Micheal S. - Non Participant

Okay.

All right. So could you go ahead, state your name and introduce yourself.

All right. My name Michael Singleton.

Mm hmm. Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I'm from Gary, Indiana.

Okay.

Moved to Milwaukee, I think it was in 85.

85?

Yeah. I never went to school up here. I went to school in Indiana.

Okay.

Oh, you can't hear me?

No, I can hear you. Go ahead.

And I work right now. I work at Walmart. 60th and brown deer.

Okay.

That one right there. What I enjoy doing, playing basketball, but I don't play it that much. But that's what I used to love doing.

Okay. Playing ball and staying active in general.

Yeah. Lifting weights and stuff like that. Yeah. So, yeah, you gotta stay active at my age, at least, you know what I'm saying? Cause your knees give out and your back hurt and. Ugh, it's horrible.

Is it that bad?

Yes, I'm serious. It's bad.

And how old are you?

56.

Okay.

Yeah, yeah.

All right. And can you introduce yourself?

Yes, my name is Ernestine Wallace. I'm from Lake Providence, Louisiana.

Okay.

I'm 70 years old, hoping to make it to 80.

All right.

I love fishing, running my mouth, very active with kids, but just a people person in general.

Okay.

I worked on one job for, like, 22 years. I just like a lovely all around person sometime. But other words, that's about it.

Okay. Okay. So you said you're from Gary, Indiana, and you're from Louisiana, right?

Yeah.

How did you all end up here?

What you mean?

How do you end up. How did you end up in Milwaukee? Yeah.

Oh, my mother moved up here. My mother moved up here and, well, she came up here to visit and she liked it.

So what side of town did you grow up on?

In Milwaukee? Yeah, over there on 30th, in Juneau.

Okay.

Yeah, we was over there, and then we moved to fifth and locust. Right down the street. Yeah. So. But it was all right when I moved. I really didn't want to stay up here, but my mother up here, so it was all right. Yeah, but that's where we stayed at, though. I don't feel okay.

What about you, Miss Ernstein?

Well, I had a friend up here I come to visit for two weeks, and she was going on a job hunt, and I wasn't with her, so I got hired through manpower.

Okay.

So I went back and got my baby and came back and been here ever since. And ever since from 1975.

Oh, right, right.

But I didn't stay on that job. I moved on up to different jobs. And one of my favorite jobs was working with the retarded? Mm hmm. I loved it. And then from there, I did, like, factory work. That was my next main job.

Gotcha. Gotcha. What are some of your interests and activities that you enjoy?

Well, like the boys club and stuff like that.

You tell me.

I used to go there, play ball and stuff.

Oh, the boys and girls club.

Yeah. But I just.

What about today?

Well, I really ain't doing too much today, but working. Okay, that work take up my time. Ten hour shifts. Yeah. So, um. But, yeah, that's really. I'm active like that. Really good.

You know what I'm saying? Going to work and stuff like that. Be on Facebook, seeing what's going on on there and stuff like that. You know? That's what I basically do, though.

Okay.

Cause them hours kill me, so. Yeah, for real, they kill me. Yeah. So I just do that.

Okay. What about you, Miss Ernestine?

Well, I don't work or anything, but I do volunteer, like, twice a month.

Okay.

Because of my help. Other than that, I'm a tv person and on that Internet thing.

Okay. Okay, sounds good. On a typical day, 24 hours, how do you spend it?

Well, with me, I spend mine sleeping and looking, like I said, during the Internet, most times, like I said, I be sleeping and I might babysit a little bit, but other than that, I'm not doing anything, sitting around all day.

Okay. Okay. What about you, other than working?

Well, I go down to Pottawatomie sometime and probably go get my mother and take her places and stuff like that.

Got you.

Yeah, that's basically what my day is, you know? So that's all I be doing.

Okay. Looking back, what are some life experiences you think have shaped you the most?

Let me see you say life experience.

Mm hmm. Something has happened that has really shaped who you are today.

Well, when my kids mother died, you know, that opened up my eyes a lot. You know what I'm saying? So when she died and then. No, just losing a lot of people, my family, my father, you know, cousins and stuff like that, that started making me think, you know, that life is too short, you know? You know what I'm saying? And then the other day, I just lost my guy, so, you know, me and him was real close.

Sorry to hear that.

Yeah. So it's just. And he was, what, 56? No, 57, I think. Yeah, he's 57, but, yeah, it's stuff like that, you know what I'm saying? That make me think that you gotta treat people right. Stuff like that. You know what I'm saying? You never know, when you gonna. When your time gonna come, no matter what, especially with all the crazy driving out there, you know? Cause I was just talking to her about on the way here, how that lady got killed right over here on 20th in Berline when she was in that car accident. You probably heard about it when dude was running.

It was a high speed chase, and she had picked up her grandson from school, and he ran through the red light, hit her, and flipped her car twice. Her car hit the police car. It was crazy, you know? So that's why I'm saying, you never know what's going to happen. You know what I'm saying? That's why when you going through them green lights, you still got to look at the red and see ain't nobody coming through there. You know what I'm saying? You got to.

Yeah, I hear you.

Yeah.

What about you, Miss Ernestine? What are some things that have happened in your life that really shaped who you are?

Well, from coming up, I was still wowing, you know, and I can look back and see, you know, as I got older, not to where I'm at now, but just about here, you know, I don't do the things that I used to do, and I look back and see the mistakes and what another thing is, like, me going to see my mom, and when I do go down south, I enjoy that. So that's about it.

So just kind of looking back on your life and kind of changing based on that?

What you mean by that? Based on what I said? Yeah, like I said, I was a hot head, you know?

And you kind of, as the years.

Went by, you know, like, when I got into, like, my forties and fifties, I could see a change in me from what I used to be.

Gotcha.

Mm hmm.

Gotcha. Okay, let's talk about health and well being, and we'll start with you, Michael. How do you manage your health and wellness as you age?

Well, you supposed to eat good, but me, I don't eat good. I be eating everything. I ain't gonna even lie. I'm just keeping it real. But, like, I got high blood pressure, but I didn't catch it from salt and spices. I call it from high potential stress. Yeah. You know, getting angry on the basketball court and stuff like that, you know what I'm saying? So that's how I caught the high blood pressure, and I've been having that since 95, you know what I'm saying? But it's under control.

But rather than that, you know, that's why I played a lot of basketball. But at the same time, it was like, could you get mad? People be calling weak fouls, and it was horrible. But rather than that, that's really what it is, you know, I take my pills, blood pressure pills and stuff. You gotta take them every morning? Yeah. Cholesterol and all that. But when you start aging, all type of stuff start happening to you. You be wondering, like, damn, what's next? You know what I'm saying? So that's how it be, though. But, you know, I try to.

I don't know. I don't know. What you consider eating healthy? Cause I don't eat no salads.

You don't?

No, I ain't ate no salads.

Why is that?

I don't know. I just don't eat them, you know? I don't know.

Do you eat other vegetables?

Like what, really?

Things.

Like greens and beans?

Yeah, I ain't eating no beans in a while, but greens? Yeah, yeah. Stuff and whatever. Come on the burger, like, you know, whatever. Come on.

Lettuce. I got you. I got you. Okay. What about you, Miss Ernestine? How did you. How do you manage your health and wellness as you age?

Well, I don't. I'm on. I got a lot of things going on with my body, so I just kind of deal with it because I got, like, diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure. Then I just been diagnosed with thyroid, thyroidism therapy or something like that, in grave disease. So, yeah, just found that out. So now the doctor's working on that, but I got it, if you name the problem, I pretty much got it. So my health is not too good. Most I spend my time just running to the doctor, you know, two or three times a week, you know.

So, like I said, I got all the above.

So are there things that you do at home to try to manage some of the conditions that you have?

No, because I don't exercise that much. I might start off, and then sometimes I might start off eating right, but then that happens, like a day or two, you know?

Every day counts.

Yep.

Yeah.

But you ain't going until he get ready for you. I hope you ready. Don't get ready too soon.

So. And we kind of just already talked about it. But just in case anything else comes to your mind, are there any specific routines or activities you find particularly beneficial for you?

Well, me, you be working because all that walking, I be doing.

Okay.

And they say walking. Good for you.

Yeah.

And believe me, I'll be walking 10 hours straight on this story, you know, so that's beneficial for me, though, for real. I think if I wasn't working at Walmart, I wouldn't be doing that, walking like that. You know what I'm saying? So, yeah, I think that's beneficial for me.

Okay.

Yeah.

What about you, Miss Ernestine?

Well, for me, like I said, I don't want to do too much, but I do move around in the house, move stuff around and up and down the stairs, washing or something.

Other than that, it's still a routine, so that's fair. Okay. Can you describe any challenges you face in maintaining your health and how you overcome them? So, Miss Ernestine, you did mention a number of things, a number of challenges that you have in terms of your health. What do you think you can do to overcome some of them?

I mean, I can walk more, but then I can't because I'm afraid of. I'm afraid of falling. Cause I'd be falling a lot, so.

Oh, do you?

Mm hmm.

Okay.

And I do cooking.

Yeah.

Mm hmm. Other than that, I'm not doing anything to really help. Like I said, I sleep all the time, you know, if I'm not back and forth to the doctors and stuff.

Yeah. Is that a result of any of your conditions, your sleepiness or you just tired?

Just tired, yeah. Just be beat and don't be undead or anything, you know?

Yeah, I hear you. What about you, Michael?

Me? Probably eat better.

Eat better?

Yeah. Because I really don't be eating the stuff I supposed to eat.

Yeah.

You know, so I think that'll help me out a whole lot. If I eat a lot better. Eat certain peanuts, you know what I'm saying?

Some salads probably, so I don't know. A little salad here. There.

Salads be good, though.

Salads be good.

I don't be interested in them. I swear I don't. But they be looking good. They be looking good, I swear. But that's probably what I can do. Eat better, though.

Yeah.

Instead of always eating. I love chicken. I eat chicken like, man.

You ever had a chicken salad?

No. No, I ain't never had no chicken salad, but I eat chicken. I ain't got time to be putting no chickens. Lettuce and all that. I just eat the chicken.

I'm telling you. It's good.

Yeah, I believe it's good. Probably what my problem is trying to find a salad dressing to go on there or something.

Okay.

You know what I'm saying?

Yeah. Cause it is a lot out there.

Yeah.

I feel you. We talked about diet, we talked about exercise. Let's talk about mental health. Which strategies do you find most effective for staying healthy mentally?

If you follow a diet all the time? Yeah, that'll be healthy for you and exercising and stuff like that. But you gotta make it a routine. You just can't do it one day and stop or, you know, but with.

Regards to, like, your mental, where your head's at.

Oh, you don't want to.

I like to read, though.

Okay.

You know what I'm saying? As long as you can keep reading, I think you're doing good. You know what I'm saying? So that's what I be doing, reading little stuff on the phone and stuff like that. That's what I be doing. Keep it up. Then I be playing games on the phone, you know what I'm saying? Well, on the table, I be playing games, you know, keep my mind focused and to keep it. Using it. You know what I'm saying?

Yeah. Yeah.

So that's what I be doing, though.

Okay.

Like me, I do a lot of crossword puzzles and stuff like that.

Okay.

And then sometimes I can put the puzzle in and then forgot where I put it at and look and can't remember what. What it was about.

Yeah, that's tough. What about emotionally? How do you stay healthy?

I try to stay away from the negative stuff.

Okay.

That negative energy. I try to stay away from.

Stay away from it.

Yeah. Because they kill you faster than anything on the rhythm. So that's what I try to do, stay away from negative people. You know what I'm saying? There's a lot of them around, so. Especially in my family. So you try to stay away from them, you know? So that's what I do. And I don't be going out like I used to. I used to stay in the street, but I stay out the street now, you know.

I changed my life on that mess, you know? So, yeah, that's what I do, though.

Okay. What about you, Miss Ernestine?

I couldn't put too much on that because I really don't deal with people. I don't like company no more, you know, and stuff like that. So I'm pretty much, if it ain't on the tv or I'm not on the Internet, you know, I just don't do, you know, on socialize and nothing like that.

So you feel, like emotionally, like, do you have any, like, coping mechanisms or anything like that, that, that you kind of carry out to keep your emotions?

Well, I listen to music.

Music.

Okay. Yeah. But other than that, like I said, sometimes I just don't want to be around people so I don't even want you knocking on the door, you know? And guess what? Don't nobody come around me, really.

And I ain't gonna answer. All right, let's talk about staying informed and engaged. Okay? And then we'll start with you, Michael. With all of the information that is available, how do you stay informed about the world around you? And are there particular sources or methods you trust?

Well. Well, only how I be staying in tune because I get on Facebook, find out what's going on. You know what I'm saying? Especially with the news. And then talking to my mother, she'll tell me some stuff, but rather I watch the news, you know what I'm saying?

The local news or national news, the.

One that be on my phone.

Oh, okay.

Yeah, I be watching the news. World news. I like world news.

Yeah.

Follow what's going on. Then I go on YouTube and find out stuff. You know what I'm saying? I do it that way just to stay in touch with stuff, you know? Cause that's how I find out a lot of stuff that what's going. Even what's going on in Milwaukee. On their phone? Yeah. Yep. So that's how I stay in tune with stuff. Or I ask somebody at work, or they tell me some stuff, you know, stuff like that.

So, like word of mouth.

Yeah, that's really. Yeah. But rather, I'd really be on the phone on my tablet, looking at stuff, you know what I'm saying? Even though you can't trust a lot of stuff on there, you know what I'm saying? Like, I just seen something on that last night, talking about Kyrie Irving play for Milwaukee bucks. It wasn't true. You know what I'm saying? But it was on the phone. I mean, it was on. Yeah, it was on my phone. I'm like, man, this is not true.

But they made it seem like it would.

Yeah.

So. Yeah. And stuff like that. You can't believe all of it, right?

Right. What about you, Miss Ernsteen? Pretty much.

I listen to home, you know, preaching online. I got mount. And then, you know, you got these vestures in the Bible, you know, that's on Internet. I do stuff like that. Okay. And with my mom. And they down south spend a lot of time talking to them.

Okay. But other than, like, kind of, you know, doing your reading in the Bible, I'm assuming.

Mm hmm. Well, I read anything.

Oh, okay, so you're saying you just read.

Mm hmm.

Okay. Do you read, like, newspapers and stuff like that?

Not the news. Yeah, well, the little papers you get out to grocery stores and stuff like that?

Like the red book?

No, not the red book. Well, I get the red book too, and see what's on. Cause there ain't nothing in the red book for me. Unless you're looking for a place or something like that.

Right. Or a car or something.

Mm hmm.

Okay. Okay.

You can't even trust that either.

Mm mm.

You cannot trust that.

They ain't got Craig list in the red book.

No, but somebody just got, dude got killed in Milwaukee by going, supposed to be going to buy a car from.

Somebody using the red book.

I don't know if he used the red book or not, but you can't trust them ads in there like that.

I got you.

If you gonna go buy a car for somebody, you tell them, meet you at the police station. That's what I tell them. I'm not finna go where they going. No, I don't trust them like that.

I hear you. I hear you. How important is it for you to keep up with current episodes? And I know you talked about that a little bit, but. So I guess, Miss Ernestine, this would mostly be to you. How important is it for you to keep up with current events?

I mean, I don't just dwell on it. It's not that important to me.

Okay, tell me why not.

Because I feel like this. If I'm gonna dwell down in it, I might as well dwell down in something else about the events of, you know, like, I like going fishing and stuff. If I can't go fishing, why would I dwell down in it? I wish I can go fishing, which I have done, you know?

Mm hmm. Okay. How do you feel about using technology to access news and information? Do you find it easy or challenging?

Easier.

Yeah. Why do you find it easier?

Because you can go straight to what you're looking for, and that's what I be doing, you know? And, yeah, I find it. I find it more easier to do it like that.

Yeah.

Yeah. And you could get it more faster too.

Mm hmm. Because it's right in the palm of your hand.

Yeah. So, yeah, I like it like that. It ain't really challenging. You just put it in there. What you want know. Yeah. And then it pop up for real.

Okay.

Yep. I like that.

What about you?

I find. I find it challenging to me because even with my phone now, some of the things I can't do, and my grandkids can do it, you know, my.

Grandmother, like what.

Trying to download or send pictures and stuff like that, I do it, but somehow another they. They don't get it. I never do it right.

Yeah.

I'm just not with it all at.

You take savvy like that. Yeah, that's understandable. You know, it's funny because sometimes I have a hard time myself, you know, and some people are like, oh, well, you young, and it's, like, real.

That don't mean nothing.

Means nothing.

I still got a hard time doing this stuff.

Yeah. Let's talk about interest in evidence based programs. Okay, so those were the programs that I was talking about before we started the. Okay. Have you ever participated in any structured programs or classes focused on health and wellness?

I know I haven't.

No.

I didn't even know about them, really?

So you've never heard of anything like that?

That's where you come go place to find out what I'm trying to say. When you eat it, you know, manage your food, what you call it.

Yeah, it could be. It could be something like that. Like a kind of nutritionist. Yeah, it could be something like that. But the programs. So one of the programs that I gave an example about is, like, diabetes management or fall prevention. Like, so that would be kind of relevant to you because you said you fall a lot, right?

Yeah.

So that is kind of like the type of programs that we're referring to when we say evidence based programs.

Yeah. Like, my doctor, they refer me to the places, but I don't go to.

Why not?

I don't know. Because the one I went to, I always didn't like the people's. They wasn't really telling you nothing. They talk to you a bit and step out the room to come back and the session over anyway.

Hmm. So you. So you've tried one or you've been.

To one, even with the foot doctor.

Okay. What was the activity?

Huh?

What was the activity?

Oh, he didn't do. No, that's the thing. He didn't do anything. And just say what you want me to do, and I'm like, what you supposed to do? You the foot doc?

You know, was it one on one or was it a group?

One on one.

Okay.

But you talking group.

Yeah. Yeah. So you never been in, like, a class setting?

No.

No. Okay. That's interesting that you're saying that, though. That's not.

Mm mm.

That's not great.

And even like I told. Told my doctor, I'm like, don't send me back over there.

Mm hmm. Evidence based programs can offer structured ways to improve health and wellness over an eight week period. So it's about eight weeks long. What are your initial thoughts on joining such a program? What would make you interested or not interested in participating?

Do they be, I mean, like, they.

Help you with your health, so it's more of a class. So it teaches you, like, for example, with the diabetes class, like, it teaches you how to manage, you know?

Oh, I know what you're talking about.

Yeah.

Like if it was with a high blood pressure, it teach you how to manage it.

Right.

Oh, okay. Yeah.

Would you be interested in something like that?

It depends when they be holding it.

Okay.

Something like that, yeah.

And with the. Would the eight week period kind of turn you off or.

Eight weeks?

Yeah. You think that's too long?

It depends. How long is the class?

It all depends. Some of the classes have different, like, time frames, so some of them, I've seen some like 2 hours, I've seen.

Some like 3 hours that might interfere with my work schedule, though.

Okay. So that's a potential barrier for you.

Yeah, it might interfere with it.

Okay.

Cause I be working on ten hour shifts, so.

Yeah.

Yeah. Every day, them ten hour shifts, that's tough. Yep.

What about you, miss Ernestine?

I don't think so, because I have so many doctor's appointments. Just say next week. I got four in a row. I done went like, what, four times this week already? And then I would need a ride there and back.

So transportation would be a barrier for you and scheduling.

Mm hmm.

Okay. Do either one of you have any other barriers, would you say? Like, I know one person that I interviewed said that they babysit from like eight to three, you know? No, I'm not, I'm not saying that you do that, but is there something else kind of like, in your life right now that would keep you from participating in an evidence based program?

Nothing. But like I said, my own personal going to the doctor and stuff, scheduling, transportation, me.

It'd be my job.

Your job.

Yeah, I know it'd be that job.

Okay, so understanding. Well, we already talked about barriers, but let's talk about incentives. So what will make you come to one of the programs? What incentives would kind of lure you in? Would you say.

Money in a ride?

I probably say if they really help you, you know, like with stuff that you need, like that, you know, I'm saying they help you with stuff. Like, okay, for instance, they cut my health insurance because I work at Walmart, say I make too much money, so they cut it. Now I have to pay cash for my blood pressure pill.

Yeah.

See, stuff like that. You know what I'm saying? If they help with stuff like that, then. Yeah. You know, I even tell people about it for real. If they did stuff like that, that'd be cool, you know?

Yeah.

Yeah, that'd be cool.

Okay. Well, I appreciate you all coming to talk to me today. That will be the end of our interview.

I thought we.