Experiences from the nursing home

I interviewed an elderly man named Robert last week at the Alden Nursing home. He was born in Chicago in 1951 and talked mainly about his time drifting as a hitchhiker with his band during the 60’s. He was very open with me about his personal life, and all of his experiences during his youth.

The things that struck me seem somewhat shallow to myself, but they were the things that I overlooked so easily, such as the fact that there was marijuana in the 60’s and that hippies did in fact smoke it, and that it did not just somehow sprout up in the last decade. It made me put that into perspective and realize which age group was a part of which social movement and I found that interesting. I’m hoping to interview him again next week to find out more about his life.

Alden Nursing Home - Part 1

My experience at the retirement home was very good. I was paired with a man named Milton Doogal. As you all saw, he picked me out of the line-up -- I didn't have to do much work at all. The common question he kept asking me was, "So what else do you want to know?" Immediately followed by him starting into another story without me asking anything. The information that he was spilling ranged back and forth between very personal accounts of life events, and an insider view of living at the home.

When I got it completely typed out, the interview came out to be 10 pages! I'm looking forward to sharing some of Milton's wonderful insight (such as how he made it to 81 and how to keep a successful marriage going) with you guys next week.