As the semester has gone on, I have been able to gain a better understanding and perspective on geriatric care and the aging process.  With the Lifebook project/narrative life review especially, I feel like I obtained valuable insight on the progression of aging and just life in general.  I was fascinated to hear the different stories about their life and how they have adapted to older age.  Also, in the classroom the issue of elder abuse was brought to greater light.  As sad as this was to hear about, this provided me with good insight on the issue and how to better detect abuse. 

      Elder abuse is defined as the intentional act or failure to act that causes or creates a risk of harm to an older adult.  When our guest speaker came in and spoke about elder abuse and provided stories/pictures of abuse, it really struck a cord with me.  Having a grandfather who may be requiring nursing home care soon, it upset me to know that he could be at risk for potential abuse.  This was something that really sat with me and for all I know it could happen to someone I know and love.  However, with learning more about elder abuse, I do feel better equipped to combat it.  And in my future practice, it will always be something I monitor for as it is someone’s loved one who is on the line.

      My second insight from this course was having a better understanding of how short life is and how important it is to take care of yourself.  One thing that my grandmother has always prioritized in her life is exercising each day and drinking water.  She always says it is the reason why she can still move as good as she does at almost 80 years old.  Seeing this helped to show me how important nutrition and exercise really is to get the most out of your life.  Which brings me to my final point of how short life is.  Seeing myself almost out of college I can now understand what my parents and grandparents have been telling me.  Each day we have is a gift and our lives are shorter than we may think.  It’s important to take each opportunity we get and to live each day to the fullest.