FCS 413 LATER LIFE FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
FALL, 2001 3 credit hours
Sec. 1: T 3:30 - 6:00, 2060 Kohrman Hall
Sec. 2: W 3:00 - 5:30, 2060 Kohrman Hall

Instructor: Bryce Dickey
Office: 3026 Kohrman Hall
Phone: 387-3712
Hours: T 1:30 - 2:30, W 2:00-3:00 or by appointment
E-mail: dickey@wmich.edu

I. Course Description
Marital and family interaction in middle and later years.
Prerequisite - FCS 318 or approval

II. Program Goals
The goals of the Family Studies curriculum are to increase knowledge and promote understanding about research and theory of the following:
Families in society
The internal dynamics of families
Human growth and development
Human sexuality
Interpersonal relationships
Family resource management
Parent education and guidance
Family law and public policy
Ethics
Family life education

III. Educational Objectives
Through meeting the requirements of this course the student will demonstrate

A. Identification of significant development concepts in young, middle and later adulthood.

B. Identification of the strengths and limitations of a family life cycle view.

C. Appreciation of the relationships between developmental processes and their impact on marriage and family and extra-familial relationships.

D. Distinguishing facts, myths and stereotypes related to aging, older persons and the life cycle.

E. Review changes that take place in sexual functioning as males and females age.

F. Application of family systems theory to examples of aging family systems.

G. Description of the development and evolution of family roles in the aging process.

H. Consideration of ethical dilemmas faced by families with aging members.

I. Exploration of how aging may be different in the 21st century.

IV. Required Reading

A.Price, Sharon J. & Brubaker, Timothy H. (1996). Vision 2010: Families & Aging, Vol. 4, No. 1. Minneapolis, MN: National Council on Family Relations

B.Pipher, Mary (1999). Another country: Navigating the Emotional Terrain of Our Elders. New York: Riverhead Books.

C. Coursepack: FCS 413 (Available at the WMU Bookstore at the Bernhard Center)

V. Requirements

A. Point Values of Requirements

Agency Interview	100
Life History Interview	100
Case Study Jigsaw	100
Attendance and Participation	100
Mid-term Exam	100
Final Exam	100
TOTAL	600

The points from interviews, assignments, papers, exams, group work, etc. will be added on a cumulative basis. The following distribution will be used for grading purposes:

92%-100%	550-600	A
86%-91%	515-549	BA
80%-85%	480-514	B
74%-79%	445-479	CB
68%-73%	410-444	C
62%-67%	375-409	DC
56%-61%	340-374	D
0-55%	0-339	E

B. Description of Requirements

Agency Interview 100 points

The purpose of this assignment is to learn about agency functioning, to network in the community, to focus on services for the elderly, and to write in professional/newsletter style. Identify a public or private sector agency which serves the aging population or later life families. Schedule an interview with a manager, director or owner. Use the following questions as the basis of your interview. (It is important to recognize that you will be representing WMU and the Family Studies major, please dress and act professionally.) Conduct the interview, and write a single page report summarizing your experience. This report should be written in a newsletter style of reporting. Include not only the responses to the interview questions, but also your overall experience, your impressions, etc.

 

Agency interview questions and criteria for evaluation:
Name and address of agency or organization interviewed (5 points)
Name, title and general responsibilities of person interviewed (5 points)
Description of goals and objectives of agency, explanation of program (10 points)
Types of staff (paid and volunteer), prior experience and general qualifications (10 points)
Population served (10 points)
Funding of agency and/or program, for-profit or non-profit (10 points)
Future needs of agency, future directions/plans (10 points)
Special concerns shared by person interviewed (10 points)
Other (think of at least two additional questions)(10 points)
Included comments and generalizations about the overall experience (10 points)
Followed directions, no grammatical or spelling errors, professionally written (10 points)


Life History Interview 100 points

The purpose of this assignment is to experience service learning, to interact with an older person, to apply course concepts to real-life situations, and to provide a useful product to community members. Identify an older person who will share his/her memories of childhood and development across time, as well as information about their family's current status. Arrange at least one lengthy time period (2-3 times is more valuable) to meet with this person. Be prepared with questions (some suggestions follow) but allow the formal interview to become a relaxed conversation. Create a Life History for the older person, with information about their childhood, events of importance for them, feelings they may have expressed, etc. Include photos or mementos if available. Provide a copy of the Life History to the instructor for credit, PRIOR to giving it to the older person. Attach a single page paper addressing your observations of the older person during the interview, your personal reactions to the experience, and applying a minimum of three course concepts to the older person's life situation.

Possible interview questions:

How old are you, What is/was your occupation, What are some activities that you like to do, Would you like to be involved in more activities, why or why not, How is your health, would you say that it is excellent, good, fair, poor, What family members do you see, what do you enjoy doing with your family members, Did/do you have brothers or sisters, Were you close to them growing up, What did you do together, Are you close to them now, What do you do together, How did you spend your school holidays, Where have you traveled in the world, Did you ever witness a significant historical event, tell me about it, Where did you grow up, Who was your best friend, why, Were you ever married, tell me about him/her, Did you ever get in trouble, what for...

 

Case Study Jigsaw 100 points

Apply knowledge of family systems theory to a case study assigned to you from Another Country by Pipher. It is your responsibility to read the entire book, however, you will be assigned one of the case studies to examine in depth and to apply terminology from the section in the coursepack by Bigner. You and selected classmates will individually study the assigned case, and will then be given class time to develop a comprehensive explanation of the case based on family systems theory, which a representative will then share with the rest of the class. In order to complete this assignment, you will prepare a single-page, bullet-style report addressing all the concepts and terminology of family systems theory, giving specific examples. On the day of the jigsaw, come to class with two copies of your report, and be prepared to explain your reasoning and understanding of the assigned case study.

 

Attendance and Participation 100 points

It is absolutely necessary to regularly attend and participate in this class in order to benefit and to receive a passing grade. Many valuable discussions, important concepts, and significant videos and guest speakers can only be learned about through being present and attentive. Students will engage in in-class activities and will have an opportunity to express personal reactions to speakers and/or videos.

Mid-term and Final Exams (each 100 points) 200 points

Exams will be multiple choice, true/false, and matching. Test questions are derived from the texts, coursepack, class discussions, videos and speakers. You are responsible for obtaining any missed information.

VI. Class Policies

A.Assignments must be completed and turned in on the due date. Late papers will automatically lose 5 points for each day that they are late.

B. All work, with the exception of in-class assignments, must be typed in 12 pt font with 1" margins where applicable. If it isn't typed, it will not be accepted and no credit will be given.

C. Attendance and active participation are necessary in order to pass this class. It is expected that students will attend all class sessions and prepare adequately for each session. Reaction papers, classroom discussions and cooperative learning activities must be completed in class and cannot be made up.

E. All exams must be taken on the scheduled date and time or arrangements made PRIOR to scheduled test dates. If you do not make arrangements directly with the instructor, you may not be allowed to make up the exam.

F.Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated; the student risks failing the assignment and/or the course if his/her behavior is not in compliance with the University's Policies on Student Rights and Responsibilities. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, falsification and plagiarism.

 

LATER LIFE FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
COURSE OUTLINE - FALL, 2000

DATE	TOPIC/ASSIGNMENTS	READINGS
8/29 T 8/30 W	Introduction to the course Overview of aging
9/5 T 8/6 W	Awareness, video: What Do You See? Defining and educating for the later years	Brubaker: i, ii Brubaker & Roberto article
9/12 T 9/13 W	Caregiving Video: Intergenerational Relationships	Brubaker: 2-7 Cspk: Cicirelli Pipher: xix-11
9/19 T 9/20 W	Health issues, videos: Alzheimer's, Role Change Housing, video: Nursing Home Abuse	Brubaker: 8-13 Cspk: Greene, HHS News, TIME@ Pipher: Chap 1
9/26 T 9/27 W	Grandparenting Due: Agency Interview	Brubaker: 14-15 Cspk: Giarrusso, Smith Pipher: Chap 2
10/3 T 10/4 W	Adult children and parents	Brubaker: 16-17 Cspk: Cornman, Pillemer Pipher: Chap 3,4
10/10 T 10/11 W	MIDTERM EXAM Sibling relationships in later years	Brubaker: 18-19 Cspk: Scott Pipher: Chap 5
10/17 T 10/18 W	Widowhood Single elderly	Brubaker: 20-27 Cspk: Heinemann, Genevay Pipher: Chap 6
10/24 T 10/25 W	Sexuality in later life	Cspk: Jacoby, Scarf Pipher: Chap 7, 8
10/31 T 11/1 W	Retirement Later life marriages Due: Life History Interview	Brubaker: 28-29 Cspk: Quadagno Pipher: Chap 9, 10, Coda
11/7 T 11/8 W	Diversity in later life Family systems in later life Due: Case Study Jigsaw	Brubaker: 30-35 Cspk: Bagby, Bigner
11/14 T 11/15 W	Family systems in later life, cont. Economics of aging, social security system Due: Case Study Jigsaw	Brubaker: 36-37 Cspk: Cole, Stanfield
11/21 T 11/22 W	NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING BREAK
11/28 T 11/29 W	Equity, ethics and public policy Summary and review	Brubaker: 38-39 Cspk: Tronto, Henkin
FINAL EXAM: Tues. class - Thurs. 12/7 @ 2:45 Wed. class - Wed. 12/6 @ 5:00

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