Sociology of Aging: Life History Project Avenues of Inquiry

1. Life History- A biographical overview from informant's perspective. Learn date & place of birth, education, marriage history, family members (family of orientation and family of procreation), occupational history, social class, places lived, number of years in current home & current living arrangements (own home or apartment, retirement community or rest home, etc.) noting with whom your respondent lives.

2. Significant Influences- Events and person(s) who have had greatest influence on your informant, past and present. You might ask whether your informant has a particular person with whom she discusses important issues. Ask whether respondent ever felt discriminated against because of age, gender, race or class?

3. Legacy: How would informant like to be remembered by family and friends? Is there something that informant would especially like others to know?

4. Expectations for later life- When you were young what did you think your life would be like now? Are things different than you expected they would be when you were old?

5. Leisure Time Activities- Obtain outline of typical day/typical week. Include solitary involvements, like reading, watching TV, bird watching, & social involvements. Determine how much time is spent on each activity.

6. Social Network- Determine extent, frequency and timing of social contacts & relative proportions with family, friends & others. Determine relative importance of social institutions in day-to-day experience.

7. Health Status- Determine whether health status prevents informant from performing activities of daily living. Are there any limitations to how far your informant can walk? Ask your informant how his/her health compares to others who are the same age. If your informant has experienced what he/she sees as declines in health, try to determine how he/she "manages."

8. Life Satisfaction- Attempt to determine a sense of satisfaction with the way one lives and the way one lived during earlier parts of the life cycle. "Happiness" is obviously a difficult concept to measure. Determine what is important to your informant, that is, what is a “good life” and how has her conception of this changed over time.

9. Attitude Toward Aging- Include present views and changes from earlier views. You might simply ask, "What does it mean to grow old?" Or, "Do younger people treat you differently because you are older?" Does your informant share others' views of him/herself?

10. Sexuality and Intimacy - Ask about sexuality and intimacy. If informant is/was married, you might ask what role sex and intimacy played in the marriage. Is informant currently in a sexual relationship?

11. Employment History and Financial Matters - Determine work history. Describe paid and unpaid labor, yet note if respondent has/had control of own "finances." Note whether informant is currently employed and/or volunteers outside of home. Ask about caregiving. Ask if women receive Social Security or other pensions.

12. Attitude on Bereavement and Death- Find out effect of recent personal losses on your informant. How does she feel about her own future death? The broader issue is about the meaningfulness of life.