The first term I would like to explore is Family Relations. Family Relations describes connections between people based on blood, adoption or marriage that are sustained throughout life. This term ties into the book "Annie's Ghosts" in which Steve Luxenberg embarks on a mysterious journey to uncover his family history. The questions surrounding Annie were endless. He was on a mission to explore his family relations, as they are a significant part of his identity.
The second term I would like to relate the the readings is Environmental Gerontology. Environmental Gerontology is the interaction between the older person and their environment. These relationships can be explored from the micro, mezzo and macro level to local and global. This term related specifically to the Eloise Mental Hospital explored in both Annie's Ghosts and Detroit Breakdown. Like many other classmates, I was shocked to learn about the history of Eloise through personal research and the readings. Details of Eloise shock and insulin treatment in Annie's Ghosts along with Luxenberg's description of his mother's reaction to being in the hospital really speak to the institutionalization and treatment of people in that time period. Environmental gerontology also explores the importance of the individual's environment as a contributing factor to quality of life. This term stuck out for me in relation to the descriptions of Eloise in our readings and how terrible the quality of life was.
The third term I would like to explore is Longevity. I relate this term specifically to Annie's Ghosts and The Giver. The term longevity refers to the long duration of a person's existence. Longevity can be related to other terms such as life span and life expectancy. I related the concept of longevity specifically to where Luxenberg speaks about his mother relying on Rozanne Sedler, a social worker, to take her to her doctor's appointments. Rozanne acted as a support for Luxenberg's mother in providing transportation, counselling sessions, and also suggesting additional support such a psychiatrist. I do not relate this specifically to the definition of longevity, but rather the factors which allow an individual to lead a longer and healthier life. Support systems, transportation and access to medical appointments are key factors in helping older adults lead long lives. I related this term to The Giver, as older adults who are believed to have lived long lives and are too old to function in society are moved to the "House of the Old" until they are released. It is society who determines the longevity of an older adult's life, based on when they will be moved to live in the "House of the Old."
The fourth term I would like to relate to the readings is Cultural Ideals. Cultural Ideals can be defined as standards that a society or culture use to define the ways that older adults should be treated or the ways in which older adults should behave. I relate this term specifically the The Giver. As previously mentioned in the exploration of the term longevity, in The Giver, society decides when an older adult is ready to move to the "House of the Old" before being "released." There are many significant cultural ideals throughout The Giver. Cultural Ideals also reflect the consensual values among members of society. There are countless themes of cultural ideals throughout The Giver, most significantly, the decision to eliminate choice. People are assigned to jobs and spouses. People who break rules or do not adapt to these cultural ideals will be "released." This is their way of life, and it is dependent on these agreed upon cultural ideals.
The fifth concept I would like to related to the readings is Biographical Approach. Biographical Approach can be defined as approaches that draw on people's life histories as a means of understanding their present needs and future aspirations. It is based on the premise that who we are today was shaped by our past, and that all life histories are unique. I relate this term specifically to Luxenberg's quest for answers in Annie's Ghosts. Not only is he trying to help understand his family history, but he is also trying to learn about his mother. When Luxenberg states "our family tree had no branches older than our grandparents; we didn't know if we descended from farmers or merchants or soldiers or rabbis." I found this to be very significant in his quest for information about his family history.
The final term I would like to explore is Elder Mistreatment/Abuse. Elder Mistreatment/Abuse can be defined as actions perpetrated by a trusted other, intended or not, that risk harm to a vulnerable older adult. I linked this specific term to a lot of the content we read in Detroit Breakdown. Once Will is inside Eloise hospital, he witnesses horrific events and mistreatment of others. Will sees people immersed in freezing cold or blistering hot baths, as well as exposure to radiation. We also read about similar mistreatments in Eloise in Annie's Ghosts. I think Elder Mistreatment/Abuse is always a concern when putting a loved one in long-term care or when additional support outside of the family is necessary. It is not only a concern for the family, but for the older adult themselves. You hope that any person who is put into the care of others will not be subjected to the type of treatment we read about at Eloise.
My reading experience of Detroit Breakdown was great. I really enjoyed the book and do not think there was anything I could have done to improve my experience. I particularly liked the detail within the story. I felt I could really picture everything Will was seeing and feeling throughout the story. This story furthered my understanding about that care that was offered, specifically to the citizens of Detroit at Eloise during that time period. It is hard to imagine that we would allow any type of institutionalized treatment to take place that like at present. It is just a reminder of how much progress can be made when you advocate for social justice.