Life and aging perspectives of Mike Robinson through activity theory

¶ … interview was to learn the life of Mr. Mike Robinson, my 65-year-old retired neighbor from the town next to me, in Sudbury. I selected this person because it will allow me to understand some of the core issues related to aging. My interactions with Mike Robinson before this interview were cordial and I believed that his example might shed light on some of the theories of aging we are covering in class. I believe that he is a good example of how aging theories can be applied to help people, because Mr. Robinson is aging in a way that is healthy due to his strong social support system and positive attitude on life.

Within this report, I intend to learn about his life conditions as well suggest and inform ways to improve the person's life. After interviewing Mr. Robinson on two different occasions, I gained some knowledge on how he perceives the aging process and the impact on the quality of his life. My interview subject has healthy ties to his family and community, although he is currently retired. He is a member of the Baby Boomer generation, which is the growing segment of individuals who are entering their golden years. The diverse needs of the Baby Boomers is highlighted in this interview, showing the ways that gerontologists can address healthy aging.

Application of Theory

The theory I would like to work with in this interview setting is Activity Theory. Activity theory suggests that, "social activity is the essence of life for all people of all ages," (Miller & Barrow, 2010, p. 77). A prevailing theory in gerontology, activity theory accounts for the large majority of issues that seniors face. When seniors are engaged with the community and with their friends and families, they will have more positive outcomes in terms of psychological, social, and physical health. The theory has been explored for decades (Havighurst, 1961). Activity theory has evolved but its core tenets are the same. Activity is defined as being more than just physical activity. In Activity Theory, the "activity" refers to hobbies and mental activities as well. As Miller & Barrow (2010) point out in the text, Activity Theory helps the person retain a sense of purpose, rather than leading the person to feel useless. Feeling useless can lead to depression. This is especially important for people who have retired. When a person retires, they need to transfer their former activities at work to new activities. Thus, a retired person can do volunteer work or learn something new like cooking, gardening, or even go back to school. Furthermore, Activity Theory can suggest ways to improve current gerontological practice.

Personal Reflection

This interview substantiated what I have read in class an din my independent research. For example, I learned how social connections are one of the most important aspects of healthy aging. This is something most of us intuit, based on our experiences with the elderly. Those who are connected with their friends and family, or involved in the community, have better psychological outcomes. Some frame this as social exchange (Dowd, 1975). I believe that in many cases, social connections also lead to improved physical health outcomes.

In reading my Gerontology book Aging, the Individual, and Society, I could gather some facts about aging, the elderly, and how society views aging. This reading allowed me to apply what I learned to the interview. My readings will inform future research on aging, and also alter my perceptions on aging as I become involved more in gerontology. Finally, what I learned in this interview applies to Chapter 4 of our class text. That chapter is entitled, "Physical Health and Well-being." Based on my readings and the interview with Mr. Robinson, I believe that it is important to know about being self-sufficient as well as physically active.

There was nothing particularly surprising about what Mr. Robinson said. What surprises me most about this interview is that there are not more people like Mr. Robinson. I have worked with seniors who are depressed and whose examples cause researchers to contemplate different aspects of aging. Because I agree with Activity Theory, I believe that most people can be helped by applying activity theory to their lives. Not all people will benefit from the application of Activity Theory, but becoming more engaged socially and mentally is bound to have some net positive effects on the individual.

It is my firm belief that the society also needs to change in response to the aging population. As Mr. Robinson pointed out in the interview, young people react strangely to him sometimes. They presume that an old person is frail or senile before learning about the person. The impact is stereotyping, not unlike other forms of stereotyping like related to gender or race. Stereotyping about the elderly prevents people from learning from seniors. Also, stereotyping about the elderly creates a society in which young people treat old people poorly. Many children willingly give up on their parents, refusing to sacrifice something in their own life to take care of the aging individual. Old age homes are often poorly managed, and there is elder abuse. These are problems that must be resolved, especially as the Baby Boomer generation like that of Mr. Robinson become seniors and have diverse needs.