Misc

Interesting opinion article on the training medical doctors receive for working with older adults. Much of the same can be said about the training that most psychologists obtain as students and interns.

I finished the second year of my PhD program last week (that's me in the photo jumping for joy). Julio and I celebrated by camping at the Sand Dunes over the week-end.

I had never heard of the "conscious competence" theory of learning before, but I've run into it twice in the past week (the universe must be telling me something!). Apparently, it's unclear as to who first developed this model and exactly how many stages are involved (see this website for more information). The basic framework is the following...

Stage 1: Unconscious Incompetence - The person is not aware of the existence or relevance of the skill, nor of any skill deficit.

Stage 2: Conscious Incompetence - The person is aware of the existence and relevance of the skill, as well as deficiency in this area. This stage is uncomfortable for most (nobody likes feeling incompetent!).

Stage 3: Conscious Competence - The person can perform the skill, but it takes a lot of effort and concentration.

Stage 4: Unconscious Competence - The person becomes so practiced at the skill, it begins to feel like "second nature."

So far, graduate school has felt like one long period of conscious incompetence. It seems worse at the beginning of the semester when I'm starting new classes, new practicum rotations, and new phases of research projects. Then, just as I begin to feel like I have some idea of what I'm doing, we start a new semester all over again. This spring I've been focusing on taking a lot of deep breaths to calm my inner critic. I'm also pretty good at exercising to deal with stress. I'd love to hear about what other graduate students do to cope with their own conscious incompetence.

I've been in my PhD program for just over 3 semesters now. Last year was a huge transition for me and it took a while to adjust to being a student again and living in a new part of the country. But what made the transition go more smoothly were the other students in my program.

We had our PhD applicant interviews last week. As I was getting to know each of the applicants, I thought about what it was like to be in that position two years ago. It's a bit of a leap of faith to pick up and start a new life in a new city where you know no one, which is what many of us do for graduate school.

I feel really lucky to have found a program where I've been able to form great friendships. Very often, the support I get (and give) to my peers (some of whom are in the photo) is what has helped me through the inevitable rough spots of progressing through a graduate program.

I love coming across individuals who have figured out how to age successfully, whether I know them personally or learn about them in some other way.

Adolph "Sonny Boy" Kiefer is most likely the swimming legend you never heard of. A gold-medal winner in the 1936 Olympics, his swimming career was cut short by World War II. He went on to become a naval officer, invent the nylon swimsuit, and faciliate the construction of public pools across Chicago. Today, at age 90, he swims 45 minutes every morning before going into his office!

I saw "Young @ Heart" recently, which is a documentary film that follows a choir of seniors who sing rock and punk music. What I liked most about the film was that it illustrated how one can still find meaning and joy in life in the face of physical decline and death. I also liked how the main "characters" defied almost every negative stereotype of aging.

I'm happy to report that I've officially survived the first year of my PhD program! A few of my Clinical Neuropsychology classmates, our professor, Brian Yochim, PhD, and I went out to celebrate after our final was finished.

It took me a while to realize it, but I believe one of the reasons for why I enjoy working with older adults is that I've grown up knowing my older relatives. I've been lucky enough to know three great-grandparents, four grandparents, and many great aunts and uncles in my lifetime. In a society that largely views aging with fear, disgust, or indifference, I've had the privilege of watching my older relatives age successfully.

My grandmother was one of those elders who inspired me to pursue my work with older adults. She passed away five years ago after a long struggle with cancer, but I still think of her often. Today would have been her 83rd birthday. A few things that I admire about my Grandma Hansen...

- her lifelong commitment to development and learning: in her youth, women either married and raised a family or chose a career, she chose marriage and returned to school after her children were grown

- her appreciation for the "little" things: a bird in the window, spring flowers in the woods near my parents' home

- her creativity: she was an accomplished rosemaler, sewer, and quilter

- her ability to express her pride in me: she was very supportive of my swimming career and working toward a master's degree in counseling

She provided me with a wonderful example of how to age well and I hope someday to be half as successful as she was.