Life Span DevelopmentSpring 2010PHYSICAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN LATE ADULTHOODChapter 17

SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT IN LATE ADULTHOODChapter 18

DEATH AND DYINGChapter 19

Physical and Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood

Age 65 – DeathOutward signs of aging

◦ Thinning/ graying hair◦ Face/ skin wrinkling◦ People become noticeably shorter

Internal aging◦ Brain becomes smaller and lighter◦ Blood flow is reduced within the brain◦ Hardening and shrinking of blood vessels

throughout the body◦ Respiratory system is less efficient◦ Digestive system less efficient

Psychological and Mental Disorders 15-25% of individuals over the age of 65 show symptoms

of psychological disorder Major depression – feelings of intense sadness,

pessimism and hopelessness◦ Partly due to cumulative loss (death of partner and

friends)◦ Declining health and physical capabilities◦ Loss of independence and control

Drug-induced psychological disorders◦ Drug intoxication◦ Anxiety

Dementia◦ Broad category of serious memory loss and decline in

mental functioning◦ Lessened intellectual functioning◦ The most common mental disorder in late adulthood◦ Chances of experiencing dementia increases with age

Alzheimer’s DiseaseA progressive brain disorder that produces

memory loss and confusionSymptoms of Alzheimer’s appear graduallyUnusual forgetfulnessTrouble recalling certain words during

conversationRecent memory deteriorates first, then older

memoriesEventual total confusion – inability to speak

intelligently or recognize family and friendsLoss of muscle control and bed confinement

(near the end of life)

Exercising the Aging BrainContinued cognitive stimulation

keeps cognitive abilities sharpTraining showed long-term

effectsEngaging in some form of mental

workout- consistently and continually increasing the level of difficulty-is key to success

Memory: Remembrance of Things Past – and Present

Episodic memory◦ Specific life experiences◦ Most memory losses

Semantic memory◦ General knowledge and facts◦ Typically unaffected by age

Short-term memory◦ Declines gradually until age 70 (more pronounced)◦ Information presented quickly and verbally is

forgotten sooner◦ Newer information is more difficult to recall

Information-Processing Deficits

Inability to inhibit irrelevant information and thoughts declines

Speed of processing declinesAttention declinesLess efficient retrieval methods

What else?Power and prestige for elderly have

eroded in industrialized societiesRapidly changing technology causes

older adults to be seen as lacking important skills

Older adults are seen as non-productive members of society and in some cases simply irrelevant

Living in Nursing HomesGreater the extent of nursing home

care = greater adjustment required of residents

Loss of independence brought about by institutional life may lead to difficulties

Elderly people are as susceptible to society’s stereotypes about nursing homes

Financial Vulnerability in Older AdulthoodReliance on a fixed income for

support ◦Social Security benefits◦ Pensions, and savings, rarely keeps

up with inflation

Rising cost of health care

The Cost of Staying Well

Elderly face rising health costsAverage older person spends 20

percent of his or her income on health care costs

Nursing homes can cost $30,000 to $40,000 a year

Work and RetirementRetirement is major decisionSocial SecurityPart-time employmentMandatory retirement

Some employers..Encourage older workers to leave

their jobs in order to replace them with younger employees whose salaries will be considerably lower

Believe older workers are not up to demands of the job or are less willing to adapt to a changing workplace

Retirement

Retirement decision based on variety of factors

BurnoutHealth concernsEmployer incentives Desire to travel, study, or spend more

time with family

Death of SpouseFew events are more painful than

death of spouse◦No longer part of a couple◦Must deal with profound grief◦No one to share life with and social

life often changes◦Economic changes often occur

Why do friends matter?

Friendships in late adulthood:Allow older adults more control about

whom to include in a friendshipMay be more flexibleRelate to increasing likelihood, over

time, that one will be without marital partner

Social SupportSocial support is assistance and

comfort supplied by another person or a network of caring, interested people◦ Important for successful aging◦ Sympathy and empathy◦ Can help furnish material support such as

solve problems, give a ride, or fix broken things

◦ Dogs can be especially good at providing social support

Elder Abuse

Physical or psychological mistreatment or neglect of

elderly individualsMay affect as many as 2 million

people above the age of 60 each yearIs most frequently committed by

family member

Erikson’s Final StageEgo-integrity versus despair:Characterized by looking back over one’s life,

evaluating it, and coming to terms with itSuccess at this stage:

◦ Integrity – fulfilled the possibilities that have come their way

◦ Few or no regrets◦ Sense of satisfaction and accomplishment

Difficulty at this stage (lack of success):◦ Looking back on one’s life with

disappointment◦ Regret over missed opportunities◦ Have not accomplished what they wished◦ Unhappy, depressed, angry (despair) over

the way their life turned out

Coping with aging Bernice Neugarten studied the different ways people

cope with aging:◦ Disintegrated and disorganized personalities are

unable to accept aging, experience despair as they get older, often end up in nursing homes or hospitalized

◦ Passive-dependent personalities lead lives filled with fear of falling ill, fear of the future, fear of their own inability to cope

◦ Defended personalities seek to ward off aging and attempt to act young, exercising vigorously, and engaging in youthful activities that could lead to unrealistic expectations and disappointment

◦ Integrated personalities cope comfortably with aging and accept becoming older with a sense of dignity

Death and DyingDeath Across the Life SpanDeath does not always occur

during old ageHow do our reactions with death

evolve as we age?

Death in Infancy and Childhood

Prenatal Death:◦ Parents typically form psychological bonds

with unborn child◦ Feel profound grief when a child dies

before it is bornInfant/ Child Death:

◦ SIDS◦ Most frequent causes of childhood death:

Motor vehicle accidents Drowning Fires

Confronting DeathDr Elisabeth Kübler-Ross pioneered methods in

the support and counseling of personal trauma, grief and grieving, associated with death and dying.

She also dramatically improved the understanding and practices in relation to bereavement and hospice care.

The study of death and dying is actually known as thanatology (from the Greek word 'thanatos' meaning death).

Kübler-Ross's five stages of grief model was developed initially as a model for helping dying patients to cope with death and bereavement, however the concept also provides insight and guidance for coming to terms with personal trauma and change, and for helping others with emotional adjustment and coping

Kübler-Ross's five stages of grief Denial:

Denial is usually only a temporary defense for the individual. This feeling is generally replaced with heightened awareness of situations and individuals that will be left behind after death.

Anger: Once in the second stage, the individual recognizes that denial cannot

continue. Because of anger, the person is very difficult to care for due to misplaced feelings of rage and envy. Any individual that symbolizes life or energy is subject to projected resentment and jealousy

Bargaining: The third stage involves the hope that the individual can somehow

postpone or delay death. Usually, the negotiation for an extended life is made with a higher power in exchange for a reformed lifestyle.

Depression: During the fourth stage, the dying person begins to understand the

certainty of death. Because of this, the individual may become silent, refuse visitors and spend much of the time crying and grieving. This process allows the dying person to disconnect themself from things of love and affection. It is not recommended to attempt to cheer an individual up that is in this stage. It is an important time for grieving that must be processed

Acceptance: This final stage comes with peace and understanding of the death that is

approaching. Generally, the person in the fifth stage will want to be left alone. Additionally, feelings and physical pain may be non-existent. This stage has also been described as the end of the dying struggle