Contrary to the conventional view of aging as a story of inevitable decline, William Randall and his colleagues at St. Thomas University in Fredricton, NewBrunswick, are busy investigating and promoting an alternative view of aging as the "post-modern stage" of life-when a storied awareness of ambiguity opens possibilities for wisdom, "positive" irony, and soulful connections with others. This interview explores the concepts and practices that contribute to this richly hopeful conception of the generative "inner story" of the older adult.
CRITICAL GERONTOLOGY
BM (Bonnie Miller): Bill, I get the sense through our conversations that youhave a genuine respect for the field of gerontology, and you've been careful in our talks to give credit to what is being done there, but I wonder if we can start our interview by looking at some of the critiques that have informed your work. What has been absent from conversations and studies in the field of gerontology, in your opinion? WR (William Randall): I think since I started to teach gerontology in 1995, I've become aware of how the field and discipline of gerontology has focused extra heavily on the biomedical aspects of the aging process, and on the cognitive dimensions of aging, but in an empirical, positivist sort of way. Focusing on the low hanging fruit, things that can be measured. For example, rather than looking at the meanings of what our memories hold for us and how those meanings might change as we get older, the focus has been
Providing adequate psychosocial support for hospitalized pediatric patients and their families is sometimes difficult. An interdisciplinary team can help caregivers to assess needs and develop strategies for working with difficult patients and families. This paper describes the development of a pediatric family care team that has been effective in one hospital, outlining the general steps followed in establishing the team. A review of practical considerations related to team membership, costs, and procedures is followed by a discussion of the problems encountered. A case study demonstrates how the team helped meet the psychosocial needs of one pediatric patient.
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