I had worked in an assisted living facility before and had baseline views of older adults going into this class. On the very first day we asked what we feared most about becoming older and what we were most excited about. Most of us said that older adults were grouchy, mean, always in pain and much more. Not only has this course changed how I view older adults and the language I use when addressing and describing them, it also has widened my scope of unique differences in the care we have to give this subset of people.

It was good to learn from a pathophysiological standpoint all of the expected and expected changes that occur for older adults. So often incontinence is one of those things that older adults face and we expect, however it’s not something that genetically occurs for everyone.  I never really thought about how many older patients have sexually transmitted infections and the importance in normalizing conversations. This will reshape the way I approach working with older adults. Quite frankly, I kind of dredded it up for a bit because I thought they were too fragile and too pessimistic. I still do not have any interest in working with older individuals when I become a registered nurse, but I have more respect for those who do. This being said, I know it’s bound to happen no matter what speciality i choose whether it is the emergency department, pediatrics, etc. 

Particularly from the takeaways I got from the course project I really took away how important it is to things that are both physically and intellectually engaged in what you do and how important it is to have hobbies and social circles. It occurred to me how few hobbies I have until this was the first year I haven’t done varsity athletics since the 5th grade. It’s just as important to enjoy playing cards or reading at the beach as it is to run a couple miles because truth be told, one day I may not be able to walk anymore and I want to still enjoy my life despite that piece of me being missing. I’ve had at least one if not two, three or four part time jobs at a time for the last 9 years and in speaking with the woman I chose to interview it occurred to me a lot more that I need to slow down a bit and not take life so seriously. I want to be remembered for taking chances, making others feel welcomed to and listened and for seeing the world.