HB Late Adulthood
Theories of social and personality development
Successful Aging Paradigm (Rowe & Kahn, 1998)
Social Relationship
Career Issues in Late Life
Experience of Death
Meaning of death across lifespan
The Preparation of Death
Erikson’s Stages: Ego Integrity vs. Despair
Ego Integrity
sense that one has lived a useful life
how his/her life has been lived
the opportunities gained and lost
(psychologically)
Despair
hopelessness
too little time to make changes
⭐ Successfully achieve ego integrity ➡ better preparation of death
The Process of Reminiscence (ways in achieving ego integrity) (not be Erikson)
Reminiscence
reflecting or thinking about the past
Life Review
evaluative process in which elders make judgment about past behavior
⭐ successfully balanced both positive and negative emotions throughout life review ➡better mental health
Baltes and Baltes (1990)
older adults maintain higher performance by concentrating on strengths
Activity Theory
maintain greatest possible level of activity
involvement in greatest number of roles ➡psychological and physical healthy
active adults
slightly greater satisfaction with themselves
healthiest life
highest morale
Selective + Optimization (recall middle adulthood)
Disengagement Theory
“shrinkage” of life space
fewer interaction and social roles
increasing individuality
less governed by strict rules or expectations
actively disengage from roles and relationships
Continuity Theory
maintain consistency in activities and interests
adapt life-long interest and activities
Health
Mental Activity (Cognitive adventurous)
Social Engagement
Productivity
Life Satisfaction
Social Role
physical and cognitive changes affect roles
“ageism” affects roles
“looking old” can lead to negative stereotypes about competence
“ageism” applied to older women more than men (=/= discrimination)
elder roles have fewer expectations from others
daily routines
risk of isolation or alienation
Living Arrangements
Aging in place
modifying private residence to satisfy the changing needs
changing normal environment is more preferable than moving into an institution
comprehensive “home-based” care has strong positive effects on elder’s physical and mental health
Cultural Differences in Living Arrangements
“Filial piety”
cultural belief that children have duty to take
care of elderly parents
common feature of Asian cultures (live with children are less depressed)
“Filial piety” (affection and attachment)
elder (esp male) depend on children for financial help often experience emotional distress
Partnerships
marriage
loyalty, familiarity, companionship, and mutual investment
higher levels of pleasure and less conflict
remarkable care each other
death of spouse
men remarry at higher rates
older men more likely to date
men and women benefit emotionally from remarriage
married older adults have higher life satisfaction, better health, and lower rates of institutionalization
Family Relationships
Contacts with adult children
85% see at least one child at least once a week
give and receive social and financial support with children
sense of well-being
childless older couples are just as happy as those who have children
Grandchildren and Siblings
contact with grandchildren declines as they become adults
become more important with age
not practical assistance
emotional support
Friendships
support network
improve life satisfaction, self-esteem, and reduce loneliness
companionship, laughter, shared activities
reciprocal or equitable than those with family members
provide assistance with daily tasks
Timing of Retirement
decline in average age of retirement
working part-time
multi-phase process than single-life event
“bridge jobs” to retirement
late marriages and raising grandchildren delays retirement
Reasons for Early Retirement
Health
family composition and consideration
finanaces
work characteristics
lv of enjoyment
Choosing “Not” to Retire
Choosing “Not” to Retire
well educated, healthy professionals often keep working
more satisfaction than retirement
learn new job skills and remain productive
Types of death
Clinical death
ew minutes after the heart stops pumping, breathing stops, no evidence of brain activity but resuscitation still possible
Brain death
eg.vegetative
Social death
e.g. close the eyes by a nurse
“Decedent treated” by others
Hospice Care (usually for frail elderly)
Home-based programs
cared by family members and support by specially trained health care workers
Hospice centers
cared by specially trained health care
workers in a home-based settings
Hospital-based programs
provide “palliative care” :medical care
cared by hospital personnel,
with daily involvement of family members
Children’s and Adolescents’ believe on Death
Preschool aged children (before 5)
e.g., grandma will wake up later even she is dead
personal life experiences help understand death
School-aged children (6-12)
Understand permanence and universality of death
Adolescents
inevitable
false believe that death is a pleasurable experience
Early adulthood’s believe on death
“Unique invulnerability”
sense of unique invulnerability prevents intense fear of death
increased fear of death follow by open discussion of the process of dying
sudden loss of a loved one often shakes young adult ideas about death and invulnerability
Middle Adulthood’s believe on death
death anxiety and most fearful of death
loss of the sense of unique in invulnerability
moving into the elder positions in the family and in the society
Influences on losing a parent
role of elder in the family structure
time left until death instead of time lived since birth
Late Adulthood’s believe on death
higher sense of ego integrity ➡ less fear of death
preoccupied with the past ➡ more fearful and anxious
older adults think and talk more about death than anyone else ➡less fearful
Death as loss
older adults worry more about the loss of time to complete inner
work
Practical preparations
purchase life insurance
make a will
direct his/her own “living will” (eating habits, personal wish)
funeral planning
Deeper preparation
Some process of “reminiscence”
Unconscious changes
terminal drop for psychological health
drop in memory and learning
less emotional, introspective, and aggressive; more conventional, dependent and warm
Responses to Death
Attitudes and behavioral choices can influence the course of a terminal disease
“Those who struggle the most, fight the hardest, express their anger and hostility openly, and who find some sources of joy in their lives live longer” (Steven Greer)
“optimism” may also help survival
social support is important
the preparation of death and accepting its imminence
the choices he/she has made