2/10/09 Interview with Mom: Her Thoughts on Old People

Name: Kimberley Ann Omae
Age: 52 (53 in 2009)
Currently: working as a Director of Design

Mom: I was on the train today, coming home, and a girl was about to sit down. I looked tired and when she saw me she said, 'Oh no you can sit, I'm young, I can stand.' I said to myself, Am I really that old?

Reiko: Are you uncomfortable being called old?

Mom: Yes, I didn't feel too happy about it.

Reiko: Do you consider yourself old?

Mom: No, I don't.

Here she seemed to be getting a bit angry. Is it because we give old people a stereotype as being people who can't do anything, they are worthless, they cannot contribute to the community, etc. I don't think she wants to feel useless or unwanted.

Reiko: What age do you consider to be old?

Mom: 70.

Reiko: What do you think of nursing homes?

Mom: Nursing homes seem convenient but it wouldn't be my first choice.

Reiko: In your opinion, what % of old people live with their family? Live in a nursing home? Live on their own?

Mom: 60% with family, 20% in homes, and 20% on their own.

I looked these numbers up at http://missourifamilies.org/quick/agingqa/agingqa7.htm and found, according to the "U.S. Bureau of Census slightly over 5 percent of the 65+ population occupy nursing homes...and about 4.2 percent are in nursing homes at any given time." According to the AARP website: Nursing Homes, in the "1997 National Nursing Home Survey, there were 1,465,000 residents age 65 and older in nursing homes."

Reiko: What did you think about putting your parents in a nursing home?

Mom: Well, first of all I did not choose to put them in a home. My mother and father went in themselves because they thought it would be convenient. But I think they went in too early. My other siblings, your aunts and uncle helped make the decision for them, I think they pushed them into making the decision to live in a nursing home.

(Follow-up question: Why do you think your siblings wanted to put your parents in a nursing home? What does this say about the way U.S. citizens treat/think of they're elders? i.e. your siblings)

Reiko: You said 70 is considered to be old, What % of old people are still working at 70? Retired? Living in poverty?

Mom: 20% working, a balance are retired, 10% poverty.

(Follow-up question: What do you mean by a balance? Do you have a specific # in mind?)