The following is an analysis of an interview with an older adult male golfer who is still actively playing golf.
Cognitive functioning
Did the older gentleman show any signs of impaired cognitive functioning? Cognitive decline is a weakening in the thinking process of our brain (Park and Schwartz 1999). As people age they have problems with new learning and also with the speed of processing new information, and understanding and using language. There are many factors that affect functioning of the brain, including physiological and environmental factors (Park and Schwartz 1999).
The gentleman was able to process the new information presented to him by the younger man interviewing him, although he might have been a bit slow in answering. He was able to converse intelligently. The only sign of cognitive impairment shown by the older gentleman was that he tended to repeat himself a lot.
Memory functioning
Did the gentleman show any signs of impaired memory functioning? The gentleman’s memory seemed to function well, because he was able to focus on each question and to answer them in detail; thus, both his short term and long term memory appear to be working well.
Specifically, he was able to calculate that he has been playing golf for over 50 years. He could also assess the difference in health between people who played golf and the ones that do no. In his opinion, golf is a plus for your health because it keeps you in shape and it is also good for your mind because golf keeps your mind sharp.
Reminiscence
Did the gentleman’s reminiscence sound convincing? Reminiscence is the ability to recall of past experiences. The gentleman could remember general facts and talked about his overall experiences with racism.
He said he was not allowed to stay at hotels when he had to go out of town for a tournament, and so he had to pay someone for accommodations at their house. Racism had a negative impact on his ability, as a black man, to participate in golf tours and tournaments. Yet, he said, you could still meet a lot of people playing golf and you might even land a job because of the people you met at the games
Autobiographical memory
Was the gentleman able to remember past events in his life? Autobiographical memory is the ability to remember specific facts and events in your life and is based on a combination of personal experiences and specific objects (Park and Schwartz 1999).
The gentleman remembered how tough it was for him when he first got started. He had only one golf club. He used to play in the backyards and in recreation centers, but could not play on the local golf course even though his parents paid taxes. He was also self-taught and never had any lessons. He loved the game and was highly motivated, no matter what obstacles he had to face.
Linguistic functioning
Did the gentleman show any signs of impaired linguistic functioning? Linguistic functioning is the ability to understand what is being said to you and the ability to express yourself verbally (Park and Schwartz 1999). The gentleman understood and answered the questions well, although he did repeat himself often.
Language production
Was the gentleman able to express himself with clarity? The gentleman had good vocabulary, indicating that he was well educated. He talked about the different ways that golf can help you, both mentally and spiritually; that golf is a great game that brought him peace of mind. This evaluation shows that he was able to make connections between the game as a process and the game as something that was much bigger than its parts.
Language comprehension
Could the gentleman understand the interviewer? The gentleman had no problem understanding the question, “How has golf impacted your life?” The way he told his story clearly shows that he understood the question at a basic and a deeper level. He provided comprehensive and detailed answers. He was also able to tune the background noise out and focus on the questions.
Conclusion
As we age our brain loses some of its cognitive functioning but this does not necessarily mean that we lose our capacity to focus on new information, recall past events in our life, and make meaningful assessments about our personal lives in particular and about life in general (Park and Schwartz 1999).
The gentleman in the interview shows how our lifestyle may affect the way our brain ages. Education and exercise probably helped improve his brain function. He also seemed to have taken good care of himself, another factor that helps maintain cognitive function (Park and Schwartz 1999).
Works Cited
Park, Denise, and Norbert Schwartz. Cognitive Aging: A Primer. Philadelphia:
Psychology Press, 1999. Print.
