Late Adulthood

16 Pages 4061 Words

ppendix on pages 1-19.
The length of the interview was approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. It was conducted on the afternoon of March 9th, 2000. We were at the subject’s own house, sitting in his living room. This was the most comfortable place for him, which I felt was important to the validity of the information that was gathered. The subject and myself were the only two people in the room. His wife and daughter were in the room next to us, but were not able to hear our conversation. No one entered or left the room while the interview was being conducted.

Background Data
The subject that I interviewed was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts in November of 1916. He grew up as an only child, with his two parents. Both of his parents were also born and raised in Plymouth. He describes himself as white, Anglo-Saxon. The subject graduated from high school in 1935, at the age of 19. In 1940, when he was 24 years old, he had a severe attack of acute appendicitis, which turned out to be a more serious disease. Because of this illness, he was not drafted to participate in World War II.
At the ago of 30, he was married to a young woman, also from Plymouth. With only a high school diploma, the subject began working in the Plymouth Welfare Department in 1950, at 34 years old. Three years later, his only child, a daughter, was born. When he was 44 years old, he was promoted to the position of Director of the Plymouth Welfare Department. In 1971, his only child graduated from high school and his father passed away. His daughter was married in 1977, and his first grandchild was born a year later. At the age of 64, in 1980, the subject retired and his only granddaughter was born. Two years later, he underwent yet another intestinal surgery, and in 1983, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and faced surgery for that illness. In 1984, the subject’s third and final grandchild was born. Doctors informed him that the...