Introduction
The older adult who is described in this assignment is my grandmother. She had a significant impact on my life, both in childhood and as I grew up. Although she died from lung cancer some years ago, she is still an example for me in many life situations.
Main body
I believe that my grandmother can be considered a symbol of “successful aging” in many ways. First of all, her behavior did not change to worse, which is typical of many older adults. She was lucky not to develop any mental diseases and preserved a clear mind until it was damaged by metastases in the brain. She was a lady for as long as I remember her and maintained the lady’s habits till the end of her days. She was never rude or harsh with people and was an example of decent behavior.
Secondly, her attitudes to life are worth mentioning. My grandmother believed that happiness and success in life depended on attitudes and that being positive is the right choice. I adored the way she handled problems. In fact, she tried to present any problem as a small misunderstanding. For example, when she was diagnosed with cancer, she did not give up the way many people do. She did not look doomed and behaved as if her treatment was a challenge or a game.
Thirdly, her peer relationships can be an example to follow. My grandmother was a leader, and people could follow her. She was ahead of the community center after she retired because she could not stay at home doing anything. They had a big volunteer project at the community center and helped elderly and disabled community members or those experiencing difficult times. She had many friends and acquaintances and was constantly on the move.
However, the aspect I can assess best of all is her family relationships. Despite her active social life, she always had enough time for the family and was our keeper of traditions. She was not only a grandmother but a good friend for me because we were very close and could share many secrets. When the cancer was diagnosed, she was afraid of being helpless and becoming a burden on her family. Still, each of us was eager to visit her at the hospital or help at home not because of the feeling of duty, but due to a desire to be useful for a close person.
My grandmother’s health habits almost did not change during her lifetime. She preferred traditional evidence-based medicine, took care of herself, and had regular examinations. She was doing her daily morning exercises for as long as I can remember. At weekends, we sometimes took long walks to the park. She believed that activity and movement are a contribution to health.
Finally, as for the sources of meaning in her life, I would mention the following. The major source of meaning in life for my grandmother was her family. She was attentive and caring with all of us. She valued every moment spent with her family, both close and distant relatives. Also, I can say that another source of meaning for her was life itself. She loved life and considered it to be one of the most significant values.
Nevertheless, there was an aspect in my grandmother’s life, which does not symbolize “successful aging.” The only age-related problem she had was hypertension, which developed despite her attention to health and regular examinations. Immediately after it was diagnosed, hypertension interfered with her usual activities and had a negative impact on the quality of life as a whole because my grandmother could not do the usual things as quickly as she did before. Still, the effective treatment plan helped her return to habits and the disease did not influence her much in the following years,
Conclusion
The experiences with my grandmother have an impact on my work with older adult clients. First of all, my attitudes to older adult clients are positive due to my grandmother. I realize that aging is not an easy process for a person both physically and psychologically because my grandmother shared her feelings related to changes occurring with her. The major objective of my work is to provide the best possible help for everyone. This principle was also formed under the influence of my grandmother. She was always eager to help, and I grew up with the belief that helping and doing one’s best are normal behaviors. Finally, my expectations regarding working with older adults were formed under the influence of my grandmother and her friends. However, this impact is sometimes negative because I expect my patients to stay positive and active as my grandmother did, and many older adults are not positive about aging and age-related health changes. Still, these experiences provide me with many examples from my grandmother’s life, which I can share with my patients. I should say that this sharing frequently helps to shift people’s negative attitudes and stimulate the adequate perception of aging in older adults.