Gerotranscendence and Successful Aging: The Lived Experience

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Appendix A – AARP Permission Documentation

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Appendix B – Aging Theories and Models

Year Theorist(s) Theory/Model Synopsis

1949 Freud Psychoanalytic Most of a person’s personality, values, and beliefs
1953 Theory form during first 5 years of life and are the foundation
Jung for later needs and desires
1961 Individuation The natural aging process involves increasingly
1963 Cummings & spiritual goals & pursuits, and increased introspection,
Henry Disengagement a turn inward. Older adults become more accepting of
1963 self and self-aware.
1965 Erik Erikson Psychosocial Inherent tendency to move inward and become self-
1970s Development preoccupied, cutting off roles/bonds as preparation for
Havighurst death to minimize negative effects for others
1970s Activity 8 stages where a person must resolve a key conflict to
1971 Rose Subcultures of develop strengths to progress – final 2 focus on the
1973 end of life: Generativity vs. Stagnation and Integrity
1973 Habermas, Aged vs. Despair
Horkheimer Critical Old/lost roles are replaced with new roles/activities to
1989 & Adorno, Gerontology maintain happiness, value, well-being, etc
1989 Ovrebo & Older adults are a subculture of greater society and are
1990s Role Theory perceived as having less status than younger age
Minkler groups
1990 Streib & Age Stratification/ Relation between domination and exploitation and the
Schneider, Aging & Society ways hierarchy, inequality, and oppression are a part
Blau, Rosow of social patterns, especially in later life
Paradigm
Riley Relativistic Society is structured around certain roles that create a
Perspective person’s identity, hence, losses of roles and identities
Battista & Social Exchange cause depression, anxiety, and discontentedness
Almond Age groups share characteristics and demographics
Theory and can be understood by understanding the cohort as
Kuypers & a whole
Bengston, Continuity Assesses the structure and characteristics of an older
Zusmand adult’s process of believing instead of the content of
Gerotranscendence the individual’s beliefs.
Atchley Interactions at the end of life are a process of
Feminist exchanges between older people and society – power
Tornstam Gerontology differential shifts at retirement, the imbalanced
exchange causes disempowerment
Browne, Successful Aging Levels of happiness, well-being, satisfaction, etc
Garner, Model remain stable for most people regardless of life events
Hooyman & – they seek to maintain continuity
Gonyea A developmental stage in older adulthood with
Baltes & increasing connection to spirituality and mystery in
Baltes the universe
The intersection of aging and gender from a life
course perspective – seeks to liberate older adults
from oppression; strength, diversity, empowerment,
and advocacy are vital
Older adults compensate for losses that occur in later
life by selectively using and developing other
resources

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1993 Carstensen, Socio-emotional As individuals age and become aware of the shortness

Gross, Fung, Selectivity of life, they emphasize emotion-related goals and

Isaacowitz, interact with those who regulate their emotions to

Charles, Lang increase well-being

1995 Schaie Intellectual By the age of 60, everyone experiences a drop in at

Development least 1 of the 5 dimensions of intelligence (verbal

meaning, spatial orientation, inductive reasoning,

number skills, & word fluency)
1997 Joan Erikson Gerotranscendence Older adults experience a 9th stage of

1999 McFadden Psychosocial retreat/retirement + a more spiritual perspective
Added to Erikson’s 7th stage (Generativity vs.

Development + Stagnation) an outward expression of

Spirituality spirituality/religion, and 8th stage (Integrity vs.

Despair) an inward turn including meditation and

symbolic connections.

1999 Herzog & Dynamic System Multiple selves (past, current, future, etc) contribute

Markus of Self to maintaining continuity and identity through

adaptation to changes and losses. Older adults have
more “selves”.

1999 Baltes Selective People compensate for age declines with 4 coping

Optimization with factors that enhance resiliency – different possible

Compensation selves, realistic perspective, shift in priorities, and

1999 Baltes & The 4th Age social comparison.
Smith
3rd age 60-80 (young-old) includes compensation for
losses, 4th age 80+ (old-old) includes increased losses

and inability to compensate for losses.
1999 Quadagno & Political Economy Interplay between private and public – society shapes

Reid, Estes of Aging perception of older adults, which affects their own

perceptions of self.

This table was compiled with information from:

Braam, et al, 2006; Dalby, 2006; Richardson & Barusch ch2, 2006; Wadensten, 2006

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Appendix C – Letter from Cooperating Agency

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Appendix D – Participant Invitation Flyer

You are invited…

To participate in the research of a Masters Social Work student

Allyson Rempel, a student at the University of St. Thomas & St. Catherine University
School of Social Work, will be conducting 30-45 minute interviews about the aging
process. Your information will be kept confidential, and results will be compiled and
used to improve social work practice with older adults. Are you over the age of 80 and
interested in participating? Contact Allyson to schedule an interview in December

2012 or January 2013.

This research is being completed under the supervision of Dr. Carol Kuechler of St. Catherine University

* All interviews will occur at Carondelet Village *

Allyson Rempel (XXX) XXX-XXXX

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Appendix E – Information and Consent Form

The Lived Experience of Successful Aging
Information & Consent

Introduction
You are invited to participate in a research study investigating the aging process and what
it means to age well. This study is being conducted by Allyson Rempel, a graduate
student at St. Catherine University and the University of St. Thomas School of Social
Work under the supervision of Dr. Carol Kuechler, a faculty member at the school. You
were selected as a possible participant in this research because of your age and a referral
from Deb Tompkins. Please read this form and ask questions before you agree to be in
the study.

Background Information
The purpose of this study is to understand the aging process from the perspective people
like yourself who are at least 80 years old. The goal of this study is to help social workers
who may be working with older adults to understand how you think about the aging
process. About 10 people will be participating in this study.

Procedures
If you agree to be in this study, you will be asked to do the following:
- Schedule and participate in a one time, approximately 30 to 45 minute, audio-taped

interview.
- Agree to this interview being transcribed by the researcher or a transcriber who has

signed a confidentiality agreement, and have the findings of the research presented
publicly without any indentifying information.

Risks and Benefits of being in the study
There are no known risks or direct benefits for participating in this study.

Confidentiality
The records of this study will be kept confidential, which means that an electronic copy
of the transcript will be kept in a password-protected file on the researcher’s computer
without any of your identifying information attached. The audio-taped recording and
signed consent forms will be destroyed by June 1, 2013, after the study is complete.

Voluntary Nature
Your participation in this interview is entirely voluntary. You may skip any questions you
do not wish to answer and may stop the interview at any time. Your decision to
participate will not affect your current or future relations with St. Catherine University,
the University of St. Thomas, or the School of Social Work. If you decide to participate,
you are free to withdraw at any time without penalty. If you decide to withdraw, only
data collected until that point will be included in the study.

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Contacts and Questions
If you have any questions now or later, please feel free to contact me, Allyson Rempel, at
(651) 895-4641, or my faculty advisor, Dr. Carol Kuechler, at (651) 690-6719 or
[email protected]. You may ask questions now or at any time throughout the
process. If you have other questions or concerns regarding the study and would like to
talk to someone other than the researcher or advisor, you may also contact Dr. John
Schmitt, Chair of the St. Catherine University Institutional Review Board, at (651) 690-
7739.

You may keep a copy of this form for your records.

Statement of Consent:
You are making a decision whether or not to participate. Your signature indicates that
you have read this information and your questions have been answered. Even after
signing this form, please know that you may ask further questions or withdraw from the
study at any time.
________________________________________________________________________

I have read the above information. My questions have been answered to my satisfaction.
I give my consent to participate in the study, to be audio-taped, and to have the findings
of this study shared with others without my identifying information attached.

___________________________________________________________________

Signature of Participant Date

____________________________________________________________________

Signature of Researcher Date