CHAPTER 5 ADULTHOOD AND OLD AGE Adulthood is

CHAPTER 5: ADULTHOOD AND OLD AGE Adulthood is a time of transition. Priorities are shifted as well as the outlook on life…

PHYSICAL CHANGES Theory 1: our cells break down as we age Theory 2: our cells are preset to limit the number of times they can divide and multiply

PHYSICAL CHANGES CON’T Physical peak reached between 18 -30 Middle age: hair turns gray and thins; skin dries Eye sight and hearing fades

HEALTH PROBLEMS 3 most common causes of death in later life: 1) heart disease 2) cancer 3) cirrhosis of the liver Living a healthy lifestyle early on can prevent these

MENOPAUSE Ages 45 -50 Climacteric: all the physiological and biological changes occurring at that age Menopause: the biological event in which a woman’s production of sex hormones is sharply reduced

MENOPAUSE Stop ovulating and menstruating Reproduction not possible Does not reduce sex drive Not a negative experience

MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE C. 90% of U. S. adults will marry 40 -60% end in divorce 2 factors to a healthy marriage: 1) how you handle conflict 2) sharing intimate and happy moments Arguing is normal

SEXUAL BEHAVIOR Sexual activity does not decline after age 40 Reasons for reduction: 1) boredom with partner 2) poor health 3) acceptance of old age stereotype

COGNITIVE CHANGES Reaction time slows We continue to learn as we age Thought flexibility improves with experience Higher education improves this

SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

LEVINSON’S THEORY OF MALE DEV. Daniel Levinson Noticed important transition periods at 30, 40, 50, and 60 Each lasts c. 5 years

LEVINSON CONTINUED Entering the adult world Ages 22 -28 Young man considered a novice Conflict: need to explore vs. stable life structure

LEVINSON The Age-Thirty Crisis 28 -30 Reexamine commitments Marriage, career, life are considered

LEVINSON Settling down 36 -40 Begins to carve out niche in world The “BOOM” phase (Becoming One’s Own Man) Become fully independent Strive to attain seniority

LEVINSON Midlife Transition C. 40 Questions previous life decisions Generativity: the desire to use one’s accumulated wisdom to guide future generations Stagnation: a discontinuation of development and a desire to recapture the past

LEVINSON Middle adulthood Late 40 s Reaches stability Understands and tolerates others Balance between need for friends and privacy Only if not stagnant

FEMALE DEVELOPMENT Midlife could mean greater freedom Empty-Nest Syndrome: last child leaves the home Some women are happy, some are not Depression is most common in middle aged women

SECTION 2: OLD AGE Priorities and expectations change to fit reality…

ATTITUDES TOWARD AGING Decremental model of aging: idea that progressive physical and mental decline are inevitable with age Ageism: prejudice or discrimination against the elderly

CHANGES IN HEALTH Strength and senses decline c. 1% a year through adulthood 40% of elderly suffer from some chronic disease 4 major chronic illnesses: Heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis

LIFE SITUATION Transitions in late life involve a reduction in responsibility and increased isolation 50% of women are widows by age 65 By age 80: 1/3 of men and 70% of women are alone

CHANGES IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY Sex can continue well into the 70 s and 80 s Past behavior is a good indication of future behavior

ADJUSTING TO OLD AGE Loss of body control is gradual Can lead to depression Assertive personalities tend to cope with loss better

MENTAL FUNCTIONING John Horn 2 types of intelligence: 1) Crystallized Intelligence: ability to use accumulated knowledge and learning in appropriate situations 2) Fluid Intelligence: ability to solve abstract relational problems and generate new hypotheses Fluid suffers most decline

SENILE DEMENTIA Def: decreases in mental abilities experienced by some people in old age Small percentage Memory loss, forgetfulness, disorientation, impaired attention, altered personality

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE Def: a condition that destroys a person’s ability to think, remember, relate to others, and care for themselves 5. 4 million Americans 6 th leading cause of death in the U. S.

ALZHEIMER’S Neurological disease Gradual deterioration of cognitive functioning Genetics plays a large role Cause is still not fully understood

SECTION 3: DYING AND DEATH Peace, I’m out!

ADJUSTING TO DEATH Thanatology: the study of death and dying Elisabeth Kübler-Ross came up with the 5 stages of psychological adjustment

STAGES OF ADJUSTMENT 1) Denial 2) Anger 3) Bargaining (mostly with a deity) 4) Depression 5) Acceptance Not all experience this It does not have to be in order

HOSPICES Hospice: a facility designed to care for the needs of the dying Meant to restore dignity to dying Home hospice is becoming more popular