How can a person live a happy life? How can we better cope with stresses in our lives and become more resilient? Development does not stop at adulthood. We continue to change and grow because life is not static. In early adulthood, most people focus on developing friendships and partnerships as well as developing a work life. In middle adulthood, people are affected by a wide variety of situations, such as becoming a parent, switching careers, caring for aging parents, coping with a chronic illness, or weathering financial issues. For this assignment, you will apply the concepts you’ve learned to analyze a case study focused on middle adulthood or later adulthood.
Instructions
The case study analysis should be a maximum of six pages, including the introduction and conclusion, each of which should be roughly one-half page long. The body of the paper should not exceed five pages.
Organize your paper as follows, including headings for each section:
Title Page
Introduction: An introduction that includes an overview of the paper contents, including a brief summary and background information regarding the case study.
Case Study Analysis:
Presenting Challenges: Explain the presenting challenge or challenges and primary issue or issues.
Lifespan Theory: Analyze lifespan development theories to determine the most appropriate theory or theories to apply to the case study.
Intervention Process: Apply the appropriate lifespan development theory to support an identified intervention process.
Individual and Cultural Differences: Describe the potential impact of individual and cultural differences on development for the current age and context described in the case study.
Conclusion: Summarize the case study context, challenges, and interventions.
References: Cite five or more peer-reviewed articles as well as your course text to support your assertions.
Case Study
Isabelle and her husband Victor lived together for 53 years in a small, close-knit Italian American section of a big city. Victor made a living for the family working as a forklift operator. Isabelle, a stay-at-home mother when her children were young, returned to work as a sales clerk once the youngest two children entered high school. Isabelle enjoyed her years of full-time mothering, but she also loved the social interaction and camaraderie she found in her job. The family has four grown children, Paul, 51, Sophia, 49, and twins Lenore and Joseph, 45. Paul and his wife own and operate a small restaurant in a nearby suburb. They have two young adult children. Sophia, also married with two children, teaches in a middle school about an hour away from her parents’ home. Lenore has recently remarried after a divorce. She lives with her second husband and her three children in the city. Joseph is a salesperson who has never married but lives in another state with his longtime partner, Joanne.
At this time, the family is struggling to come to grips with Victor’s recent death. After years of robust health, Victor was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. During the last 4 months of his life, he was in and out of the hospital as his health demanded. Isabelle tried to care for him as best she could, but it was very difficult. The side effects of Victor’s treatment protocol left him feeling ill and in need of constant care. The family members tried to help, but the greatest burden fell to Paul because, in this family, the oldest child is perceived to have the most responsibility.
As time went on and it became clear that Victor was dying, Isabelle mentioned to her children that their father had not wanted any extraordinary measures to be used to keep him alive in his final illness. Victor had never put this in writing, but Isabelle was sure of his wishes. Victor’s family physician, a deeply religious man, Victor’s older brother, and Joseph all strongly disagreed with this plan. They believed that every effort should be made to save Victor’s life. One night, Victor lapsed into a coma and was having trouble breathing. Joseph prevailed upon his mother to allow the physician to insert a ventilator. Joseph’s siblings were very upset about this turn of events, for they believed it caused their father unnecessary suffering. Victor died several days later.
Now 4 months after the death of her husband, Isabelle is grieving the loss of her spouse. She lives alone but is seriously contemplating asking her son Paul to let her move in with his family. She quit her job at the department store because she felt she was unable to concentrate well enough to perform in a satisfactory manner. She has been unable to sleep through the night, and her mind keeps returning to memories of Victor during his illness.
Relationships are strained among the children. Neither daughter speaks to Joseph or Joanne because of their disagreement about Victor’s care. Joanne believes that Joseph should “move on” and concentrate on her and their life together. Lenore avoids calling her mother because she does not want to hear her repeat the same troubles over and over again. She uses her hectic schedule as a full-time mother as an excuse. Sophia is somewhat more attentive, but she is also uncomfortable listening to her mother’s reminiscences. She wants to believe that her mother is still the same vibrant person she has always known, so she discounts the sadness she hears in Isabelle’s voice. Paul is overwhelmed by the responsibility he feels for his family, his business, and his mother. He knows his mother is grieving, but he cannot find a way to make her feel better. For her part, Isabelle feels that she has come to the end of her life as well. She believes that she will end up like many of the other lonely widows she knows in her neighborhood.
Discussion Questions
What are the emotional and behavioral responses of each person to Victor’s death?
Identify the stressors that are operating on this family. Distinguish between those that can be controlled and those that cannot be changed. Develop a list of coping strategies that might be useful in dealing with these problems.
As a helper, how would you begin to work with this family? With Isabelle?
