Do you need this or any other assignment done for you from scratch?
We have qualified writers to help you.
We assure you a quality paper that is 100% free from plagiarism and AI.
You can choose either format of your choice ( Apa, Mla, Havard, Chicago, or any other)
NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.
NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.
Description of the Case
Than main characters of Space Cowboys are four ex-pilots William Hawkins, Frank Corvin, Tank Sullivan, and Jerry O’Neill. Each of them faces limitations related to their age and impacting their body functions as well as imposing activity limitations. Activity limitations are particularly important when combined with the contextual factors: due to an unforeseen situation, the four characters have to complete a space mission and are undergoing astronaut training. However, Hawkins and Corvin have problems with experiencing acceleration involved in a space flight, and O’Neill is barely able to jog two miles while also having problems with the quality of vision.
None of the characters has any digits, limbs, organs, or other integral body parts missing, and neither of them suffers any bodily disfigurements, thus meaning there are no impairments involved in their respective conditions. In the course of the plot, Frank is discovered to have late-stage pancreatic cancer, but it is specifically stressed that it does not affect his flight readiness and body functioning at the moment. Two characters demonstrate no social participation restrictions either – on the contrary, Sullivan is a Methodist preacher who interacts with his laymen in different ways, and O’Neill. However, Corvin lives with no one more than his wife and is openly hostile to visitors, and Hawkins pilots a private plane on a remote airfield, possibly suggesting voluntary reclusiveness.
Overview of the Movie
Theories Covered in the Movie
The movie addresses the two most prevalent varieties of the theories of aging simultaneously, and the first one among these is the representation of aging as a genetically predefined process. The essence of this theory is that aging is coded in the genome, whether explicitly or implicitly, and progresses at a similar rate across the species without significant individual variations (Sergiev, Dontsove, and Berezkin, 2015). The movie hints at this theory at one point: when the characters undergo a medical examination, Hawkins recognizes one of the doctors as the daughter of his former colleague. Upon inquiring about his health, Hawkins learns that he had died several years ago and then sarcastically asks Corvin whether he noticed how everybody seems to be dead lately. The implication of the joke is obvious: be referring to the deaths of their colleagues, Hawkins suggests that he and his teammates likely do not have much left to live either. By doing so, he assumes that aging is genetically programmed, thus supporting the first group of the theories of aging.
The second variety is also present in the movie and maintains that aging is caused by the gradual accumulation of molecular damage. The fact that the film refers to both types of theories of aging should not be confusing because, as Sergiev, Dontsove, and Berezkin (2015) point out, they are not mutually exclusive. When Corvin visits O’Neill to convince him to participate in the mission, the two briefly discuss their dietary restrictions. From the concise description of said diets, one may conclude that Corvin deliberately limits calorie intake to lower metabolic rate and slow down the buildup of toxic metabolic waste (Sergiev, Dontsove, and Berezkin, 2015). This approach designates him as an adherent of the second variety of theories of aging that attributes it to the accumulation of damages over time.
Leisure Interventions
The characters demonstrate numerous leisure interventions in the film. To begin with, none of them lives in social isolation, and everyone interacts with numerous people regularly. Sullivan is a preacher who converses with his flock, O’Neill is popular with the ladies, and even Corvin and Hawkins, for all their reclusiveness, both receive visitors. Goelitz, Trenkamp, and Paulus (2017) point out that receiving visitors as a type of leisure activity impacts the well-being of the elderly positively. Apart from receiving visitors, the characters actively socialize by visiting pubs and bars, and Hawkins and Corvin even jokingly compete for the attention of a young waitress.
Aside from these leisure activities, one of the characters would have benefitted from an intervention that is not shown in the movie. As mentioned above, Hawkins has pancreatic cancer, even though it does not affect his flight readiness at the moment. Had Hawkins been not an astronaut-in-training, but a community-dwelling elderly person, he would likely require a disease self-management program to cope with his condition (Smallfield and Molitor, 2018). This intervention would have allowed him to participate in social and leisure activities more fully while not leaving his medical condition unattended.
Conclusion
Space Cowboys depicts four elderly ex-pilots and astronauts-to-be whose age imposes certain activity limitations upon them. While the contextual requirements for their physical fitness are high, the characters do not always stand up to the rigors involved in a space flight. The film reflects two varieties of the theories of aging attributing it to either genetic programming or the gradual buildup of damage within the organism. The characters have no social participation restrictions, as demonstrated by their participation in a broad range of leisure activities. However, Hawkins would benefit from a disease self-management program to cope with his condition.
Reference List
Sergiev, P., Dpntsova, O. and Berezkin, G. (2015). ‘Theories of aging: An ever-evolving field,’ Acta Naturae, 7(1), pp. 9-18.
Smallfield, S. and Molitor, W. (2018). ‘Occupational therapy interventions supporting social participation and leisure engagement for community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review,’ The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72(4), pp. 7204190020p1-7204190020p8.
Do you need this or any other assignment done for you from scratch?
We have qualified writers to help you.
We assure you a quality paper that is 100% free from plagiarism and AI.
You can choose either format of your choice ( Apa, Mla, Havard, Chicago, or any other)
NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.
NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.