Final Project

By Zelda Montgomery

Physical Description
Name:

Laverne
Age: 85
Gender: Female
Race/ethnicity: African American
Height: 5 feet 6 inches
Weight: 157 pounds
Attire: Was wearing a two tone beige
knit two piece skirt set, with a pearl
necklace around her neck (she looks
very sophisticated).

Presentation of Self
Speaking:

Laverne speaks with a soft

eloquent tone of voice. When she
speaks, Laverne pronounces and
sounds every word to perfection.
Listening: Laverne patiently and
attentively listened to each question
before responding.
Ambulation Abilities: Laverne
volunteers twice a week at Childrens
Hospital. She enjoys interacting with
children.

Presentation of Self Continued

Approximate

Age: Laverne was born

February 14, 1930. She is 85 years old.
Functioning Level: Laverne is a retired
school teacher. She volunteers twice a
week at Childrens Hospital. On
Thursdays, Laverne attends bible study
at her church. She also meets with life
long friends once every two weeks for
lunch. Additionally, Lavernes two sons
and daughter visits with her every
Saturday at her home.

Living Environment
Laverne

resides in Grosse Point Farms were

her and her husband have been living
since 1973. Currently, two of their
grandchildren are living with Laverne and
her husband. Laverne lives in a four
bedroom house with a two car garage
attached to their home.
Laverne stated to me in laughing way that
her and her husband are used to having a
empty nest. However, unfortunate
circumstances has brought her two
grandchildren back to Michigan.

Summary of Conversation
Advocacy:

a process to help older people ensure that

their rights and choices are exercised and to enhance
self-determination.
Laverne takes online classes in mathematics to stay up to
date with the new math concepts. She expressed to me
that she enjoys helping the kids in her family who are
struggling in math and science. Occasionally, Laverne said
that she will tutor two school age children in the tutoring
lab at the church where she belongs to.
Presently, she is devoting her time to helping her peers
learn how to operate a computer. Laverne stated to me in a
humorous manner that, young people seem to think that
because you age that you are un-learnable.
Laverne shared with me that she helps her friends in any
way possible. She said especially, when it comes to
receiving an understanding of legal douments.

Summary of Conversation
Continued
Independence:

a sense or state of physical,

psychological and spiritual autonomy, selfidentity, self-respect, control and degree of
transitional capacity.
Lavernes overall physical health is great, although she does
have some limitations. In the past, Laverne use to walk one
mile with her son two days per week. She can no longer
engage in walking like that anymore due to past surgeries on
her back and neck. Laverne does perform daily exercises, she
just improvises on the physical activities that she execute.
Laverne communicated with that she does perform light
housekeeping around the house, but leaves the heavy cleaning
to her granddaughters. She likes cooking and does so three to
four days a week when she feels like it. Laverne still drives, but
only around her neighborhood. Her son and granddaughter
takes turns driving her to Childrens Hospital on the days that
she volunteers.

Summary of Conversation
Continued
Laverne

informed me that she can

remember future events very well like
her childrens and grandchildrens
birthdays and any upcoming doctors
appointments that she has. Laverne
said that she keeps her mind stimulated
by reading educational books, spiritual
reading (bible) and the newspaper. For
relaxation Laverne doing the following
things: word puzzles, mah-jongg tiles,
and the game sudoku.

Summary of Conversation
Continued
Family

Relations: family ties or bonds which have

traditionally described connections between
people based on relations of blood, marriage, or
adoption, and which are sustained throughout life.
Laverne has been married for 62 years to her soul mate
who she calls her best friend. They have five children,
seven grandchildren, and ten great grandchildren. She
really enjoys spending time with her family and looks
forward to seeing the ones who live in Michigan (her
two sons and daughter) each Saturday.
She said on Saturdays they play cards and other games and
Laverne likes to fry fish for their meals on Saturdays. Laverne
said that she has three life long friends that do not have any
family, so she always extends an invitation out to them to join
her and her family.

It

Analysis of the
Interviewee

is my observation that Laverne has no

regrets for the way her life turned out. She
believes in true friendship and is very family
oriented. Not only is she very family oriented,
but she values her family. I observed that
Laverne believes in giving back to those who
are less fortunate than she is. She
demonstrates this by volunteering her
services twice a week at Childrens Hospital,
and the way she helps her peers. Laverne is a
strong woman of character and believes in
treating everyone with respect and dignity
regardless where you come from.

Reference
Phillips,

J., Ajrouch, K., & HillcoatNalletamby, S. (2010). Key

concepts in social gerontology.
London: Sage Publications Ltd.