Stories of elderly individuals

As an elderly person living independently, there is a certain time of day when she feels that loneliness does creep in.  This admission solidifies the lived time component in Alice’s life experience. She says, “I’d say between 4.00 P.M to 7.00 P.M; that’s kind of like it is dusk and that, to me, is that in-between.”  She feels very adamant about this lived time aspect, as she chose to mention it in both of the interviews conducted.

With her soft-spoken voice, Alice expresses her feeling further explains that getting around in the winter is not a problem for her because she remains homebound.  Naturally, the cold stops her from going out. However, even during the summer, she realizes that she is less active, as well because she does not like the outdoors when it is too hot. She concludes, “That’s why I like it better in the springtime.” She convinces herself that staying inside during the summer is naturally all right.  Above all, she has her own preferences for certain types of weather and that helps her to be more active. Besides facing the different seasons of the year and living alone, she tries to convince herself that even though she is alone, she can never be lonely.  However, she realizes, in reality that it is a feeling of loneliness that she is experiencing. Gradually she accepts the fact that loneliness does occur in her life of being alone.

Extract of Doctorate Dissertation, Abas, 2007.

Stories of Elderly Individuals

Alice is a retired 71-year-old licensed practical nurse. Currently she is living alone in her own apartment. Her husband passed away twenty years ago. She has two sons; one is out-of state and the other lives in a large urban community. Also, her children are living their own lives with their families, and contact with her is infrequent.  She expresses that this is what has caused her loneliness. In addition, her relationships with others have also decreased because of her own preoccupation with her daily chores.

In both interviews she confidently described her lived experiences. Alice spoke gently, and occasionally paused for a few minutes before giving the answer to each question. To each question I posed, it appeared that she was making a serious attempt to delve into her inner-self.

The above quote is an excerpt taken from Alice’s narrative. It signifies the lived body (corporality) experience. Alice realizes that at this stage of her life, she is no longer young. She explains that ailments associated with aging have caused her to go slower in her daily activities. According to Alice, her age-related ailments have also stopped her from doing certain work that she frequently has been able to do. 

 Extraxt from Doctrate Dissertation, Abas 2007

Stories of elderly individuals

 

 

 

 

Stories of Eight Elderly Individuals

Alice

I think that once you start feeling some of these aging ailments, I think they compound it, because then you realize that you are not able to do some of the things you like to do, like walking in the mall, for instance (Line 154-158 of 1^st interview).

The story of Alice. Using the metaphor of a flowing river, Alice symbolizes her daily journey of life in this way: She feels that the flowing river, while constantly changing its course, can be treacherous, at times. But it also can easily carry her off, away from the regularities of her life in general. The reason for feeling this way is the relationship that she makes to the concept of “staying afloat” throughout life’s changes. She confidently states that she is surviving and even in the second interview she reiterated that although the river is still treacherous, it is not as dangerous as she felt it was when talking about it in the first interview.

Extract from Doctrate Dissertation, Abas 2007.

FIRST PERSON-Rhythmic Tranquility

Democratand Chronicle May 30, 2006: A Weekly Column that explores the ordinary,
and extra ordinary, moments of our lives.
by Carlos Ortiz

Father Peter Abas, 45 moved to Rochester three years ago from Borneo, Malaysia.
He founded and leads the Peaceful Rhythmic Hand Drumng Session, which takes
place three time each month at St. Anne Church in Rochester, where he is an assisting
priest. Abas also counsels students at the University of Rochester and is very active
with nonprofit organizations within the community.

really love counseling, helping people. One of the methods I'm using now is to the sounds of the drum. I learned to play the drum from Mr. Blair (Blair Horbuckle) from Bushmango.
I've played the drum for the last three years, and what makes me play is helping elderly and

young people feel the inner peace in themselves. When they beat the drum, they can express themselves emotionally, feel the tranquility and they and have that peaceful moment in their lives.

Normally I get around 10 to 15 people different ages, the youngest is 11 years old and the oldest is 86 years old.
I use different instruments; jembe, which is a typical Africa drum, the dun dun which is
also from Africa, and I also have a drum from the Native Americans and many
other percusssions.

The culture that has a big influences in me are my own people, because back at home we play drums and gongs. When I came over here, I tried to integrate the East and West Afro-culture and I would say that the greatest influences is from my own tribal people of the

Kadazandusun of Borneo, Malaysia, because we are really in love with music.
If you want to have inner peace, it really has to start from our inner self through the
peacefulness of the soul, so that we can produce harmony when we work or mingle
with people.

Wisdom of the Sacred Drums

Diversity + Unity = Harmony

The powerful expression of each individual is very unique. It is the expression of the inner-self.