Taylor DasbachFebruary 3, 2014GRN 1000Intergenerational InterviewingInterviewing an Elder: David LattaOn the night of Saturday, February 1, 2014, I sat down with my grandfather, David Latta, to conduct an interview with him . He currently lives in Clarkston, Michigan, in the newly renovated basement of my mother's house, along with my stepfather, my sister, and her son. You could say that my mother's family is a rather crowded nest, with four generations living under the same roof. The perspective my grandfather gains from living in a similar atmosphere is not only something I kept in mind as I conducted this interview, but something that guided my questions. David Stark Latta is my mother's stepfather, he was born December 6, 1937 in Pontiac, Michigan and spent most of his life here. David raised my mother and three other children from his previous marriage. My grandfather and I talked for about an hour, the interview became more of a conversation, it was very comfortable for him to talk to me about his life and no questions were really off limits; he and I have a wonderful, close relationship. When the interview started he turned on the television and offered me a beer, and I started by asking him about his childhood. He told me that as a teenager he spent much of his summer days swimming with his friends in a gravel pit-turned-lake. They played baseball at fields near Maceday Lake, which is a well-known local lake, and went camping on weekends at the Pontiac Recreation Area. These kids he grew up with in high school still remain in close contact with my grandfather. He tells me that about 11 or 12 of them gather at Coney Island almost every......middle of paper......interactions observed between my grandfather and my sister (26) and my nephew (5) and I see positive results on both sides. The old can always offer something to the young; experience, knowledge or what have you. Just as young people can influence and support the connection of older people with society. We are active agents, who must remain active, of society, and we create the world around us (Social Constructionism). It is up to each individual to remain somehow connected to the active world, memories of positive past life events alone cannot only support a successful life in old age. David Latta's relationship with me and my family background follow the course of life end in the present day Describe the length of the interview comfort Describe how receptive he wasInterview topicstypical summer dayinventionsbiggest challengescurrent ageView as page download