Mary Catherine Drockton

Instructions for Interview of Older Adult

This assignment allows you will explore an older adult’s experiences, beliefs, roles, routines and values around the subject of successful aging.
This assignment is designed in an effort to learn about the process of aging and what it means to someone who is considered an older adult.

Instructions

 Identify a person 65 y/o or older

 Using the questions below, conduct an interview with a person at least 65 years of age.
 Feel free to add questions of your own whenever one occurs to you.

The report of your interview should meet the following criteria:

1. Post in Carmen
2. Provide demographics: sex, age, type living situation (house (levels), apt, assisted living),
working/retired (if so for how long), marital status, children, grandchildren, pets.
- 98 y/o male- Joseph A. Dollman
- Lives independently in own home with three levels- bathroom and bedroom on main
floor
- Works full-time at Dollman Technical Services as a machinist
- Married, lost wife 6 years ago
- Has 7 children (4 girls, 3 boys)
- Has 21 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren
- No pets
3. About the interview:
a. date of the interview: 7/5/18
b. relationship to you, where did it take place (in person, phone): He is my
grandfather; interview took place in person in his home
c. how long was the interview: an hour and a half
4. Include the questions in your report in a format that demonstrates you asked all the questions.
5. Discuss your personal reaction to the interview at the end of your report.

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Questions for Interview of an Older Adult

1. Please tell me about your childhood, family and school life. Where did you do up?
Joseph A. Dollman’s parents were Armentine and August- they moved over to the
United States from Alsace-Lorraine, and his wife’s parents moved over to the United States from
Switzerland and Germany. He was born in Toledo, Ohio on March 15, 1920, and his family
moved to Whitehouse, Ohio when he was one year old to make whiskey during the prohibition
area. The neighbors had a nightclub in their farmhouse, and his uncle sold a horse-drawn
carriage full of whiskey to the police on credit, but the “credit” ended up being them not
 arresting his uncle. He had one older sister named Eleanor, and he attended grade school at
Montclova for 8 years. He began high school at St. John’s Jesuit in Toledo but transferred to
Central Catholic when St. John’s closed- his favorite thing about the move was the fact that
there were girls at Central Catholic! He took engineering course at the University of Toledo but
did not pursue a degree. As a young boy and teenager, he rebuilt Model T-Ford engines with his
father and was self-taught in learning to repair tractors for the farm. He vividly remembers as a
15 y/o, helping his neighbor to fix their International Harvester 1530 thrashing rig on their
tractor.

2. What is the most important historical event or period of time that you have lived through? Did
it effect you personally, if so, how?

Joseph Dollman has lived through almost a century of United States history. He has lived
through the Great Depression, which he describes as “horrible” and learned to be thrifty. He
also remembers the terrible sandstorms blowing in from out west during the Depression and
described this as a terrible time of his life. He considers World War II to be the most important
historical event that he has lived through, as he served in General Patton’s 3rd Army, in the
1370th combat engineer battalion. He saw and experienced a lot in his time in the army. He was
spared the tragedy of being at D-Day because of accidentally being dismissed from the draft
with a status of “A1” when he responded to their question if he loved any males, with a “yes,”
but he was referring to his family members. When another round of drafts occurred, this
miscommunication was revealed, and he was enlisted. He is forever grateful for that mistake
because it saved his life.

3. As you look back over your life, do you see any "turning points"; that is, a key event or
experience that significantly influenced you or changed the course of your life or set you on a
different track?

While in the army, his rifle discharged while not locked with the safety control, and the
bullet entered and exited his cheek on the right side of his face, barely missing his brain, skull,
and other vital structures. This changed his entire perspective on responsibility, and he has been
diligent and disciplined with each aspect of his life since this moment.

4. What is the biggest change you have seen in how people conduct their everyday lives?
 The biggest change he has seen in how people conduct their everyday lives is through
the use of computers, iPhones, and technology. He says his job and company with his sons is so
influenced by the ever-improving technology, and he thinks it is “tremendous” and “wonderful!”
His favorite aspect of technology and the internet is learning and finding new information, no
matter how obscure the topic. He says this is “100% the best part” of the increased use of
technology.

5. Have you ever experienced any negative attitudes or discrimination because of your age?

Papa Joe says he has never experienced negative attitudes or discrimination because of
his age, but he says if they did, he probably would’ve ignored them anyways. He lives in a small
community, in which he has played a large role in the church, the local boy scouts, and he is
respected as a veteran that served our country in WWII. He said that when people see him with
a walking cane, they go out of their way to do things to helps him. At the grocery store, his hood
on his car popped open when his toe caught the latch, but a young married couple saw this
happened, and stopped their car to let the wife out who closed the hood for him!

6. Have you or did you plan for retirement, if so what did you do? Any general thoughts about
retirement.

Papa Joe has planned and saved responsibly with entire life in case of sickness,
disability, or hardships, however, he has never thought about or wanted to retire. He has held
several jobs in his lifetime, but for the past 49 years, he has run the Dollman Technical Services
engineering company with his sons, and designs and makes new machines for companies such
as Parker Hannifin and large research corporations. His favorite things have been the
opportunity to teach his sons and work alongside them as the grew. He doesn’t think there is
anything wrong with retiring, and people can do so if they wish, but they should not stop being
active or involved.

7. Are you a caregiver now or have you been in the past. What was (is) that like for you?

Papa Joe has only been a caregiver when his wife was dying. This was a very short
period of time, as her disease progressed quickly, but he said it was a very challenging time for
him, and his expertise in his profession was of little use in medical challenges. Thankfully, he had
the assistance of his daughters, 1 of which is a physical therapist, and 2 of which are nurses. He
 said the last day of her life, she declined to the point where he had to help her in the bathroom,
and this was an aspect that was both challenging, and undesirable to him.

8. How would you describe your health?

He describes his health as his doctor told him last week at his check-up: “he has a
perfect bill of health,” and he feels that way. His only complaint is that he gets tired at the end
of the day, but he of course knows this is to be expected with his age, working full-time, and
caring for himself and his house. He still does 500 squats on the total gym, daily, and rides the
elliptical bike when he’s not too tired.

9. What is most difficult for you to do now?

The most difficult thing for him to do now, is walking in the yard. He says the uneven
surface of the dirt and grass is a challenge, especially when he doesn’t actively challenge himself
to pick his feet up higher than normal. He misses being able to safely work in the yard. However,
he is grateful that he still walks well! He carries a walking cane in public, but he maneuvers
around the shop without it!

10. Have you stopped doing anything you use to do because of getting older?

With getting older, he has not been able to run for years, but at 70 years old as a scout
master, he still took scouts to summer camp, and proudly remembers running the obstacle
course and climbing net ropes! Being a scout master was one of his favorite ways of being
involved, because he loved helping the boys learn.

11. Describe for me a typically “good day” for you.

A good day for Papa Joe is getting up feeling good, eating a hearty breakfast of oatmeal,
working, coming home without being too tired, taking his medicine, eating dinner, relaxing and
watching the news, and getting ready for bed. He loves when he gets visits from his children and
grandchildren, as well!

12. What are some of the most important lessons you feel you have learned over the course of your
life?
Papa Joe has two lessons and advice he’s learned that he would like to share with
others.
 1. Read the manual and follow instructions before you use or do new things, it will save you
injury and help you succeed. He drove a tractor front end loader without doing so and tipped it
over. 2. Enjoy and appreciate family, it’s a wonderful gift.

13. What's the secret to a good life? Happy relationship (marriage)?

Papa Joe says there are no secrets to a good life- a good life depends on family, which all
depends on the guidance of the parents and God’s plan. His advice for a happy marriage is
“don’t just say ‘I love you’ all the time, instead, show it with actions and providing and caring for
each other and the family.”

14. What are some of the important choices or decisions you made that you have learned from?

Papa Joe is glad he and Grandma Ruthie decided to have their seven children. He says
he’s learned they are the biggest gift he’s been blessed with, and to see the family grow through
grandchildren has been such a fulfilling experience. The other decision he says he has learned
from, is deciding to build and add the back half onto the house. He initially began constructing it
on his own, but after finishing the first level, he said he learned that “some things are worth
paying other people to do.” He paid for someone to finish the project and add the second story.

15. What would you say you know now about living a satisfying, good and successful life that you
didn't know when you were twenty?

When he was twenty, Papa Joe says all he wanted to do was grow up and he stayed
busy all the time. He thought that’s what he wanted and what was important. Now, he realizes
that life satisfaction is in slowing down to appreciate the little things: the phone calls from his
family, the correspondences and emails, and jokes that make him laugh.

16. What advice would you give young people to help them prepare for their later years?

Papa Joe’s biggest advice to young people to help them for their later years is to name
their first-born children after the father and/or mother. He says that naming his oldest son the
same as himself has been such a blessing, because he can take care of so many things to help
 him by just confirming that, “Yes, I’m Joe Dollman.” He said it has been the biggest realization he
has had in the last couple years and doesn’t know if he could have solved all the situations he
has been through without his help. He also re-iterated that when you retire, don’t just sit, “it’s
the fastest way to a hole in the ground.” He said to make sure you enjoy your work, because you
won’t mind working later into your life.

17. What would you say are the major values or principles that you live by?

Papa Joe says the Scout Law explains his major values in life that he tries to live by. He
quotes, “A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful,
Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.” This is how he strives to live.

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After you describe the interview, discuss your reaction (three paragraphs).

a. What did you learn? Did anything surprise you?

b. How did you feel during the interview?
c. What changes (if any) have occurred in your perception of older adults? (What did you think
before? What do you think now?)
d. What are some things you learned that will help you as a future OT?

I learned more about my grandfather’s history and childhood, and just how sharp his memory
still is! I was surprised that he can recall exact years, model numbers of machines, tractors, and cars he
has worked on. I was also surprised at his sentimental reactions to some of the questions- he is not an
overly emotional person, and rarely says “I love you,” but cried tears of joy when he reflected on some
of his answers to the interview questions. I also learned just how much my grandfather values his
children, grandchildren, and the loved that has been created through his marriage.

During the interview, I felt very much as ease with asking the questions. I was actually very
grateful for this assignment to have the opportunity to have my Papa Joe sit down and answer some
deeper questions, because typically, I don’t think I would get the opportunity to ask him these types of
questions. With some of the questions, I felt strange referring to him as “older.” He and I are both aware
that he has aged past the point that most people get the chance to. He even refers to himself as “Olde
Joe.” With his youthful spirit and continued dedication to living life to the fullest, it felt strange to call
him “old.” There were several questions that I re-worded to say, “as you’ve had the chance to
experience so much in your life,” instead of saying “now that you’re older.” It made me realize that even
though growing older is a privilege, the notion that aging is a negative concept has been cemented into
our society.
 My largest change in perception of older adults was my assumption on how most older adults
viewed technology and changing society, as well as how most younger people think of/act towards older
adults. I assumed that most older adults thought the influence of technology had negative impacts.
However, it was very enlightening to hear how great my Papa Joe thought all the improvements in
technology were (without any exceptions)! His appreciation for all the it can help teach and accomplish
was refreshing to hear from someone of his age and gave me a boost of confidence in our generation
and what we will accomplish. I also assumed that most younger people acted with impatience towards
older adults and that they didn’t stop to realize their impact on our lives or to give back and help them.
To hear my Papa Joe say that he has never felt discriminated against because of his age and to hear the
stories of kindness that he shared was a breath of fresh air, and restored my faith in the thoughtfulness
of the younger generation! I think that the dispelling of these myths, and to have heard the different
opinions that older adults can have will improve my ability to understand and provide good therapy as
an OT to older adults. His positivity towards technology and about the kindness of others really
reinforced that each client is different, and no assumptions or “cookie cutter approaches” can be made.
Client-centered care is just as relevant in the older generation and geriatric care as it is in the younger
population and other types of therapy.