Grandparents Visitation: Genogram Ecomap or Life Review

GENOGRAM, ECOMAP, OR LIFE REVIEW
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Grandparent’s Visitation Review
The interaction with the grandparent was very successful particularly because I asked her questions that were well rehearsed and that aligned with effective communication skills when dealing with elders. I managed to ask her about her family members who lived with her; the number of children and grandchildren that she had; her family’s ethnic background and the relationships between her and the children and grandchildren. I managed to ask her about everything mentioned above by carefully and gradually leading her into a jovial conversation. This I did by asking her to allow me to see her favorite pictures and photo albums.
During the whole interaction process, I utilized effective communication skills that are recommended when speaking to elders. For example, I was very patient and compassionate to her as she sometimes struggled to explain some information due to her slurred speech. Additionally, I was careful to ask questions politely rather than sound as ordering for information and offensive (The Gerontological Society of America, 2012). Lastly, I made sure that for every question asked, there were choices that I offered to the grandparent in order not to sound bossy and also to maintain a sense of independence. Elders often feel secure when they are given choices to what they should answer. This cultivates a sense of security and independence as they do not want to feel like they are losing control of their lives.
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) has developed a comprehensive guide on how to communicate effectively with older adults. Their guide is actually an evidence-based review of what really works when communicating with elders; the above communication skills are also captured in the guide.
The interaction with the grandparent helped me to learn two new insights. One is the ability to skillfully conduct interviews with older adults and the special communication channels or skills to use in such cases. Secondly, I managed to learn the importance of strong family connections in keeping intact the moral fabric of the society. From the grandparent’s explanation, her family has had no major problems associated with morality and responsibility. During my interview with the grandparent, I met B. T. who was of great help to me in assisting with the live recording of the interview. The person also assisted me to engage the grandparent in effective and respectful communication.
The grandparent’s life review indicated a total number of 4 generations from the grandparent herself. The genogram is as below:
Figure 1: Genogram representing the grandparent (bottom) and her subsequent generation.
The grandparent had 2 children who both stayed outside the locality. The older one was a son ...