Topic 1: Self-Reflection About Agism

Objective

Able to verbalize feelings freely about the aging process
Develops a greater respect for the elderly


Activity  1

Following Osborne's (2010-2011) suggestions, briefly answer the following few questions:

1) When do you think someone is old? ………Why then?

2) What do you do to show your respect toward elders? Are these behaviors

different from how you treat others? Why/Why not?

3) List the transitions you expect to make/have made during your life? (p. 29-30). 


Readings: The following poem was written by a nurse, who works in a geriatric ward at Ashludie Hospital near Yorkshire, England. An old lady died in the ward, she explained, and another nurse going through her possessions found the poem the lady had written. The verses are so impressive the staff made copies and distributed them to every nurse in the hospital.

WHAT DO YOU SEE NURSE?

What do you see, nurse, what do you see?
Are you thinking when you are looking at me,
A crabby old woman, not very wise
Uncertain of habit, with faraway eyes.
Who dribbles her food and makes no reply,
When you say in a loud voice, “I do wish you’d try”;
Who seems but to notice the things that you do,
And forever is losing a stocking or shoe.
Who uninteresting or not, lets you do as you will
With bathing and feeding the long day to fill.
Is that what you’re thinking, is that what you see?
The open your eyes nurse, you’re not looking at me.
I’ll tell you who I am as I sit here so till,
As I rise to your bidding, as I eat at your will.
I’m a small child of ten with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters who love one another
A young girl of sixteen with wings on her feet,
Dreaming that soon now a lover she’ll meet;
A bride soon at twenty, my heart gives a leap,
Remembering the vows I promised to keep.
At twenty-five now I have young of my own
Who need me to build a secure happy home.
A woman of thirty my young now grow fast,
Bound to each other with ties that should last.
At forty my young sons have grown and are gone.
But my man’s beside me to see I don’t mourn.
At fifty once more babies at my knee,
Again we know children, my loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead.
I look at the future--I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing young of their own,
And I think of the years and the love I’ve known.
I’m and old woman now, and nature is cruel;
‘Tis her jest to make old people look like a fool.
The body ii crumbles, race and vigor depart,
There is now a stone where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells,
And now and again my battered heart swells,
I remember the joys, I remember the pain,
And I’m loving and living life over again.
I think of the years all too few, gone too fast;
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
So open your eyes nurse--open and see,
Not a crabby old woman, LOOK CLOSER AT ME !!  

                                                                             
                                                                                     Osborne, C. (2010-2011)

Reference

Osborne, C. (2010-2011). NURS 117 Concepts & practices of gerontological nursing: Syllabus & workbook. Retreived from http://www.csus.edu/gero/syllabi/N117_Total_Syllabus_S11_final.pdf