Reflect on the older adult’s comments to identify ideas of what strengths this person had that allowed him or her to achieve a sense of well-being and to value his or her accomplishments.
2. Classify identified accomplishments as work-related or people-related (debrief).
3. Identify common themes among the clinical group interviews (debrief).
4. Discuss how this communication exercise can be applied to future nursing practice.

Interview an Older Adult at your clinical site. Ask the following questions:

1. Ask the Older Adult to describe what growing up was like, what is different today from the way it was when he or she was your age, what are the important values held, and if there have been any changes in them over the years.

2. Ask this person what advice he or she would give you about how to achieve satisfaction in life and if they could change one thing about our society today, what would it be?

3. Ask the Older Adult to describe his or her most satisfying life events, and what he or she did to accomplish them.

4. Ask the Older Adult to identify his or her most meaningful life experience or accomplishment.

Wisdom of Aging Assignment and directions can be found in your Clinical Manual.