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Hi everyone, my name is Bryce Delay and I am a student who will be graduating next semester with an undergraduate degree in sociology. My friends think I’m mad for going into this field. They’re worried I’ll be changing adult diapers and wiping drool for the next 10 years. I usually say they’ve given me plenty of experience. I was a member of a Fraternity, you see. 

I am employed by a small office here in Moscow called Inclusion North. I do Residential Habilitation and go through programs with a few clients. I also work at the student newspaper The Argonaut. I’m excited to progress in the field i’m working in and I would like to see myself someday as an owner of my own business which provides Residential Habilitation programs and other adult services.

I think that sociology is essential if people want to understand human nature, crime, or someone’s motivation and that is why I am drawn to it. I think sociology is over all a compassionate field of science. We being the busily, befuddled humans we are, over look plenty of things in this world and sociologists provide the theories which disrupt our harmful habits and misguided beliefs.

My Blog discusses two topics which are covered in the book Social Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Perspective. My first post states that I will be talking about structural lag and multigenerational families. I’ve changed my topics since then because I did not find research that interested me. Instead, I’ve changed the focus of this blog to Foster Grandparent Programs and the Eden Alternative. These two both interest me in that they provide a way for senior citizens to remain active in their community and homes. After reading the articles, it is clear that incorporating these into a senior’s lifestyle betters their life and creates a positive image of aging for younger generations.

Kathe Kollwitz Self Portrait

Käthe Kollwitz has a sombering style in her lithographs and etches. She does not hide the wrinkles or tiredness in her self portraits. In fact she may exaggerate the lines and weariness of the face. Though her body seems worn, she is also stoic and powerful in her expression. She Is important to me because her art reflects the sobering pains of life but also the strong character needed to get through it. 

Foster Grandparent Programs

Foster Grandparent Programs are used throughout the country and in low income schools to help teachers with their work load, benefit students who are falling behind and provide seniors a rewarding, socially active job. These programs are mutually beneficial to all groups and help improve images of older generations. I am interested in how to keep seniors active in their communities and the educational aid based foster programs do good job at that. 

The Impact of Foster Grandparents

This video explains the work foster grandparents participate in and the good they provide for the struggling students in their communities.

The Eden Alternative

There is a lot of research which suggests that plants, animals and children improve the health of seniors. The Eden Alternative incorporates this idea into the development of their home plans, therapy and employee relations. I am interested in the design and beneficial affects of a welcoming, healthy environment that betters the lives of residents. 

Grounds for The Eden Alternative

The link above takes you to a Youtube video which outlines four health benefits from plants inside the home.

Scholarly Articles for the Eden Alternative

http://ida.lib.uidaho.edu:3450/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=5f9ec241-476e-43ef-a5d0-7218a3ec586a%40sessionmgr4003&vid=14&hid=4209

DOI: 10.1089=acm.2009.0075

One of the most important facets of the Eden Alternative is to incorporate more plants, animals and social interactions inside the nursing home. This study shows that plants do have a positive impact on the health of surgery patients, which prove the relevance of the Eden Program’s goals.  

http://ida.lib.uidaho.edu:3450/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=5f9ec241-476e-43ef-a5d0-7218a3ec586a%40sessionmgr4003&vid=8&hid=4209

DOI: 10.1080/03601270590916777

This article interviewed two groups of college students before and after plants and animals were incorporated in the same nursing home. It was chosen because it suggests that lively environments positively impact residents and improves the students perceptions of geriatrics.