Writing Assignment Three

Jamaia Burks

Brescia University

Developmental Psychology

Professor Jessica Cecil

July 18, 2026

changes, social connections, and spiritual frameworks. To explore how older adults navigate this

developmental stage, a qualitative interview was conducted with Vickie, a 68-year-old married

woman who is my grandmother. Vickie’s life course is characterized by high geographic

mobility, service in the United States Army, a varied employment history in childcare and

hospitality, and a sudden transition into physical disability. Today, she actively manages

significant health challenges while remaining deeply embedded in her family and faith

communities. This presents a narrative overview of Vickie’s life review and applies critical

human behavior theories—specifically Erikson’s psychosocial development theory, continuity

theory, and the biopsychosocial-spiritual framework—to analyze her adaptive aging process.

Vickie’s early and middle adulthood was defined by frequent structural and geographical

transitions, largely driven by her lived experience within a military family. Her career path

reflects a dedication to service and caregiving, beginning with early childhood education roles in

Nebraska and moving into hospitality and housekeeping services upon returning to Kentucky and

working in Clarksville, Tennessee. Her life course shifted significantly when she moved to

California and subsequently Las Vegas, balancing daycare operations with hospitality work.

At the age of 32, Vickie set up her own independent footprint by enlisting in the United

States Army. Although her military career was cut short after two years due to a medical

discharge, she transitioned into factory work for three years. This employment came to an

unexpected end due to severe knee trauma, resulting in a permanent physical disability. Rather

than viewing this early exit from the traditional workforce as a deficit, Vickie reframed her
retirement. She redirected her caregiving skills away from external daycares and focused them

entirely on raising and tending to her grandchildren, a role that gave her a renewed sense of

occupational identity.

A central pillar of Vickie’s current life is her active engagement with the younger

generations in her family. She reports relating exceptionally well to her family members,

emphasizing a deliberate effort to listen deeply and communicate openly with the younger

generation. Vickie notes that societal norms and environments "were different when she was our

age," yet she actively seeks common ground rather than focusing on generational divides.

Intriguingly, Vickie identifies a keen sense of personal mirroring between herself and I, stating

that she frequently recognizes her own mentality, personality traits, and behavioral actions within

her myself. She credits her grandchildren with keeping her fundamentally involved and updated

on the rapidly evolving modern world. By watching them grow, Vickie reports learning a vital

later-life lesson: how to enjoy life in the present moment and cherish individual experiences

rather than constantly rushing toward a destination.

Navigating the physical realities of aging with chronic illness represents a major

component of Vickie’s daily life. She lives with Sjogren’s syndrome—a chronic, systemic

autoimmune disorder where the immune system mistakenly attacks moisture-producing glands,

resulting in profound fatigue, joint inflammation, dry eyes, and dry mouth. Concurrently, she

manages fibromyalgia, a complex neurological disorder characterized by widespread

musculoskeletal pain, sleep deprivation, and fatigue. To adapt to these changes, her physical

environment has modified slightly; while she maintains her independent living arrangement, she
utilizes assistive devices like a cane or a walker when traveling long distances or during periods

of physical exacerbation. Furthermore, her family regularly implements informal check-ins to

ensure her physical safety and resource security.

Despite these physiological barriers, Vickie views her non-health challenges through a

lens of profound gratitude. In her earlier years, navigating financial stability while moving

frequently as a military spouse was difficult. However, she notes that the structural benefits of

her military background and disability status now ensure she is well taken care of financially.

Free from the demands of raising her own children and working a physical job, Vickie views this

stage of life as a hard-earned opportunity to focus entirely on her own self-care and personal

well-being.

Erikson’s Psychosocial Stage: Ego Integrity versus Despair

Vickie’s perspective on her life course aligns perfectly with Erik Erikson’s eighth and final stage

of psychosocial development: Ego Integrity versus Despair. In this stage, older adults engage in a

psychological life review, looking back on their choices, hardships, and accomplishments.

Achieving ego integrity occurs when an individual views their life as meaningful, cohesive, and

acceptable, despite past hardships or unfulfilled goals.

Vickie exemplifies ego integrity. When asked about her feelings regarding aging, she

expresses contentment, excitement for every birthday, and immense fortune for family events.

Rather than falling into despair or bitterness over her early medical retirement, factory injuries,

or chronic pain, she conceptualizes her past as a series of necessary steps that made her "go
harder and survive more" than she ever thought possible. Her ability to synthesize her life

experiences into a narrative of survival and strength demonstrates the successful resolution of

this psychosocial crisis, culminating in the development of late-life wisdom (Erikson & Erikson,

1998).

Continuity theory posits that middle-aged and older adults preserve a consistent

psychological and social structure by making adaptive choices that use internal and external

familiar patterns. Internal continuity refers to the preservation of ideas, temperament, and core

identity, while external continuity involves maintaining familiar social roles, relationships, and

activities (Atchley, 1989).

Vickie achieves external and internal continuity by translating her lifelong passion for

caregiving into her role as a grandmother. Because she spent decades working in daycares,

stepping in to care for her grandchildren allowed her to maintain her maternal and pedagogical

identity despite being disconnected from the formal labor market. Furthermore, her hobbies—

such as gardening, painting nails, shopping, cooking, and caring for her dogs—represent

continuous threads of identity that bridge her younger years with her current lifestyle, allowing

her to adapt to her physical limitations without losing her sense of self.

Most importantly, her spiritual dimension serves as her primary coping mechanism.

According to Rathus (2020), religious involvement and a strong spiritual framework frequently

serve as critical protective buffers in late adulthood, heavily correlating with higher life

satisfaction, better physical health, and enhanced psychological well-being. Vickie states that
serving God has been the single biggest contribution to her wisdom, and she actively channels

this through her social role as a church usher. By standing at the doors of her church, talking to

members, and encouraging the youth to trust in God, she effectively mitigates the profound

fatigue and pain caused by her biological illnesses. Her spirituality completely transforms her

psychological outlook on physical decline, validating Rathus’s (2020) findings that spiritual

commitment can profoundly enhance resilience and help older adults maintain a positive self-

concept when navigating chronic physical limitations.

Vickie’s narrative offers an inspiring look at how resilience can mitigate the

inevitable hardships of the aging process. Through the lens of human behavior theory, her

life proves that chronological aging and physical disability do not automatically equal a

decline in life satisfaction. My greatest takeaway from this interview experience is the

realization that successful aging is heavily dependent on cognitive reframing and social

continuity. Vickie did not allow her physical limitations to isolate her; instead, she

immersed herself in the lives of her grandchildren and her church community. Her

parting piece of advice—to trust in God and stay true to oneself—serves as a beautiful

summary of her life. For future practice, Vickie’s story underscores the absolute necessity

of assessing and empowering an older client’s spiritual and familial strengths, as these

informal networks provide the ultimate foundation for lifelong resilience.

Atchley, R. C. (1989). A continuity theory of normal aging. The Gerontologist, 29(2), 183-190.

Erikson, E. H., & Erikson, J. M. (1998). The life cycle completed (Extended version). W. W.

Norton & Company.

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. (2023). Sjogren's

syndrome overview. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Rathus, S. (2020). HDEV6: Human lifespan development (6th ed.). Cengage.