people+are+married%3F&source=web&ots=AljylmwldV&sig=DhJHiVgW5RiGV28vLl8R7BQ7ueg&hl=en&ei=yAeTSbCCPIKqsAOs9e27Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result

5. What percentage of old people work for money?
93% of over-60s like to work.

http://www.financemarkets.co.uk/2007/10/26/elderly-people-forced-back-to-work/

6. What percentage was forced to live at a home?
40 percent of elderly people were forced into a home by their families.

archive.capecodonline.com/special/ageofdecisions/day3side2.htm - 31k -

7. What is the lowest percentage for a any age at a nursing home?
The elderly 85 aand older only take up one percent of nursing homes.

http://www.efmoody.com/longterm/nursingstatistics.html

8. What percentage of old people drive?
Based on 2001-02 data, drivers 70 and older drove 55 percent fewer annually

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=EXy&pwst=1&ei=WwuTSaf7BIrisAOx4M34Ag&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=what+percentage+of+elderly+people+have+a+driving+license%3F&spell=1

9. What percentage of old people are alone?
12 percent of old people live alone.

www.cbs.nl/en-GB/menu/themas/bevolking/publicaties/artikelen/archief/2001/2001-112-pb.htm

10. What percentage of old people are still sexually active?
The nationally representative survey of more than 3,000 U.S. adults ages 57 to 85 found that more than half to three-quarters of those questioned remain sexually active, with a significant proportion engaging in frequent and varied sexual behavior.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/22/AR2007082202000.html

Questions on the lifestyle of old folks

1. What's the most interesting thing you have done?

2. How active are they?

3. How bad is it to live in a nursing home?

4. How often do your families visit you?

5. What do you do now that you didn't do in your youth?

6. What did you do in you youth that you don't do now?

7. Is this how you pictured yourself being when you were younger?

8. What percentage of old people live with their families?

9. What percentage of old people work for money?

10. What percentage of old people live in poverty?

11. What percentage of old people volunteer?

12. Do you enjoy yourlife now?

13. What do you wish ypu could do?

14. What percentage of old people are in shape?

15. What percentage of old people are obese?

16. What percentage of old people are depressed?

17. What percentage of old people are happy?

18. What percentage are married?

19. Who are some heros/role models that old people look up to?

20. What is your average day like if you can't walk?

21. What percentage consider
Themselves not old (young on the inside)?

22. What age are you considered old?

23. How often do you think about your health?

24. How often do you think about dying?

25. Are you scared of dying?

26. What is it like to not be able to do things on your own?

27. What is it like not to be able to do things on your own?

28. What percentage of old people have control over their physical state?

Interview

So far I was only able to interview my mother, she isn't what I would call "old" beacuse she around 40, but I am looking for others to interview.

1. Do you think that the things you have lived through and the way you did these things made your life good and meaningful?

Yes I do. The things we go through make us who we are. They teach us things. Learning makes our life meaningful. We know not to do the same mistakes again.

2. Do you regret anything in your past?

I don't. Whatever happened in my past, good or bad taught me and made me who I am now. Sure I wish some things didn't happen, but beacuse of those things I'm here, how different would my life be if even one small thing changed?

3. If you regret anything do you think changing them would make your life more meaningful?

Like I said I don't regret anything. Changing something in your life though can make everything change, I wouldn't want my life to be different, the things I have done had made me, me.

4. Specifically what would you say has kept you going and has made your life truly meaningful?

My daughters. More than anything. You guys keep me going, everything I do is for you two. I would do anything just so you two can be happy. Seeing you two suceed and make the best of life is rewarding to me.

5. What would do you think a typical elderly person would say makes their life meaningful?

Family. I think that is what even when were old puts a smile on our faces. They know us best and they know what to do so we can be happy. Sometime seeing the ones we love can make our day just that much better.

Old folks

In our society, elderly people have both positive and negative images. As we discussed in class these include things such as being rude, cranky,and always trying to lecture you for negative images and care for you, spoil you and are very wise for positve images.
I think that all these images can be true depending on how the elderly person is feeling. I don't live with my grandparents because they are in Ecuador, so the only elderly people I really come in contact with are stangers to me. Many time these are the ones that bring the negative images to us. We see them in the trains,buses and sidewalks and they always seem to be watching us and thinking that we are doing somethings wrong. They are constantly yelling at us for even walkin in their way. But this isn't the only image I see, when I do see my granparents they make me laugh, actually listen to the things I saw and seem geniunly interested in what I have to say. I think this is how most elderly people truly are, just that they aren't having the best of days or things alon those line. I think that when the ealderly are with those they think care for them they tend to be sweeter and caring. I can't really get control the fact that sumtimes it annoys me when I see the negative version of the elderly, but I don't get angry. I try to understand that they have their reasons for acting that way and treating others the way they do.
I don't think that people should react so negatively towards the elderly. We are all gonna get there at some point, so we should try to understand them, not further ourselves from them.

5 questions regarding a good and meaningful life

The only early people that I would be able to ask these questions regarding there life and wheater or not they regard it to be meaningful would be my grandparents from my mothers side, but they live in Ecuador.
Questions:
1. Do you think that the things you have lived through and the way you did these things made your life good and meaningful?

2. Do you regret anything in your past?

3. If you regret anything do you think changing them would make your life more meaningful?

4. Specifically what would you say has kept you going and has made your life truly meaningful?

5. What would do you think a typical elderly person would say makes their life meaningful?