I have attached the instructions below.
CASE
STUDY ANALYSIS: ADULTHOOD
Overview
H
o
w 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 dev
eloping 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 weat
hering 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.
Preparation
·
If you have not done so, choose one of the foll
owing case studies from your
Broderick and Blewitt textbook. Each case study includes a set of questions
that can guide your analysis of the pertinent issues for the particular case.
.
Luis, page 589.
.
Isabelle, page 630.
·
If you did not finish your research l
ast week, search the
Capella
library
for
peer
–
reviewed articles. If you’re unfamiliar with the library, the
“Finding
Articles” section of the
Master’s
in
Psychology
Research
Guide
is a great place
to start your search.
You must include at least five properly cited resources.
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.
Additional Requirements
· Written communication: Written communication should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
· APA formatting: References and citations should be formatted according to current APA style and format. Refer to
Evidence and APA
as needed.
· Number of references: Your paper should include at least five properly cited peer-reviewed articles in addition to the text containing the case study.
· Length: 5–6 double-spaced pages of content plus title and reference pages.
· Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 points.
Refer to the scoring guide to ensure you meet the grading criteria for this assignment.
SCORING GUIDE
Your work will be evaluated using this criteria.
VIEW SCORING GUIDE
Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:
· Competency 1: Analyze how lifespan development theories and related research explain aspects of human growth and behavior at different ages.
. Analyze lifespan development theories to determine the most appropriate theory or theories to apply to the case study.
· Competency 2: Assess the potential impact of individual and cultural differences on development across the lifespan.
. Describe the potential impact of individual and cultural differences on development for the current age and context described in the case study.
· Competency 3: Identify evidence-based interventions to address specific developmental issues.
. Apply the appropriate lifespan development theory to support an identified intervention process.
· Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of the psychological professions.
. Convey purpose, in an appropriate tone and style, incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to organizational, professional, and scholarly writing standards.
. Apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.
CASE STUDY ANALYSIS: ADULTHOOD
Overview
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 dev
eloping 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 weat
hering 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.
Preparation
·
If you have not done so, choose one of the foll
owing case studies from your
Broderick and Blewitt textbook. Each case study includes a set of questions
that can guide your analysis of the pertinent issues for the particular case.
o
Luis, page 589.
o
Isabelle, page 630.
·
If you did not finish your research l
ast week, search the
Capella
library
for
peer
–
reviewed articles. If you’re unfamiliar with the library, the
“Finding
Articles” section of the
Master’s
in
Psychology
Research
Guide
is a great place
to start your search.
You must include at least five properly cited resources.
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
CASE STUDY ANALYSIS: ADULTHOOD
Overview
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.
Preparation
If you have not done so, choose one of the following case studies from your
Broderick and Blewitt textbook. Each case study includes a set of questions
that can guide your analysis of the pertinent issues for the particular case.
o Luis, page 589.
o Isabelle, page 630.
If you did not finish your research last week, search the
Capella library
for
peer-reviewed articles. If you’re unfamiliar with the library, the “Finding
Articles” section of the
Master’s in Psychology Research Guide
is a great place
to start your search. You must include at least five properly cited resources.
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
Case
Study Analysis: Adulthood Scoring Guide
Due Date:
End
of
Week 8
Percentage of Course Grade:
30%.
CRITERIA
NON
–
PERFORMANCE
BASIC
PROFICIENT
DI
STINGUISHED
Analyze
lifespan
developme
nt
theories to
determine the
most
appropriate
theory or
theories
to
apply
to the
case
study.
27%
Does not
identify
lifespan
development
theories.
Identifies but
does not
analyze
lifespan development
theories;
theories are
inappropriate
to the case
study.
Analyzes
lifespan development theories to determine the
most appropriate
theory or theories
to
apply to the
case study.
Analyzes lifespan development theories to determine the most appropriate theory or theories to apply to the
case study and
justifies the
selection
or
selections by
citing relevant
research or
examples from
similar
circumstances.
Apply the
appropriate lifespan development
theory to
support
an
identified
intervention
process.
27%
Does not
apply a
lifespan development theory to
support an
identified intervention process.
Applies a
lifespan development
theory that
does not
support the
identified intervention
process or is
inappropriate to the
circumstances
described.
Applies the
appropriate lifespan development
theory to support
an identified
intervention process.
Applies the appropriate lifespan development theory to support an identified intervention
process and
supports the
selection of
the theory
with recent
academic research or examples from similar circumstances.
Describe the potential impact of individual and cultural differences on development for the current age and context described in the case study.
26%
Does not identify the potential impact of individual and cultural differences on development for the current age and context described in the case study.
Identifies, but does not describe, the potential impact of individual and cultural differences on development for the current age and context described in the case study.
Describes the potential impact of individual and cultural differences on development for the current age and context described in the case study.
Analyzes the potential impact of individual and cultural differences on development for the current age and context described in the case study, and supports analysis with recent academic research or examples from similar circumstances.
Convey purpose, in an appropriate tone and style, incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to organizational, professional, and scholarly writing standards.
10%
Does not convey purpose, in an appropriate tone and style, incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to organizational, professional, and writing scholarly standards.
Conveys purpose, but clear and effective communication is inhibited by insufficient supporting evidence or minimal adherence to applicable writing standards.
Conveys purpose, in an appropriate tone and style, incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to organizational, professional, and scholarly writing standards.
Conveys clear purpose, in a tone and style well-suited to the intended audience. Supports assertions, arguments, and conclusions with relevant, credible, and convincing evidence, exhibiting strict and nearly flawless adherence to organizational, professional, and scholarly writing standards.
Apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.
10%
Does not apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.
Applies APA style and formatting to scholarly writing incorrectly or inconsistently, detracting noticeably from a good scholarship.
Applies APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.
Applies APA style and formatting to scholarly writing and exhibits strict and nearly flawless adherence to stylistic conventions, document structure, and source attributions.
Due Date:
End of Week 8
Percentage of Course Grade:
30%.
NON
–
PERFORMANCE
DI
STINGUISHED
Analyze lifespan
development
theories to
determine the
most appropriate
theory or theories
to apply to the
case study.
27%
Does not
identify
lifespan
development
theories.
Identifies but
does not
analyze
lifespan
development
theories;
theories are
inappropriate
to the case
study.
Analyzes
lifespan
development
theories to
determine the
most
appropriate
theory or
theories to
apply to the
case study.
Analyzes
lifespan
developme
nt
theories to
determine the
most
appropriate
theory or
theories to
apply to the
case study and
justifies the
selection or
selections by
citing relevant
research or
examples from
similar
circumstances.
Apply the
appropriate
lifespan
development
theory to
support
an identified
intervention
process.
27%
Does not
apply a
lifespan
development
theory to
support an
identified
intervention
process.
Applies a
lifespan
development
theory that
does not
support the
identified
intervention
process or is
inappropriate
to the
circumstances
described.
Applies the
appropriate
lifespan
development
theory to
support an
identified
intervention
process.
Applies the
appropriate
lifespan
development
theory to
support an
identified
intervention
process and
supports the
selection
of
the theory
with recent
Case Study Analysis: Adulthood Scoring Guide
Due Date: End of Week 8
Percentage of Course Grade: 30%.
CRITERIA
NON-
PERFORMANCE
BASIC PROFICIENT
DISTINGUISHED
Analyze lifespan
development
theories to
determine the
most appropriate
theory or theories
to apply to the
case
study.
27%
Does not
identify
lifespan
development
theories.
Identifies but
does not
analyze
lifespan
development
theories;
theories are
inappropriate
to the case
study.
Analyzes
lifespan
development
theories to
determine the
most
appropriate
theory or
theories to
apply to the
case study.
Analyzes
lifespan
development
theories to
determine the
most
appropriate
theory or
theories to
apply to the
case study and
justifies the
selection or
selections by
citing relevant
research or
examples from
similar
circumstances.
Apply the
appropriate
lifespan
development
theory to support
an identified
intervention
process.
27%
Does not
apply a
lifespan
development
theory to
support an
identified
intervention
process.
Applies a
lifespan
development
theory that
does not
support the
identified
intervention
process or is
inappropriate
to the
circumstances
described.
Applies the
appropriate
lifespan
development
theory to
support an
identified
intervention
process.
Applies the
appropriate
lifespan
development
theory to
support an
identified
intervention
process and
supports the
selection of
the theory
with recent
Ev
i
d
ence
and APA
The third core writing skill of the
Capella Writing Standard
s is related to
evidence
.
Capella Writing Standard
Integrate appropriate
evidence
Integrate into text appropriate use of scholarly sources, evidence, and citation style.
Developing your skills as a scholar requires you to consider your research methods,
source credibility, and synthesis of complex information. Ensuring you are able to
i
ntegrate appropriate evidence in your texts will better situate you for success and
support your development as a scholar.
APA Style and Format
Capella requires that learners use APA Style
to provide attribution to the authors of
external sources. APA prom
otes the abilities to paraphrase and summarize, create
concise texts, and develop in
–
text citations and reference pages that will connect
your readers to important sources of evidence.
APA has developed a virtual representation of the APA manual on Academi
c Writer,
a tool that you can use to support you in following APA format. All Capella learners
are provided with a subscription to Academic Writer.
Consistency in the order, structure, and format of a paper allows readers to
focus on a paper’s content rather than its presentation.
To format a paper in APA Style, writers can typically use the default settings
and automatic formatting tools of their wor
d-
processing program or make only
minor adjustments.
The guidelines for paper format apply to both student assignments and manuscripts being submitted for publication to a journal. If you are using APA Style to create another kind of work (e.g., a website, conference poster, or PowerPoint presentation), you may need to format your work differently in order to optimize its presentation, for example, by using different line spacing and font sizes. Follow the guidelines of your institution or publisher to adapt APA Style formatting guidelines as needed.
Explore APA’s virtual representation of the APA Manual.
ACADEMIC WRITER
What Does It Mean To “Use APA”?
· Law Icon
BASICS OF ETHICAL ACADEMIC WORK
APA has a foundation in academic honesty and integrity. To uphold these terms, writers must provide citation of external ideas or sources, eliminate bias from their texts, and aim for objectivity.
· File Text Icon
BASICS OF DOCUMENT ORGANIZATION
APA provides writers with organizational tactics for sections of a text as well as standard formatting guidelines for academic texts, including formatting for the title page, table of contents, and tables and/or figures.
· Quotes Icon
BASICS OF CITATION
APA promotes the author/year writing process, wherein ideas from external sources are immediately cited in-text, using the year of publication.
APA Paper Formatting
Use this basic APA paper template for your course submissions. Note that most assignments do not require you to include an abstract, so you can simply omit that page.
View APA Formatting in a Sample Paper
Why Does Capella Use APA?
APA citation style is used “around the world in psychology and also in fields ranging from nursing to social work, communications to education, business to engineering, and other disciplines” (APA, p. xvii). This is why Capella uses APA; our academic programs are primarily in the social sciences. Additionally, the use of a single citation style ensures consistency across degrees, programs, and schools.
Evidence and APA
The third core writing skill of the Capella Writing Standards is related to evidence.
Capella Writing Standard
Integrate appropriate
evidence
Integrate into text appropriate use of scholarly sources, evidence, and citation style.
Developing your skills as a scholar requires you to consider your research methods,
source credibility, and synthesis of complex information. Ensuring you are able to
i
ntegrate appropriate evidence in your texts will better situate you for success and
support your development as a scholar.
APA Style and Format
Capella requires that learners use APA Style
to provide attribution to the authors of
external sources. APA prom
otes the abilities to paraphrase and summarize, create
concise texts, and develop in
–
text citations and reference pages that will connect
your readers to important sources of evidence.
APA has developed a virtual representation of the APA manual on Academi
c Writer,
a tool that you can use to support you in following APA format. All Capella learners
are provided with a subscription to Academic Writer.
Consistency in the order, structure, and format of a paper allows readers to
focus on a paper’s content rather than its presentation.
To format a paper in APA Style, writers can typically use the default settings
and automatic formatting tools of their wor
d
–
processing program or make only
minor adjustments.
Evidence and APA
The third core writing skill of the Capella Writing Standards is related to evidence.
Capella Writing Standard
Integrate appropriate evidence
Integrate into text appropriate use of scholarly sources, evidence, and citation style.
Developing your skills as a scholar requires you to consider your research methods,
source credibility, and synthesis of complex information. Ensuring you are able to
integrate appropriate evidence in your texts will better situate you for success and
support your development as a scholar.
APA Style and Format
Capella requires that learners use APA Style to provide attribution to the authors of
external sources. APA promotes the abilities to paraphrase and summarize, create
concise texts, and develop in-text citations and reference pages that will connect
your readers to important sources of evidence.
APA has developed a virtual representation of the APA manual on Academic Writer,
a tool that you can use to support you in following APA format. All Capella learners
are provided with a subscription to Academic Writer.
Consistency in the order, structure, and format of a paper allows readers to
focus on a paper’s content rather than its presentation.
To format a paper in APA Style, writers can typically use the default settings
and automatic formatting tools of their word-processing program or make only
minor adjustments.
Case
Study
Luis is a 52
–
year
–
old Cuban
–
American
male who has spent the last 24
years in the human resource field. He
is currently a supervisor in the
billing department of a midsized hospital in the southeastern part of the
United States. He worked hard to obtain a master’s degree while on the
job at t
he hospital and always had high aspirations for himself
professionally. Luis has three children from his first marriage, which
ended in divorce. His first wife Anna, who is 50, works as a preschool
teacher in a school
ne
arby. Their children’s ages are 16,
20, and 22.
Both older children started to attend college but may have to drop out
temporarily due to financial
difficulties. Luis feels that it is his
responsibility to support his
children’s education, and he has been
paying as much of their tuition as
he can afford. Luis and his second wife
live in a modest home in a community close to Luis’s job and his church,
where he is an active member. Luis’s second wife, Sandy, has two boys
aged 12 and 14. The younger boy has a serious learning disability and
ne
eds extra tutoring and a great deal of parent support to keep up
academically. Sandy works part time as a receptionist in a medical
practice, allowing her the flexibility to be home when her children return
from school. Luis and Sandy support each other an
d put their family first.
Sandy’s widowed mother lives nearby and helps with the
children on a
regular basis.
Recently, Luis has felt that his job is becoming more
complicated and
demanding. He has noted a dramatic increase in the amount of
paperwork req
uired and a distinct decrease in the time allotted to meet
deadlines. His supervisory responsibilities have expanded to include
workers from another unit, a change that has significantly increased his
workload. His long
–
time assistant, who had taken over t
he management
of many daily office tasks, was recently reassigned. Luis’s lower back
pain, related to a traffic accident that happened when he was younger,
has taken a significant turn for the worse. He is feeling more “on edge”
during the day and has resu
med taking the painkillers his doctor
prescribed. He worries about what would happen if he lost his job,
especially with so many people depending upon him. Luis has been
instrumental in introducing wellness programs for the hospital
employees, and he’s eve
n extended some programs to members of his
church. However, he feels that these programs are not for him. His employees might not think he’s capable of being their supervisor if he admits to needing self-help. And, he’s always relied on his faith to get him through hard times.
Discussion Questions
1. Consider Luis’s situation: Using a scale from 1 (very low) to 10 (very high), assess his life satisfaction, level of happiness, and overall level of well-being. Identify the risks and protective factors that are present in Luis’s life story. What risks and protections are related to his midlife stage, gender, and culture?
2. What role does religion appear to play in Luis’s life? Assess the benefits and potential problems associated with this part of his story.
3. Assess Luis’s level of stress. Is it acute? Chronic? What is his way of coping? To what degree can he manage his stress more effectively, and how might you help him do this?
Case Study
Luis is a 52
–
year
–
old Cuban
–
American
male who has spent the last 24
years in the human resource field. He
is currently a supervisor in the
billing department of a midsized hospital in the southeastern part of the
United States. He worked hard to obtain a master’s degree while on the
job at t
he hospital and always had high aspirations for himself
professionally. Luis has three children from his first marriage, which
ended in divorce. His first wife Anna, who is 50, works as a preschool
teacher in a school nearby. Their children’s ages are 16,
20, and 22.
Both older children started to attend college but may have to drop out
temporarily due to financial
difficulties. Luis feels that it is his
responsibility to support his
children’s education, and he has been
paying as much of their tuition as
he can afford. Luis and his second wife
live in a modest home in a community close to Luis’s job and his church,
where he is an active member. Luis’s second wife, Sandy, has two boys
aged 12 and 14. The younger boy has a serious learning disability and
ne
eds extra tutoring and a great deal of parent support to keep up
academically. Sandy works part time as a receptionist in a medical
practice, allowing her the flexibility to be home when her children return
from school. Luis and Sandy support each other an
d put their family first.
Sandy’s widowed mother lives nearby and helps with the
children on a
regular basis.
Recently, Luis has felt that his job is becoming more
complicated and
demanding. He has noted a dramatic increase in the amount of
paperwork req
uired and a distinct decrease in the time allotted to meet
deadlines. His supervisory responsibilities have expanded to include
workers from another unit, a change that has significantly increased his
workload. His long
–
time assistant, who had taken over t
he management
of many daily office tasks, was recently reassigned. Luis’s lower back
pain, related to a traffic accident that happened when he was younger,
has taken a significant turn for the worse. He is feeling more “on edge”
during the day and has resu
med taking the painkillers his doctor
prescribed. He worries about what would happen if he lost his job,
especially with so many people depending upon him. Luis has been
instrumental in introducing wellness programs for the hospital
employees, and he’s eve
n extended some programs to members of his
Case Study
Luis is a 52-year-old Cuban-American male who has spent the last 24
years in the human resource field. He is currently a supervisor in the
billing department of a midsized hospital in the southeastern part of the
United States. He worked hard to obtain a master’s degree while on the
job at the hospital and always had high aspirations for himself
professionally. Luis has three children from his first marriage, which
ended in divorce. His first wife Anna, who is 50, works as a preschool
teacher in a school nearby. Their children’s ages are 16, 20, and 22.
Both older children started to attend college but may have to drop out
temporarily due to financial difficulties. Luis feels that it is his
responsibility to support his children’s education, and he has been
paying as much of their tuition as he can afford. Luis and his second wife
live in a modest home in a community close to Luis’s job and his church,
where he is an active member. Luis’s second wife, Sandy, has two boys
aged 12 and 14. The younger boy has a serious learning disability and
needs extra tutoring and a great deal of parent support to keep up
academically. Sandy works part time as a receptionist in a medical
practice, allowing her the flexibility to be home when her children return
from school. Luis and Sandy support each other and put their family first.
Sandy’s widowed mother lives nearby and helps with the children on a
regular basis.
Recently, Luis has felt that his job is becoming more complicated and
demanding. He has noted a dramatic increase in the amount of
paperwork required and a distinct decrease in the time allotted to meet
deadlines. His supervisory responsibilities have expanded to include
workers from another unit, a change that has significantly increased his
workload. His long-time assistant, who had taken over the management
of many daily office tasks, was recently reassigned. Luis’s lower back
pain, related to a traffic accident that happened when he was younger,
has taken a significant turn for the worse. He is feeling more “on edge”
during the day and has resumed taking the painkillers his doctor
prescribed. He worries about what would happen if he lost his job,
especially with so many people depending upon him. Luis has been
instrumental in introducing wellness programs for the hospital
employees, and he’s even extended some programs to members of his
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 livin
g for
the family working as a forklift oper
at
or. 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
1. What are the emotional and behavioral responses of each person to Victor’s death?
2. 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.
3. As a helper, how would you begin to work with this family? With Isabelle?
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 livin
g 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
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
