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Omar Cooper

Omar Cooper

C. Miller

ENGL 1302

16 February 2022

Evaluative Annotated Bibliography of Research Resources

In my research paper I am conducting research on why smartphones are so addictive in todays world. I have so many questions as to why people think they need a smartphone at such an early age. I feel like parents use smartphones as a distraction for younger children to get them to stay quiet, so I believe this is when the addiction starts. The following resources have valuable information as to why smartphones are addictive.

Byrnes, Nanette. “Treating addiction with an app: using smartphone data and artificial intelligence to track and interpret behavior, a Chicago startup is attempting something extraordinary: predicting and preventing relapse into drug use.” MIT Technology Review, vol. 120, no. 3, May-June 2017, pp. 34+. Gale In Context: Science, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A491880557/GPS?u=txshracd2493&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=6b940f53. Accessed 21 Feb. 2022.

In this article it is starting how smartphones have helped many people with addictions keep count of their number of days of sobriety. Some phones do become useful with the different apps the smartphone has. Smartphones do cause harm to some people and addictions, but in this case the smartphone has helped with the persons count of days for sobriety.

Elder, Sean. “Dan Hoyle Takes on Cell Phone Addiction; Dan Hoyle wants you to put down your phone and talk to people–just not while he’s performing.” Newsweek, vol. 163, no. 13, 3 Oct. 2014. Gale In Context: Science, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A383609206/GPS?u=txshracd2493&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=5f68fab2. Accessed 21 Feb. 2022.

In this article, Sean Elder, is stating how people eyed to put their phones down no talk to people. Although he knows that it is easier to talk though a screen, it causes interactions with people to be less awkward. Getting out of your comfort zone and instead of behind a phone is what he it trying to say that people need to do more.

McKnight, Zoe. “Why crime is falling so fast: how social media obsession, smartphone addiction, and even violent video games, have made the world a surprisingly safe place.” Maclean’s, vol. 128, no. 31, 10 Aug. 2015, pp. 38+. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A424990806/GPS?u=txshracd2493&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=ae714a07. Accessed 21 Feb. 2022.

The use of smartphones has become a big addiction, but has surprisingly made the world a safer place. There are many harmful effects of technology. Technology/smartphone addictions have been blamed for obesity, dwindling attention spans, and many other things happening with people. Internet addictions is also breaking up families, making people sleep deprived. The theory goes like this “crime requires an offender with motivation and ability to act-to go out. People don’t like to go out as much because they would cut rather stay in their phones.

Thompson, Clive. “Take this job and unplug it: stop blaming yourself for your smartphone addiction. Here’s the real culprit.” Mother Jones, vol. 39, no. 3, May-June 2014, pp. 18+. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A375696771/GPS?u=txshracd2493&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=c02d9bf8. Accessed 21 Feb. 2022.

In this article it states how we blame ourselves for the smartphone addiction but in reality people use on us that we need to check our phones at all times of the day. We are told that we are unable to look away from our phones because we may be getting an important email or call from work. It is certain that we check our social media too much but it’s also becoming more true that workplaces are making people nervous saying they need to check their phone constantly.

Thompson, Clive. “Take this job and unplug it: stop blaming yourself for your smartphone addiction. Here’s the real culprit.” Mother Jones, vol. 39, no. 3, May-June 2014, pp. 18+. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A375696771/GPS?u=txshracd2493&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=c02d9bf8. Accessed 21 Feb. 2022.

In this article it states that looking at your phone screen can cause “transient smartphone blindness.” This occurs when the retina in the open eye adapts to bright screens while the other is trying to adapt to the darkness. Research has shown that it last for about 10-20 minutes after the phone is put away and doesn’t have an lasting effects. But other research has shown that a smartphone before be can result in worse sleep quality.

“Smartphone Addiction: The Slot Machine In Your Pocket.” YaleGlobal Online, 27 July 2016. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A459368593/GPS?u=txshracd2493&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=d0af0e90. Accessed 21 Feb. 2022.

Smartphones are compared to slot machines. They compare the two because slot machines have people constantly checking to see if there are any updates on the screen. The Internet and smartphones cause many daily interruptions when people could be making more intelligent and deliberate choices.

“Smombie apocalypse; Smartphone addiction in South Korea.” The Economist, vol. 432, no. 9150, 6 July 2019, p. 30(US). Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A592162312/GPS?u=txshracd2493&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=e75895ca. Accessed 21 Feb. 2022.

In this article it states that that in South Korea phones come with rings mounted on the back. The ring on the back prevents clumsy people from dropping their phones. If you were to walk about South Korea, people would be bumping into each other because their eyes are always on their phones. The government in South Korea came up with the word “smombie” which is zombie and smartphone put together. People are on their phones so much that they don’t see anything around them.

Oliveira Marketing Communication

Oliveira Marketing Communication

Students Name

Institution Affiliation

Course Number

Date

QUESTION ONE

Marketing Communications

Marketing communication describes the process used by businesses to communicate messages and ideas to potential customers concerning the products that a particular brand offers, either direct or indirect, in order to encourage them to buy (Krizanova et al., 2019). In other terms, marketing communication refers to the various mediums that a business or corporation uses to covey information about its services and products to clients. For Oliveira, the marketer employs marketing communication techniques to raise brand awareness across potential customers, which implies that a brand image is formed in their brains, assisting them in making a purchase choice.

The marketing communications concepts are as follows:

Sales Promotion

Displays, exhibits and expositions, presentations, and different non-recurrent selling attempts not in the daily routine are examples of sales promotion activities that drive customer purchase and dealer efficiency. The ultimate customers, corporate customers, and intermediaries are targeted via sales promotion efforts that are impersonal and rarely repeated (Pluta-Olearnik, 2018). Oliveira uses these actions in conjunction with advertisements and personal selling. Free commodity samples, trading stamps, product displays, premiums, discounts, and trade exhibitions are all forms of sales promotions. Store displays are a significant sales marketing tool for several businesses, particularly food, toy, and garment manufacturers. Potential Oliveira customers are exposed to promotional messaging at the time and location of purchasing through displays. Such exposure is particularly meaningful for things purchased on the spur of the moment. Self-service retail outlets supply a wide range of consumer goods. Marketers of these kind of products require attractive displays to set their merchandise apart from their competitors.

Publicity

Publicity is a method of promotion that is comparable to advertisement in that it is voluntary, appears in the editorial section of the mainstream press, and is related to current occurrences. Media articles, also called press releases, pictures, and feature stories are the most popular types of publicity. Oliveira marketers have much minimal impact on the type of exposure their enterprises and commodities get than they do over the messages they send out through advertisement, personal sales, and product promotion. When an editor or broadcasting network programme director receives a press release, for example, they can opt to toss it in the trash, tweak the content, or print or air it in its original state. The mainstream press has complete control over how the news release is handled, and the marketing agent or agency has no say in how it is handled. Publicity can be both favourable and detrimental for Oliveira. Certain commodities and brands have gotten negative press; for instance, cigarettes, alcohol, and artificial sweeteners have mostly been labelled as harmful or unhealthy in the press, something they would prefer to avoid. Several corporate and commercial association executives try to cultivate positive working ties with the press in order to avoid negative exposure. They recognize that these public statements do have a negative influence on the firm’s brand.

The Target Audience for Oliveira

The section of the population that is most likely to engage in an organization or brand is referred to as a target audience. A target population is the collection of individuals who have been recognized as potential clients for a company. Age, sex, geography, education, and socioeconomic position are among the demographic characteristics shared by target consumers. As a corporation, determining the target population can aid in the creation of marketing techniques as well as the definition of core consumers. Defining a target audience enables for a focused and personal engagement to people most likely to acquire the firm’s service or commodity, rather than wasting funds and resources attempting to appeal to just about every customer.

The marketplace will be separated into portions based on time, sex, and income to determine prospective market segments. With the passage of time, different generations will emerge that choose to dress in jeans. Teenagers, toddlers, and the elderly all want to dress casual in today’s world, which can be readily targeted by designating a category. A further important factor for Oliveira to consider is gender and income, since new denim jeans brands can cater to both men and women, as well as different economic levels such as low, midrange, and high quality, by offering different brands. Since demographic parameters are often linked to client demands and aspirations, using demographics segmentation to identify possible groupings of customers is a good idea.

For Oliveira, a demographic section of 20 to 35-year-olds makes up the target audience. University students or recent graduates are typically the target market, both females and males. Consumer desires and talents fluctuate with age, therefore becoming older and going through different stages of life are important factors to consider when identifying segments. Because of their genetic make-up and socialization, males and females have distinct views and respond differently. Their buying habits vary, and taking this into account will make finding a new pant brand much easier. The previous basis of segmentation, income group, is also fairly significant and has been used for many decades. Each segment of users has a different level of income and purchasing power, and they shop correspondingly.

Value of segmenting customers

Oliveira can utilize segmentation to create good use of their marketing resources, get a competitive advantage over competitors, and, most significantly, display a deeper understanding of their consumers’ requirements and desires. It could also improve marketing effectiveness by disintegrating a vast client base into smaller, relatively manageable components, making it much easier to identify the target demographic and send advertisements to the most appropriate persons, utilizing the most appropriate channel (Nica, Gajanova, & Kicova, 2019). Consumers are segmented to identify emerging opportunities, because the act of dividing consumers into groups may reveal the existence of a new market segment, requiring businesses to adjust their marketing emphasis and approach accordingly.

A further benefit of customer segmentation for Oliveira is a stronger brand approach, because after one has determined the major motivating factors for prospective consumers, like style, cost, or practical demands, one can brand the products correctly. Customer segmentation improves distribution techniques. Knowing the time and particular place that customers shop can help to guide sales and distribution tactics, like what kind of things are supplied at specific locations. Consumer retention is yet another benefit of customer segmentation. Marketing companies can use segmentation to target groups that need special consideration, such as the ones who churn quickly and the ones with the greatest potential worth. It could also assist in the development of targeted strategies that attract the attention of the consumers and result in improved, high-value interactions with the businesses.

Behavioural Segmentation

Benefit Sought

Another essential criterion for segmenting the market for Oliveira is behavioural segmentation, that identifies possible groups of customers based on the benefits they want from a denim jeans brand. Customers might be targeted based on benefits such as style, approachability, convenience, design, and indie. Benefit sought fragmentation is an important strategy since it aids in identifying market prospects and also identifying the value propositions which could be desired by various groups of customers.

Usage Rate

The utilization rate is another crucial criterion for segmentation that Oliveira can apply, as each group of customers has a varied rate of consumption. The corporation can divide its customers into three categories: light, moderate, and heavy product consumers. In the denim sector, for example, heavy product consumers are teenagers, while medium and signal consumers are young adults and seniors. The corporation might generate a bigger revenue through the provision of unique schemes and offers to heavy consumers of jeans. The rate of consumption is the most appropriate basis of segmentation that the corporation can utilize to determine current revenue opportunities.

QUESTION TWO

Product positioning

Product positioning is a critical component of a successful marketing strategy. Product positioning refers to the process of forming an impression of a firm’s commodities in the minds of customers by emphasizing the most essential features that set it apart from competitors within the marketplace (Saqib, 2020). Product positioning entails establishing aspects of consistency and distinction that allow a corporate’s offering to fulfill industry standard while also providing extra value to customers on significant aspects like as quality, creativity, pricing, leadership, and usefulness, among several others.

For Oliveira, successful product positioning necessitates a thorough grasp of client requires in order to identify the appropriate communication strategies and ensure that critical messages are received by consumers. Product positioning begins with defining particular, niche market segments that a corporation can target, such as women aged 25 to 30, who operate in senior-level management roles, earn $X annually, are unmarried, and enjoy sports. The much more precise one can be, the greater. Aside from analyzing customer on the basis of demographic and psychographic characteristics, advertisers must also comprehend client demands, particularly in relation to the products and services offered, in order to accurately communicate value as a component of their marketing strategy.

When it comes to the positioning aspects of the marketing campaigns, Oliveira marketers must understand competition pressures. Depending on what the organization understands concerning the needs targeted audience, appropriate positioning communicates to customers why this firm’s commodity ought to be picked over other competing possibilities. Excellent marketing strategies explicitly demonstrate how and in what aspects the firm’s goods or services distinguish from those of rivals. To be a “me too” commodity offering and merely mimicking what rivals do has no significance. Advertisers should differentiate themselves from the competition in areas that are valuable to their target audiences. Product positioning aids marketing teams in determining how their goods differentiate from those available to customers. However, knowing this internally is not enough; marketing teams must also convey it to their target audiences. They need to select channels of communication that are tailored to engage with their specified targeted customers at periods when they are particularly open to these communications in order to make this work. 

The Key Benefit Claim (KBC) highlights whatever makes a service or commodity stand out from or outperforms rivals in the marketplace (Althuizen, 2017). The firm’s marketing messages ought to be focused on this “distinctive selling proposition” or “trademark-differentiating proposition.” The KBC of Padrão Estilizado will be “I’m lovin’ it.”

Hedonic or utilitarian appeal

Particular buying motivations, generally classified as utilitarian and hedonic, influence buying habits. Task-oriented, rational, and cognitive purchasing motives are utilitarian in nature; it all relies on if the specific consuming demand that prompted the purchasing excursion was met (Amatulli, Angelis, & Donato, 2020). Hedonic shopping motivations, on the other hand, could be described as aspects of behaviour that pertain to the multiple sensory, fantastical, and evocative elements of consumption, and are thus influenced by the enjoyment relating to commodity consumption, with the criteria for success being primarily aesthetic in nature. Padrão Estilizado will benefit from hedonic attraction the most. When contrasted to utilitarian communication appeals, hedonic message appeals may result in increased customer perception of item and, as a result, higher sentiments about the product.

The fact that hedonic advantages often inspire positive feelings like cheerfulness and excitement provides the explanation for the projected beneficial influence of hedonic communication appeals on customer responses. Customers usually correlate hedonic item advantages with the achievement of promotional objectives, which are those objectives an individual prefers to reach, like “appearing cool” or “being prominent,” according to the regulatory focus theory. As a result, when hedonic product advantages are conveyed, customers perceive a higher likelihood of having a happy experience when using the commodity. Purchasing a commodity with hedonic advantages boosts expected sensations of enjoyment, which, if realised during the consumption process, can evolve into feelings of pleasure, according to the description of hedonic message appeals like those producing gratification and feelings.

Generally speaking, hedonic message appeals prompt high-arousal positive feelings connected with the ideas of ambition, accomplishment, and advancement, as opposed to utilitarian message appeals which stimulate low-arousal positive feelings (like self-belief) linked with the ideas of security, reducing stress, and prevention. Hedonic message appeals evoke a heightened perception of a commodities’ coolness and, as a result, a boost in customers’ attitude toward Padro Estilizado, because such feelings are typical major drivers of customers’ desire to buy cool commodities.

Ethical dilemmas

Ethics is a set of moral ideas that influence how individuals and corporations make decisions. Marketing ethics refers to intentional application of fairness norms, or moral rights and wrongs, to marketing decision-making, conduct, and practice in the company (Lemanski, 2018). In a market system, a company is supposed to behave in its own best interests. The goal of marketing is to give you a competitive edge. When a company outperforms its rivals in terms of meeting the customer experience needs of its target audience, it gains a competitive advantage. Those businesses who gain a competitive edge are capable of meeting the requirements of both their consumers and themselves Organisations are often put under pressure by either the public or state to take greater accountability for their actions as a result of ethical violations. Several folks think that dubious corporate activities prevail because violations actually happen. As a consequence, consumer advocacy groups, professional organizations, and self-regulatory organizations all have a significant impact on marketing (Shabbir et al., 2019). As a result of requests for civic responsibility, marketing tactics have been exposed to a slew of federal and state rules aimed at either protecting rights of consumers or stimulating trade. The following methods for resolving an ethical problem were discovered. Getting to the bottom of the paradox. The situation needs to be thoroughly examined (Ahmed & Mateen Khan, 2017). The presence of the problem can be rationally disproved in some instances. In the case of an ethical dilemma, the corporation may utilize a value theory approach. Choose the option that provides the collective good or avoids the bigger ill. Seeking alternate solutions is yet another option. In some circumstances, the issue can be re-examined, and new answers can emerge.

OPTIONAL QUESTION: QUESTION ONE

Role of endorsers in IMC campaigns

Since celebrities have an inherent widespread appeal, they improve product appeals. Stars are legendary, and individuals form bonds with them based on their individual preferences and inclinations. This answers why the Spice Girls were used to promote Pepsi in the 1990s. Whenever superstars have widespread appeal, they influence consumer sentiments, allowing them to get a favourable view of the commodity while dismissing rivals (Gauns et al., 2017). Charismatic superstars are likely to have a large fan following, allowing them to market their endorsers’ services. and commodities.  Charisma additionally involves the capacity to convey humour, which makes comedian superstars the greatest in marketing movies, music, and communication-related corporate items. Nevertheless, if funny endorsers are really not serious, their affiliation with professionals will suffer. An individual who promotes a product influences the reactions that the same service or product will get from the audience, which is a part of brand personality. Stars have credibility since individuals believe them whenever they see them perform, walk the red carpet, or play. Individuals are more likely to embrace a celebrity’s views, particularly if they have altruistic motivations when engaging in these kinds of ventures (Hani, Marwan, & Andre, 2018). Celebrities guarantee high recall by continually reinforcing the point towards target audience through their looks and attitudes. There is no doubt that if a celebrity amazes them, the audience will pay close attention to them. Inevitably, this draws customers to a brand as they will correlate the charms with the company’s advantages. Individuals interpret concepts uniquely, but when they associate with a charismatic personality, they are more inclined to adjust their purchasing selections to mirror the celebrity’s decisions. Folks believe that affiliation with celebrities improves the quality of the items and the benefits derived from the distinctive value proposition.

Types of endorsers

One of the types of endorsers is celebrity endorsement. A celebrity endorsement is when a public figure expresses their personal support and viewpoint for a firm or commodity. Another type of endorser are influencers. Whenever an influencer endorses a commodity or service, this is known as influencer endorsement. An influencer is a person who has a significant audience on the web as well as in the public spotlight and is well-known. Several influencers use social media because the platforms allow them to publish content and interact one on one with the audiences.

The other type of endorser are the athletes. Sportsmen can efficiently promote things by engaging to members of the audience who are their fans as individuals or sports teams. Athletes are individuals who make a living by participating in sports, and there exist many varieties of athletes who can participate in sponsorships. An athlete may promote a vitamin or piece of technology that they are using in their own workouts, or they may recommend a corporation that compensates them to serve as a spokesman.

Trade organizations are another type of endorsers. Whenever a trade organization endorses a commodity, it is known as a trade organization endorsement. Such promotions are frequently expressed as phrases or emblems on an item’s package that indicate the trade association and its support. Trade organization endorsements are common in businesses that sell items to a large number of people, as a trade organization can recommend a commodity on the basis of its safety, usefulness, and other factors.

Major issues regarding the selection of an endorser

Among the major issues in association with the selection of an endorser are inclusive of the target market, standing out from the rivals, the potential risk, and the brands identity (Mettenheim, & Wiedmann, 2021). Oliveira should include endorser for both of the new products. This is because an abundance of research has proven that the use of endorsers is effective in the product promotion strategies, particularly new products in the market.

Categories of nano, micro, macro and mega influencers

Mega-Influencers-This category of influencers is highly prominent on social networking sites as a result of their celebrity status, with over one million followers. They are quite active on social media channels wherein their target demographic hangs out, and they get a lot of interaction.

Macro-Influencers- Celebrities, television personalities, sportsmen, and public intellectuals who have a relatively smaller audience than that of the mega category range between 500,000 to 1 million followers.  Because they may use their celebrity to garner social media followers, brands should expect to pay a premium—though not as much as the mega-influencers.

Micro-Influencers -Despite the fact that micro-influencers have a significantly smaller audience than mega-influencers, corporations believe this category to be far more efficient with regards to trust and engagement. This is basically because micro-influencers have a close relationship with their audience and are more niche-focused.

Nano-Influencers-Nano-influencers, having lowest number of followers, provide marketers with a limited reach and, most likely, a smaller one. Whatever businesses miss in outreach, they make up for in levels of engagement. The engagement levels of nano-influencers are the greatest of any influencer kind.

The mega influencers are the best categories for Padrão Estilizado and Estilo Sustentável due to the wider outreach and the fact that the two are new products.

References

Ahmed, E., & Mateen Khan, M. (2017). Ethics in Advertising: Exploring the

Telecommunication Industry’s Employment of Ethics in Advertisements. Ahmed, ME, & Khan, MM,(2017). Ethics in Advertising: Exploring the Telecommunication Industry’s Employment of Ethics in Advertisements. Journal of Southeast Asian Research, 1-15. https://DOI: 10.5171/2017.722525

Althuizen, N. (2017). Communicating a key benefit claim creatively and effectively through

five conveyor properties. Psychology & Marketing, 34(1), 5-18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mar.20970Amatulli, C., De Angelis, M., & Donato, C. (2020). An investigation on the effectiveness of

hedonic versus utilitarian message appeals in luxury product communication. Psychology & Marketing, 37(4), 523-534. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21320El Hedhli, K., Zourrig, H., & Becheur, I. (2021). Celebrity endorsements: Investigating the

interactive effects of internalization, identification and product type on consumers’ attitudes and intentions. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 58, 102260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102260Gauns, K. K., Pillai, S. K. B., Kamat, K., Chen, R. F., & Chang, L. C. (2018). Impact of

celebrity endorsement on consumer buying behaviour in the state of Goa. IIM Kozhikode society & management review, 7(1), 45-58. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F2277975217733897Hani, S., Marwan, A., & Andre, A. (2018). The effect of celebrity endorsement on consumer

behavior: Case of the Lebanese jewelry industry. Arab Economic and Business Journal, 13(2), 190-196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aebj.2018.11.002Krizanova, A., Lăzăroiu, G., Gajanova, L., Kliestikova, J., Nadanyiova, M., & Moravcikova,

D. (2019). The effectiveness of marketing communication and importance of its evaluation in an online environment. Sustainability, 11(24), 7016. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su11247016Lemanski, J. L. (2018). Traditional and emerging ethical concerns in advertising. Annales.

Etyka w Życiu Gospodarczym, 21(4), 21-29. http://dx.doi.org/10.18778/1899-2226.21.4.03Nica, E., Gajanova, L., & Kicova, E. (2019). Customer segmentation based on psychographic

and demographic aspects as a determinant of customer targeting in the online environment. Littera Scripta, 108. https://doi.org/10.36708/Littera_Scripta2019/2/9Pluta-Olearnik, M. (2018). Integrated marketing communication–concepts, practice, new

challenges. Marketing Instytucji Naukowych i Badawczych, (2 (28)), 121-138. https://doi.org/10.14611/minib.28.06.2018.12Saqib, N. (2020). Positioning–a literature review. PSU Research Review.

https://doi.org/10.1108/PRR-06-2019-0016Shabbir, H. A., Maalouf, H., Griessmair, M., Colmekcioglu, N., & Akhtar, P. (2019).

Exploring perceptions of advertising ethics: An informant-derived approach. Journal of Business Ethics, 159(3), 727-744. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-018-3784-7von Mettenheim, W., & Wiedmann, K. P. (2021). The complex triad of congruence issues in

influencer marketing. Journal of Consumer Behaviour. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.1935

Older Adult Interview

Older Adult Interview

Name:

Institution:

Date:

Description

For this assignment, I interviewed one of my neighbours, a 79-year-old female identified as J. F. I have known her for many years, and I meet her often while she walks her dog. She is still physically active, which explains her slight frame. She is of average height and slender build. She walks with a slight bend forward as she has had back problems which she often speaks about. J.F. has long gray hair, which she keeps tied up in a neat bun most of the time. J.F was a nurse for more than fifty years after getting graduating from a community college. She and her family lived in the same house she still occupies for many years. Her husband passed away five years ago, and her children are all grown and out of the home. She lives alone but gets someone to clean and cook thrice each week. She remains active, walking her dog and doing some chores around her house. 

Changes

Loss of Eyesight

J.F explained that she has experienced several changes in her old age. One of these is a progressive loss of eyesight. Chalise (2019) explains that older people experience sensory changes as they age, one of them being progressive changes in eyesight. She used to drive herself around when she was younger, but she can no longer do so due to `poor vision. She also finds it difficult to read her favourite books, and she finds audiobooks very helpful. She can still knit but requires glasses for that and her everyday tasks.

Loss of Memory

J.F. also finds it difficult to recall details of events. Knencklen et al. (2017) explain that this is quite normal, writing, “normal aging is associated with numerous changes in cognitive capacities, including an overall decline in working memory performance” (Klencken 2017). She admitted that she often forgets what day it is and what she had planned to do. She writes down her daily activities, and her children call daily to help her keep track of days and activities she needs to do. She is afraid that one day she might not remember important things like her children’s names, but she does simple memory activities to keep her memory as active as possible. 

Joint Pain

J.F has a lot of pain in her joints. Sometimes the pain gets so bad she can barely move around, but most of the time, she manages well on pain medication. She makes sure to eat all the food she was advised to and also takes her medicines on schedule to reduce the pain and allow her to function. 

Biological Basis for the Changes

Loss of Eyesight

Chalise (2019) explains that weakening eyesight in old age is attributed to the thickening of the lens. This thickening means that older people need more light to see. An uneven thickening also causes glare problems which create anxiety and difficulty in concentrating. The older eye has a hard time adjusting to sudden changes in light, which may cause accidents. 

Loss of Memory

Memory loss happens as a result of cognitive decline that occurs with old age. The hippocampus of the brain is concerned with the formation and retrieval of memories, and this region deteriorates with old age. Additionally, the decline in the proteins and hormones that stimulate neural growth also contributes to memory loss. 

Joint Pain

Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of joint pain in older adults. As one grows older, the cartilage that acts as a protective barrier between the joints and bones begins to break down. This wear and tear results in pain in joints found in the hips, hands and knees. 

Functional Status

The biological changes that J.F has experienced with age have affected her ADLs and IADLs. She has had to cut down on a lot of daily activities such as cooking and cleaning due to joint pain and forgetfulness. She once left her stove on and dozed off in the living room, almost setting her kitchen on fire. Her memory loss has also forced her to give up management of her finances to her children to reduce serious errors and stress. She is happy that she can still walk her dog alone and keep her house tidy. She relies on help to cook and clean. J.F also appreciates the fact that she is functional enough to live alone when most of her peers have to live in assisted living homes. The National Institute on Aging reported that as of 2015, about 4.7 million older adults relied on home care, while 730,000 lived in assisted living facilities. A further 1.4 million seniors stayed in nursing homes (Kogan et al., 2016). J.F’s situation is, therefore, quite common for seniors. 

Lessons

The interview has taught me a lot about ageing. I used to think of older adults as fragile beings who need help to perform the smallest tasks, but I realized how mistaken I was. One reason for my perception is that one of my grandparents had to live in a nursing home due to dementia and other chronic illnesses at 73. The interview with J.F has taught me that ageing takes on different paths for different people. I have also learned that senior adults enjoy keeping their old lifestyles for as long as possible until they need help. J.F takes a lot of pride in being able to care for herself and live alone. I have learned that ageing can be an enjoyable part of life despite its challenges. 

References

Chalise, H. N. (2019). Aging: basic concept. Am J Biomed Sci & Res, 1(1), 8-10.

Klencklen, G., Lavenex, P. B., Brandner, C., & Lavenex, P. (2017). Working memory decline in normal aging: Memory load and representational demands affect performance. Learning and Motivation, 60, 10-22.

Kogan, A. C., Wilber, K., & Mosqueda, L. (2016). Person‐centered care for older adults with chronic conditions and functional impairment: A systematic literature review. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 64(1), e1-e7.