Need some stories...?

Question

This may sound really morbid but...

I have to write a paper for a sociology of aging class and I need some good ideas. The paper has to be about an old person (65+), their life, and the events that led them to where they are. Then we have to change a social factor in their life (for example, maybe a relative dies, or they get fired from their job, or were actually poor instead of wealthy, or were very ill, or whatever) and write the same paper about their life using the new circumstance and tell how their life is different because of that one factor being altered.

I dont really know many old people aside from my grandparents who are all healthy and lively (and boring) so I wanted to see if anyone had any good stories or situations I could steal. I want to make it a really moving paper and perhaps illuminate a situation that someone has experienced that I have no had happen in my family. It can be good or bad and I'm NOT asking you to write my paper, just give me some good stories

Answer 1

I am 52 - not quite old enough for your paper, but please feel free to age me. LOL

I had a great life - 4 grown kids from a previous marriage, a wonderful new husband, terrific step-daughter, house in the suburbs, new car in the driveway and a job that was not terribly demanding, but paid well.

My husband was diagnosed with cancer and died 4 years later after a lot of treatment and surgeries.  During that time I missed some work being at the hospitals, meeting with doctors and my husband wasn't working.  His job fired him for being sick so much (Disgusting pigs).   When that happened, he lost his life insurance and his insurance. The house went into forclosure - nothing I could do on one paycheck, so we moved into a rental.  He died 6 weeks later.  3 days after the funeral my boss called to say that he didn't need me anymore, but that i should start over fresh someplace else.  My step daughter lost her mind and started running wild, the car was repossessed and my life spiraled out of control.  I found a new job, but it didn't pay as much and before I knew what was happening, my daughter annouced that she wanted to live with her birth mother.

So now I'm starting my life over from scratch.  It's lonely and depressing, but I am taking the advise given me by that boss.  I am trying to build a whole life again.  It was so much easier when I was younger. I get tired easily and have no stomach for going out looking for a new husband (advise from well meaning friends).  We were never wealthy, but we were comfortable.  All that is gone.

I often think back and wonder what my life would be like now if he hadn't taken ill.  I'm 100% sure it would be different.  I'll leave "how different" to you.

Good Question.

Good question.