Through the Eyes of an Elder: ‘Most elders don’t like change’ — but Bill is resilient

Because of my friend Bill’s loss of hearing, we completed our interview via email. The severity of his hearing loss is not surprising — the condition is most prevalent among older white males. Approximately 33% of people age 65-74 and nearly 50% of those over age 75 have a hearing loss.

I interviewed Bill via email also because he has aphasia: His language is less precise, and it takes him longer to state what he is thinking. He understood my questions, but he needed time to use the right words, create meaningful sentences and recognize errors. Bill’s wife Adie helped him resolve these issues. Bill asked for my forgiveness at the end of each email, knowing that I would need to do some “interpreting.”

Bill chose to experience a vast amount. He lived up and down the West Coast and traveled to many points between here and the other side of the world. As a youngster during World War II, he planted carrots. During the Korean War, he manned three tactical reconnaissance wings. His bachelor and master degrees led him to a career in public education.

As a child Bill frequently moved to new schools. With that newness came not only new classmates and teachers, but also the courage to accept and manage changes. He attended 14 schools prior to graduating from high school and he “never met a mean teacher nor felt unwelcome.” Understanding the importance that “students be taught what is right,” he worked for 32 years in Long Beach, Calif., as both a teacher and administrator. The history of the Bloods and Crips tells us that those years were challenging to students and staff.

When Bill visited Hood River to windsurf, he was so impressed with the area that he knew he would move here when he retired. After more than 30 years of living in the Gorge, he is still in awe of the beautiful sights and variety of scenery.

“Driving west down I-84, I notice the unique and different climates, the towns and hillsides in the Cascades, and all the trees, mountains and waterfalls. The Gorge seems like a large park to me.”

Bill sees the changes and growth as a threat to the Gorge. He notes that Hood River has its downtown streets crammed with tourists in addition to the people who play in the river. He point-ed out that the Gorge’s new commerce and industries create more crowding with incoming residents.

“Computer technology has damaged retail. For example, Sears, K-Mart and Penney’s have left The Dalles. The nationwide shortages of medical personnel and educators also affect our Gorge communities, and these shortages are becoming more apparent. Many of my friends do their grocery orders online, while high schoolers select our groceries.”

“Most elders don’t like change.” But Bill appears to accept and manage the changes that the Gorge and his health present to him. As a retired speech pathologist, I am happy that Bill uses his available resources to communicate with others. Isolation is a common occurrence as we age. He continues to show the will and the courage required to stay connected to the community.