Chapter 25 Epilogue Psychosocial Development in Late Adulthood

Chapter 25 & Epilogue Psychosocial Development in Late Adulthood + Death and Dying Michael Hoerger

Psychosocial Theories of Late Adulthood 1. Integrity vs. Despair (Erikson): mortality leads one to reflect on life and feel complete or incomplete 2. Selective optimization 3. Disengagement theory: as social sphere dwindles, passes on the torch and withdraw 4. Activity theory: social involvement is important, withdrawal only occurs due to ageism

5. Continuity theory: changes occur in late adulthood, but people generally behave in the same way as earlier in life All theories have some weight

Dying Hospice care: palliative care for terminally ill patients Palliative care: medical care designed to relieve physical and emotional pain rather than cure illness Double effect

Death Legal right of competent (mentally sound) people to refuse treatment Passive euthanasia: letting one die by removing interventions that would prolong life Active euthanasia: taking action to cause death n Physician-assisted suicide

Passive — Active +

Ethical Dilemmas 3 years of painful, terminal cancer, costing $100, 000 year. Adjustment in medication accidentally leads heart to stop. Resuscitate? Diagnosed with neurological disorder that will lead to intense pain, inability to feed oneself or go to the bathroom on own, will die in 2 months. Physician-assisted suicide? After years in a coma, diagnosed with a permanent vegetative state (brain dead). Physician-assisted suicide?

Death Living will (document) or health care proxy (person) can be designated to make decisions if one is unable to do so Bereavement: normative sense of loss following death Grief: emotional reaction to bereavement Mourning: traditions related to bereavement Disenfranchised grief: excluding some people from mourning ceremonies

Michael Hoerger To cite this textbook: Berger, K. (2005). The developing person through the lifespan. New York: Worth. To cite this lecture: Hoerger, M. (2007, April 18). Developmental Psychology: Late Adulthood Psychosocial Development and Death. Presented at a PSY 220 lecture at Central Michigan University.