I cannot believe that this is the final blog post for the course. I don't know if it was because of the online modality of the beginning of the quarter, or if it is because we only were able to meet once a week, but it truly flew by too fast for my liking. This class was transformative not only for my personal understanding of aging and the experiences older adults face but also how I can actively fight against ageism. For this week, we had the opportunity to view a completely different side of the spectrum when it comes to senior housing and care. We had the opportunity to visit Casa De Manana, a La Jolla-based senior housing facility. The property sits directly on the beach and occupies over 5 acres of coastal property. Pulling into the lot, I already knew that the type of individuals we would interact with would be completely different from what we were used to. The property was a certified historic building, with ocean views, formal dining set up, as well as the amenities you would often see at a resort. The cost of living ranged from $4000/mo (for a studio) to up to $20k/mo. While the property and amenities were unbelievable, it was quite disheartening when the reality set in that only those who had wealth would be able to receive this level of support. Most of the residents had graduate-level degrees, and either had saved enough on their own to afford it or had the support of wealthier family members to take care of costs. It just reminded me of the role of capitalism in regards to end-of-life care and makes me hope for a future where more people have access to living situations such as these.
We are slowly entering the end of the winter quarter, and I am honestly not ready for the course to end. I still have a few weeks left (as this is being written during the end of week 7 (wow!)). Yet, I feel as though I definitely could use another 5-6 weeks to further expand the growth I have achieved so far. These last two weeks have consisted of some of my favorite activities from the course. The two I specifically wanted to recap in this blog are the Love, Care, and Connection event, as well as the Fair Housing assessment for seniors in Barrio Logan. The Love, Care, and Connection event was something I truly did not expect to impact me as much as it did. Prior to the event, I had a general understanding of the work we would be doing. It was the conversations and witnessing the joy we brought, however, that truly made me realize how important events like these are (especially amongst our unhoused and low-income senior community). My most memorable moment from the event was working in the Games and Activities section. It allowed me to see them experiencing childhood-Esque joy (and even encouraged me to play a couple of rounds and fail miserably lol). The assessment of equitable senior communities in Barrio Logan reminded me of the reason why I wanted to pursue public health and environmental justice as a career. It's not only important to highlight the structural inequities and barriers in place but to highlight the resilience, comradery, and passion communities like Barrio Logan have.
So now that we have begun to become accustomed to the course load and the quarter as a whole, things are becoming more and more natural. While at the beginning of the course, it was often hard for me to actively reinforce the changes in ways I discussed age, ageism, and older populations. It almost felt like a chore because my perceptions were so ingrained. However, through more open conversations with classmates, friends, and family, I have been actively correcting myself and others when problematic views about aging come about. One project that really helped in this active restructuring of my mindset was the Oral history project. One of the goals for myself in this project when I first chose my EP was to begin to understand them on a deeper level. This is because we had a slightly tumultuous relationship prior to the previous time I talked to them (which was probably three plus years ago.) Through discussing some of their most important or memorable moments, it opened my eyes to not only the struggles but rather the resilience of my EP. My favorite memory from her memoir An Ode to Judy Lynn was learning about her childhood in Virginia. Being a black woman growing up in rural Virginia in the 40s-50s is something that (sadly) requires a thick skin and strength beyond measure. One thing I am looking forward to is the Love/Care/Connect event next saturday. This will be a great opportunity for me to apply the knowledge I have learned through this course into tangible actions.
The first few weeks of this course have already begun to reshape my views on topics beyond just aging. Before this course, I had a quite narrow view of the aging process, as well as the older community. Whether my perception was crafted by my social surrounding or the media I consumed, I too held various ageist beliefs. Some of those beliefs include assumptions of social isolation, beliefs surrounding possible incompetence, and generalizing their own beliefs to be not as progressive as I would personally want. Within these three weeks, I have already come to terms that a majority of my previously held beliefs are simply untrue. Not all older adults face social isolation, and even those that do are able to find ways of solace and/or joy within that state. Instead of perceiving older adults as being not as incompetent, I now have connected that to the role of having structural barriers to be able to function in everyday life. Furthermore, a lot of elders (both living and those who have passed) have paved the way regarding progressive ideology. I have been able to get these takeaways and further understand this community (and its intersectionality) through a variety of resources presented in the class. Happiness is a Choice You Make has done a great job cataloging the lived experiences of older adults, and has been transformational to my own views. As well to that, being able to discuss its content with the rest of my cohort has made the process more engaging and truly an act of community building.
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Kortni WashingtonKortni Washington is a Public Health major with a concentration in Health Policy and Management. She is Archives
March 2022
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