BSW 102: INTERVIEWING THE ELDERLY

NB:
 The elderly are diverse. They are not a homogenous group. They vary in numerous
respects. These include age, gender, socio-economic status, marital status, number
of children, religious beliefs, educational background, ethnicity, etc).
 There are various types of interviews that the elderly could participate in (e.g.
interviews that are meant: to collect health related information; to collect
information on historical issues; to collect information on contemporary issues etc).

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR INTERVIEWING THE ELDERLY

- Take into account their background (e.g. level of education, ethnicity, past
experiences, skills they possess, etc).
- Appreciate their strengths. Most elderly people believe that young people tend to
disrespect them, look down upon them and do not take them seriously, therefore
they are yearning to be valued and recognized.
- Establish trust with them so that they can open up (e.g. inform them that the
information they share with you will be kept confidential and that their identity will
not be revealed.
- Try to build rapport with them before going directly into the questions. For example,
start with an ice breaker such as an informal talk about an issue they may be
interested in; in some instances, the interviewer might have to learn (in advance)
about the culture/s of the elderly that he/she will be interviewing. The interviewer’s
knowledge about the culture/s of the respondents can facilitate the establishment of
rapport.
- Ask open ended questions to enable them to elaborate on issues.
- Be patient, give them time to think through issues because as people get old, they
tend to forget things easily.
- Avoid going back and forth on issues because this can confuse the elderly.
- Use language that is acceptable for the elderly.
- Ensure that you dress appropriately.