MartyT Posted March 12, 2017 Report Share Posted March 12, 2017 (edited) Have you experienced the death of a spouse in the past five years? Are you between the ages of 18-75? If so, researchers from the University of Illinois are interested in hearing your story. We are conducting interviews with individuals who have recently lost a spouse. Interested participants will engage in an audio-recorded interview about their experiences with loss. Interviews will take approximately 45–90 minutes and will remain confidential. Participants who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or resident aliens will receive a $20 Amazon e-gift card in exchange for their involvement. If you might be interested in participating, please contact me to learn more or to set up an interview: Erin C. Wehrman, Doctoral Candidate University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaignewehrma2@illinois.edu Thank you! Edited March 27, 2017 by MartyT Age range revised per Erin Wehrman 3.27.17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margm Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 Well Marty, they discriminated against my age. Can I demonstrate? Well, considering it is in Illinois and the weather they are having, I will just go quietly away. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 Marg: I got in touch with them and they said they had amended it to 18-7'something or 80. Anyway, I might participate. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 I just finished the interview. Erin is a sweetheart, so kind and compassionate. I shed lots of tears but it was also quite cathartic. I think they're amending it to include up to 75 if I remember correctly. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scba Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 Brad, May I ask which kind of questions they made? Was it conducted by phone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyT Posted March 14, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 Thank you so much, Brad, for sharing your experience with all of us, and I'm so pleased to know what you thought of Erin's approach to your interview. I have emailed Erin to ask if I can change the age limit she has indicated in her invitation, above. As soon as I hear back from her, I will make that change. ♥ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 Getting ready to do the interview....will let you all know how it goes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 1 hour ago, scba said: Brad, May I ask which kind of questions they made? Was it conducted by phone? Ana - The interview initially was by Skype but then Skype is not reliable and she was having problems with screen freezes so we switched to FaceTime and then to phone. The interview for me ran about one and a half hours but then I talk a lot. The questions started with talking about Deedo, then her death, how I coped, what I did, those sort of things and then questions about how others treated me and how they communicated with me. Like I said, I had many tearful moments and Erin was very kind and professional. For me, it was a worthwhile experience. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayc Posted March 15, 2017 Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 My timeline doesn't fit. Maybe they think you're over it after five years. Funny, five years, twelve years, it's all the same...he's still not here. I hadn't even started to build my life at five years, it was just go to work, come home. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mittam99 Posted March 15, 2017 Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 I have to agree here with Kay. Why is the study being done only for those five years or less out? It seems to me they should make an adjustment to that. After all, it isn't as though our pain and anguish is gone at five years. Or our memories. Seems odd they did that and not very inclusive. My two cents. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyT Posted March 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 Kay and Mitch, those are comments that you might want to share with the person who is conducting the study. Such insights may inform her research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margm Posted March 15, 2017 Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 I probably won't take it. Yesterday I did not take my Kindle into my granddaughters counseling session. (I sit out front and read), but I had my GriefShare workbook. I tried doing some of it and I find I think I must be totally trying to hide or a coward. I open up here as much as I want to open up. We all have opinions and some of mine are not worth sharing, for you or for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyT Posted March 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 This just in from Erin: Hi Marty, Thank you again for all of your help. Your members have been incredibly helpful. I am currently in the process of requesting a change to my age range from the university IRB. I shouldn't have any issues with my request, but my dissertation committee would only approve my range increase to 18-75. I truly hope this does not make any of your members feel excluded--this was absolutely not the intention. If someone is right outside of the age range but wishes to participate, there are more than welcome to still contact me and I will see what I can do. Would you mind waiting to change the posting on your website until my request is processed through the IRB office? I will happily email you as soon as I hear from the department (it should only be a few days). People are welcome to contact me in the meantime, however, and I can schedule them a few days out to make sure I have approval first. Since I am very interested in the voices of all individuals, I am working on a second study that anyone of any age or loss could participate in. It will likely be a bit before I advertise for it since I am currently focused on the interviews, but I'm happy to share details about it when it's ready, too, if you think your members might be interested. This is definitely an area of study that we need to understand and recognize more. Again thank you. I cannot express my gratitude enough. My best, Erin Wehrman Doctoral Candidate Department of Communication University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 4070 Lincoln Hall, Pod I, 702 S. Wright St. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Froggie4635 Posted March 16, 2017 Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 I have an appointment for my interview for tomorrow with Erin. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scba Posted March 17, 2017 Report Share Posted March 17, 2017 On 16/3/2017 at 3:56 PM, Froggie4635 said: I have an appointment for my interview for tomorrow with Erin. On 14/3/2017 at 7:37 PM, Cookie said: Getting ready to do the interview....will let you all know how it goes Cookie, Marian. How it went? I've sent too an email to Erin asking info about the research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayc Posted March 18, 2017 Report Share Posted March 18, 2017 Maryann, how did the interview go today? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Froggie4635 Posted March 18, 2017 Report Share Posted March 18, 2017 It was a good experience. Our conversation lasted just about 2 hours. It was amazing how emotional I still got talking about Mark's loss. A good bit of it was opened questions and Erin was a GREAT listener. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyT Posted March 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2017 Thanks so much for letting us know, Maryann! I so appreciate our members' willingness to participate in studies like this one. It is yet another way to assist in our efforts to better understand the bereaved and learn what we can do better to support them. ♥ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwenivere Posted March 18, 2017 Report Share Posted March 18, 2017 I don't think I could do this as it would open doors and I'm not sure I would make sense thru all the sobbing I envision. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted March 20, 2017 Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 On 03/17/2017 at 2:58 PM, scba said: Cookie, Marian. How it went? I've sent too an email to Erin asking info about the research. Will be doing it tomorrow morning, the 21st. Will let you all know after that.....she seems very nice, though....Cookie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted March 20, 2017 Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 On 03/18/2017 at 5:51 PM, Gwenivere said: I don't think I could do this as it would open doors and I'm not sure I would make sense thru all the sobbing I envision. I'm a little worried about that too, but feel like maybe I need some more release. I have such a hard time dealing with just feeling all this. I also would like to contribute in some way to an understanding of what we are all going through. But, I don't think this is for everyone. Good to talk to you Gwenivere. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm a little anxious....Cookie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted March 20, 2017 Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 On 03/15/2017 at 10:19 AM, Marg M said: I probably won't take it. Yesterday I did not take my Kindle into my granddaughters counseling session. (I sit out front and read), but I had my GriefShare workbook. I tried doing some of it and I find I think I must be totally trying to hide or a coward. I open up here as much as I want to open up. We all have opinions and some of mine are not worth sharing, for you or for me. I know what you mean Marg. I am a little nervous because it seems like I put so much effort into avoiding the pain, but that is actually the reason I'm going to do this. I can feel it in my gut all the time and it hurts all the time; thought maybe I need a release.....Cookie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted March 20, 2017 Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 On 03/15/2017 at 8:26 AM, kayc said: My timeline doesn't fit. Maybe they think you're over it after five years. Funny, five years, twelve years, it's all the same...he's still not here. I hadn't even started to build my life at five years, it was just go to work, come home. Agreed..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margm Posted March 20, 2017 Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 I avoid the topic except on here. My being older might be a blessing for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted March 20, 2017 Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 5 hours ago, Cookie said: I'm a little worried about that too, but feel like maybe I need some more release. I have such a hard time dealing with just feeling all this. I also would like to contribute in some way to an understanding of what we are all going through. But, I don't think this is for everyone. Good to talk to you Gwenivere. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm a little anxious....Cookie I was impressed with how compassionate Erin is. More than once she asked me if I needed a break to compose myself. I was concerned that my tears would make her uncomfortable but she was very warm and accepting. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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