g.A. Ill, Paper-tst, Sem.-V (Life Span Human Development) / 101 Unit VIII — > Late Adulthood: Life Expectancy, Physical Changes, Change In Self-concept and Personality, Psychological Well-Being, Retirement and Leisure ————— LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS Q. 1. What is late adulthood or old age? Describe the characteristics of late adulthood or old age. Ans. Late Adulthood ( Old Age) . Old age is the closing period in the life span. It is a period when people "move away” from previous, more desirable periods-or times of “usefulness.” As people move away from the earlier periods of their lives, they often look back on them, usually regretfully, and tend to live in the present, ignoring the future as much as possible. Age sixty is usually considered the dividing line between middle and old age. a Because of better living conditions and better health care, most men and women today do not show the mental and physical signs of aging until the mid sixties or even the early seventies. For that reason, there is a gradual trend toward using sixty-five-the age of retirement in many businesses io mark the beginning of old age. ‘The last stage in the life span ig frequently subdivided into early old age, which extends from age sixty to age seventy, and advanced old age, which begins at seventy and extends to the end of life. People during the sixties are usually referred to as elderly" meaning somewhat old or advanced beyond middle age-and "old” after they reach the age of seventy-meaning, according to standard dictionaries, advanced far in years of life and having lost the vigour of youth. Characteristics of Old age: Like every other period in the life span, old age is characterized by certain physical and psychological changes. The effects of these changes determine, to a large extent, whether elderly men and women will make good or poor personal and social adjustments. The characteristics of old age, however, are far more likely to lead to poor adjustments than to good and to unhappiness rather than to happiness. That is why old age is even more dreaded than middle age. Old Age Is a Period of Decline : The period during old age when physical and mental decline is slow and gradual and when compensations can be made for these declines is known as senescence -a time of growing old or ate:402 / Ujjawal Notes. (Psychology) of aging. The term "senility" is used to refer to the period during old age when, a more or less complete physical breakdown takes place and when there ig mental disorganization. The individual who becomes eccentric, careless absentminded, socially withdrawn, and poorly adjusted is usually described as "senile." Senility may come as early as the fifties, or it may never occur because the individual dies before deterioration sets in. Decline comes partly from physical and partly from psychologicaj factors. The physical cause of de-cline is a change in the body cells due not to a specific disease but to the aging process. Decline may also have psychological causes. Unfavorable attitudes toward oneself, other people, work, and life in general can lead to senility, just as changes in the brain tissue can. Individuals who have no sustaining interests after retirement are likely to become depressed and disorganized. As a result, they go down-hill both physically and mentally and may soon die. How the individual copes with the strains and stresses of living will also.affect the rate of decline. Motivation likewise plays a very important role in decline. The individual who has little motivation to learn new things or to keep up to date in appearance, attitudes, or patterns of behaviour will deteriorate much faster -than one whose motivation to ward off aging is stronger: The new leisure time, which comes with retirement or with the lessening of household responsibilities, often brings boredom which lowers the individual's motivation. There Are Individual Differences in the Effects of Aging : Individual differences in the effects ot aging have been recognized for many centuries. Today, even more than in the past, it is recognized that aging affects different people differently. Thus it is impossible to classify anyone as a "typically" old person or any trait as "typical" of old age. People age differently because they have different he-reditary endowments, different socioeconomic and educational backgrounds, and different patterns of living. These differences eare apparent among members of the same sex, but they are even more apparent when men and women are compared because aging takes place at different rates for the two sexes. 7 As a general rule, physical aging precedes mental aging, though sometimes the reverse is true, especially when the individual is concerned about growing old and lets go mentally when the first signs of physical aging appear. Old Age Is Judged by Different Criteria : Because the meaning of age is vague and undefined to young children, they tend to judge age in terms of physical appearance and activities. To them, children are smaller than adults and must be cared for while adults are big and can take care of themselves. Old people have white hair and no longer go to work every day, By the time children reach adolescence, they judge old age in much the same way as adults do, namely in terms of the person's appearance and what the person can and cannot do, Knowing that these are the two most commonB.A, Ill, Paper-tst, Som.-V (Life Span Human Development) / 103 criteria used to judge their ages, many elderly people do all they can to camouflage the telltale physical signs of aging by wearing clothes like those worn by younger people, and trying to keep up a pace that often overtaxes their strength and energy. This is their attempt to create the illusion that they are not yet elderly or old. ‘There Are Many Stereotypes of Old People : In every culture, there are many stereotypes of old people and many traditional beliefs about their physical and mental capacities. These stereotypes and traditional beliefs have come from many sources, the four most common of which are (1) Folklore and fairy tales, handed down from one generation to another, tend to depict the aged unfavourably. Although it is true that some of these picture old people as kindly and understanding, many depict them as wicked and cruel, especially women. (2) The elderly are often characterized unfavourably in different forms of the mass media. Images of the elderly in poetry today likewise tend to be negative. that the emphasis is on physical, social, and: emotional losses. Television does not directly emphasize the negative aspects of age, indirectly it does so by its unfavourable comparisons with the beauty and strength of youth, the elderly are made to seem unattractive and ineffectual by comparison. : (3) Jokes and different forms of humour contribute to the unfavourable Stereotypes of the elderly. For the most part, the foolishness rather than the wisdom of age is emphasized. (4) Stereotypes have been reinforced by scientific studies of the aged. Because the subjects in most of these studies, was emphasized on age. The common stereotype of the aged is that of men and. women who are worn out physically and mentally, who are unproductive, accident-prone, crotchety and hard to live with, and who, because their days of usefulness are over, should be pushed aside to make way for younger people. According to this stereotype, "Young is beautiful and old is ugly,". This unfavourable steréotype, it should be apparent, makes it difficult to see aging as anything but a negative phase in the life span. Social Attitudes toward Old Age : Stereotypes about old age have a pronounced influence on social attitudes toward both old age and old people. And because most stereotypes are unfa-vourable, social attitudes likewise tend to be unfavourable. The significance of unfavourable social attitudes toward the elderly is that it affects the way elderly people are treated. Instead of the reverence and respect for the elderly, characteristic of many cultures, social attitudes may result in making the elderly feel that they are no longer useful to the social eroup. People who come from different culture, where respect for the elderly is Customary usually treat elderly people with more consideration and respect, Members of the upper social classes, knowing that the elderly hold the purse104 / Ujjawal Notes (Psychology) strings to family fortunes, tend to treat elderly meee social group with more respect than do those of the middle or lower ‘te of the fact shat ‘The Elderly Have a Minority-Group Status : In spite of the Fae the number of old people in every culture is growing, qos i hs minority-group status-a status that excludes. them to some onl interacti it it ion and which gives them little or interaction with other groups in the population ad wh ule of th no power, This minority-group status is» primarily the res' ae ts unfavourable social attitudes toward the aged that have been fostere ry i unfavourable stereotypes of them. This "second-class citizenship” puts the elderly on the defensive and has a marked effect on their personal and social adjustments, Aging Requires Role Changes : In every culture of today, where efficiency, strength, speed, and physical attractiveness are highly valued, elderly people are often regarded as useless. Because they cannot compete with young people in the areas where highly valued traits are needed, the social attitude toward them is unfavorable. : : It is expected that old people will playa decreasingly less active role in social and community affairs, as well as in the business and professional worlds. As a result, there is a marked reduction in the number of roles the elderly person is able to play, and there are changes in some of the remaining roles. While these changes are due in part to the individual's preferences, they are due mainly to social pressures. Because of unfavorable social attitudes, few rewards are associated with old-age roles, no matter how successfully they are carried out. Feeling useless and unwanted, elderly people develop feelings of inferiority and resentment feelings that are not conducive to good Personal or social adjustments. Poor Adjustment is Characteristic of Old Age : Because of the unfavorable social attitudes toward the elderly, the way the social group treats them, it is not surprising that many elderly people develop unfavourable self-concepts. These tend to be expressed in mal adjective behavior of different degrees of severity, : The Desire for Rejuvenation Is Widespread in Ola Age : The minority-group’status accorded to most elderly persons has naturally given rise toa desire to remain young as long as possible and to be rejuvenated when the signs of aging appear. Now a days, medicine is taking over the task of trying to ward off old age. Because a deficiency of sex hormones plays such an aoe role in aging, attempts have been made to rejuvenate aging People by means of sex-hormone therapy, which build up an avin eee health and vigor and thus slow down the rate orate! oo ees Q. 2. Write in short the developmental tasks of old age. Ans. Developmental tasks of old age The developmental tasks of old | ; age relate more e individual's personal life than to the lives of others, oi GahauatsB.A. Ill, Papor-ist, Sem.-V (Life Span Human Development) / 105 (1) Adjust to decrensing physical strength and health : Old people are expected to adjust to decreasing strength and gradually failing health. This often means marked revisions in the roles they have played in the home and outside. They are also expected to find activities to replace the work that consumed a major part of their time when they were younger. (2) Adjustment to retirement and reduced income : Meeting social and civic obligations is difficult for many older people as their health fails and as their income is reduced by retirement. As a result, they are often forced to become socially inactive. (3) Adjust to death of spouse,: Sooner or later, most old people must adjust to the death of a spouse. This is far more likely to be a problem for women than for men. Because the death of a spouse often means reduced income and hazards associated with living alone, it may necessitate changes in living arrangements, (4 Establishing an explicit affiliations with members of their own age group : As grown children become increasingly involved in their own vocational and family affairs, the elderly can count.léss and less on their companionship. This means that they must establish affiliations with members of their own age group if they are to avoid the loneliness that plagues the elderly when their contacts with the larger social group are cut off because of retirement and because they gradually reduce their contacts with community organizations. (5) Establishing satisfactory physical living arrangements : Failing health and reduced income likewise require the establishment of new living arrangements which are often radically different from those of earlier years. (6) Adapting to social roles in a flexible way : Although most older people learned during childhood and adolescence to get along with their age-mates successfully, during most of their adult lives they have had to be affiliated with individuals of all age groups. Regressing to this earlier pattern of social life is often difficult because it means that the individual must now become affiliated with a group that is largely rejected by society. Having known since childhood and adolescence that affiliation with a rejected group brings little prestige, old people have little motivation to become involved with such a group. Certain problems of adjustment resulting ‘vom these developmental tasks are unique to old age. The most common of these are > Physical helplessness, which necessitates dependency on others > Economic insecurity severe enough to necessitate a complete change in pattern of living. ii > &£ ablishing living conditions in accordance with changes in economic or physical conditions » Making new friends to replace those who have died or moved away or who are invalided > Developing new activities to occupy increased leisure time406 / Ujjawal Notes (Psychology) i i as adults earning to treat grown: children tults ; Benue involved in community activities Pieanee Be ee it i ities suited to an riving enjoyment from activities suit d > ieee ie eee them for activities formerly enjoyed byt now too strenuous ‘ Being "victimized". or taken advantage of by salespersons, hoodlums, and criminals because they are unable to defend themselves » Q.3. Describe the adjustment to physical changes in late adulthood or old age. Ans. Adjustment to Physical Changes in Old Age Itis unquestionably true that, physical changes do occur with aging and that these changes are, for the most part, in the direction of deterioration, individual differences are so marked that no two people of the same age are necessarily at the same state of deterioration. The major physical changes that occur in old age are : Changes in Appearance : Changes in appearance that normally occur during old age, While not all people show all these signs of aging, nor do all of them appear simultaneously, sooner or later they will become apparent if the individual lives long enough. Common Changes in Appearance During Old Age Head Region > The nose elongates. , > The mouth changes shape as a result of tooth loss or the necessity of wearing dentures. > The eyes seem dull and lusterless and often have a watery look. > A double or triple chin develops. » . The cheeks become pendulous, wrinkled, and baggy. > The skin becomes wrinkled and dry, and dark spots, moles, or warts may appear. > The hair on the head becomes thin and tuins gray or white, and tough, bristly hair appears in the nose, ears, and eyebrows, Trunk Region The shoulders stoop and thus seem smaller, The abdomen bulges and droops. The hips seem flabbier and broader than they did earlier. The waistline broadens, giving the trink a sack The woman's breasts become flabby and droop. imbs ts ‘The upper arm becomes f abby and heavy, whi seems to shrinks in geeky Vy, While the lower arm cvyvyvy like appearance. vyB.A, Ill, Papor-ist, Som.-V (Life Span Human Development) / 107 > The legs become flabby and the veins prominent, especially around the ankles, . > The hands become scrawny, and the veins on the back of the hand are prominent, > The feet become larger as a result of sagging muscles, and corns, _bunions, and callouses often appear. > The nails of the hands and feet become thick, tough, and brittle. Internal Changes : Although internal changes are not aS readily observable as external ones, they are nevertheless as pronounced and as widespread. i Changes in the skeleton are due to hardening of the bones, deposits of mineral salts, and modifications of the internal structure of the bones. As a result of these changes, the bones become brittle and are subject to fractures and breaks, which are increasingly slow to heal as age progresses. Changes in the nervous system are especially marked in the case of the brain. In old age, there is a loss in brain weight, the lateral ventricles tend to be dilated, and the ribbon of cortical tissue is narrowed. Central nervous system changes come early in the aging period; they are reflected first in a decrease in the speed of learning and later in a decline in intellectual powers. Atrophy is particularly marked in the spleen, liver, testes, heart, lungs, pancreas, and kidneys. In the early years of life, the heart is positioned more nearly in the center of the chest than it is in advanced age. It increases: in bulk with age and continues to grow even after the body has ceased to do so. Therefore, the ratio of heart weight to body weight decreases gradually with age. As a result of an increase in fibrous tissue from deposits of fat and calcium and because of changes in the quality of the elastic tissue, the valves gradually become less soft and pliable. i The gastrointestinal tract, the urinary tract, and the smooth-muscle organs generally are the least and last affected by aging. Changes in Physiological Functions There are also changes in the functioning of the organs. Regulation of body temperature is influenced by impairment of the regulatory devices. Old people cannot tolerate extremes of temperature, either hot or cold, because of the decreased vascularity of the skin. Reduced metabolic rate and lessened muscular vigor also make regulation of body temperature difficult. When an old person becomes short of breath as a result of unusual exertion, it takes longer to restore breathing and heart action to normal than it did when younger. Pulse rate and oxygen consumption are more varied among the elderly than among younger people. Elevated blood pressure due 0 the increased rigidity of the walls of the aorta and central arteries is quite common in old age, Elderly people exerete less urine, an Creatine in their urine than in that of younger adults. there is less *408 / Ujjawal Notes (Psychology) In old age, there is a decline in the amount of sleep needed and in the i is reduced an hour cof ee goal eae ger vo, and brief perio ; ; ach ofslcep of the younger person. Most old people suffer from insomnia, ially women. 5 rie changes are perhaps the most marked of the ae in a regulatory. functions. Difficulties in eating are due partly to loss of teeth, which is fairly universal in old age, and also to the fact that the senses of smell and taste become less acute, making even the best food seem somewhat tasteless. Gradual atrophy of the glands lining the walls of the stomach and bowels results in a decrease in the ferments and juices that aid in digestion. Thus the old person needs more fluids to lubricate and to dissolve food elements. Strength and the ability to work decrease as muscular flabbiness and general weakness make it more difficult for old people to use their muscles. The ability to do strenuous work fora short period of time diminishes with age, while the ability to withstand a long, steady grind increases. It also takes the older person longer to recover from, physical fatigue and from fatigue caused by continued mental work or nervous’strain. As a result, most old people learn to cut down on any work that requires either strength or speed. Sensory Changes : All the sense organs function: less efficiently in old age than they did when the individual was younger. The eyes and ears, which are the most useful of all the sense organs, are also thé most seriously affected by old age, although changes occur in the functioning of all the sense organs. Glasses and hearing aids can almost completely compensate for impaired vision or hearing loss. Q. 4. Explain some changes in sensory functioning, motor abilities, mental abilities in old age. Ans. Common Changes in Sensory Functioning in Old Age ___ Vision : There is a consistent decline in the ability to see at low levels of illumination and a decline in color sensitivity. Most old people suffer from presbyopia-farsightedness-which is due to the diminishing elasticity of the lenses. Hearing.: Old people lose the ability to hear extre! result of atrophy of the nerve and end organs in the b although most can hear tones below high C as well as younger people. Men tend 10 experience greater hearing loss in old age than women, : ‘Taste : Marked changes in taste in old age are due to atrophy of the taste buds in the tongue and the inner surface of the cheeks. This atrophy becomes progressively more widespread with advancing age. 7 ° Smell : The sense of smell becomes less acute with age, of the atrophy of cells in the nose and partly because of thera, of the nostrils. mely high tones, as a asal turn of the cochlea, Partly as a result creased hairinessB.A. Ill, Paper-Ist, Sem.-V (Life Span Human Development) / 109 Touch : As the skin becomes drier and harder, the sense of touch becomes less and less acute. See Sensitivity to Pain : The decline in the sensitivity to pain occurs at different rates in different parts of the body. There is a greater decline, for example, in the forehead and arms than in the legs. : Changes in Motor Abilities in'Old Age : Most old people are aware that they mbve more slowly and are less well coordinated in movements than they were when they were younger. These changes in motor abilities are due partly to physical causes and partly to psychological causes. “The physical causes of changes in motor abilities include a decrease in strength and energy, which is a normal accompaniment of the physical changes that take place with age; lack of muscular tone; stiffness of the joints; and tremors of the hands, forearms, head, and lower jaw. The psychological causes of changes in motor abilities stem from the awareness of "slipping" and from feelings of inferiority experienced when compared with-younger in terms of strength, speed, and skills. Emotional tension, stemming from these psychological causes, may hasten the changes in motor abilities. " Common Changes in Motor Abilities in Old Age : Strength : Decline in strength is most pronounced in the flexor muscles of the forearms and in.the muscles which raise the body. Elderly people tire quickly and require a longer time to recover from fatigue than younger people. Speed :-Decrease in speed with aging is shown in tests of reaction time and skilled: mévements, such as handwriting. Learning New Skills : Even when the elderly believe that learning new skills will benefit them personally, they learn more slowly than younger people and the end results tend to be less satisfactory. ‘Awkwardness : Old people tend to become awkward and clumsy, which causes them to spill and drop things, to trip and fall, and to do things in a careless, untidy manner. The breakdown in motor skills proceeds in inverse order to that in which the skills were learned, with the earliest learned skills being retained longest. ‘Changes in Mental Abilities in Old Age : In the past it was assumed that mental deterioration inevitably accompanied physical deterioration. That physical decline does contribute to mental de-cline has been shown by the fact that sex-hormone treatment of elderly women can result in improve-ment in the ability to think, to learn new material, to memorize, and to remember-and in increased willingness to expend intellectual energy. On the other hand, some pathological conditions, such as hypertension, lead to intellectual loss with aging. Lack of environmental stimulation als decline. In mental as in motor learning, continuation of years slows down the rate of decline. Those who continue affects the rate of mental f practice through the to work as they110 / Ujjawal Notes (Psychology) reach the latter years of life have more normal brain functioning and do better ‘on intelligence tests than those who are idle. Common Changes in Mental Abilities in Old Age: Learning: Older people are more cautious about learning, need more time to integrate their responses, are less capable of dealing with new material that cannot readily be integrated with earlier experiences, afd aré less accurate than younger people. : S Reasoning : There is a general reduction in the speed with which the individual reaches a conclusion in both inductive and deductive reasoning. This is partly the result of the tendency to become increasingly cautious with age. : Creativity : Older people tend to lack the capacity for, or interest in, creative thinking. Thus significant creative achievements are less common among older people than among younger ones. Memory : Old people tend to have poor recent memories but better remote memories. This may be dué partly to the fact that they are not always strongly motivated to remember thin; igs, partly to lack of attentiveness, and Partly to not hearing clearly arid distinctly what others say. Recall : Recall is affected more by age than recognition. Many older people use cues, especially visual, auditory, and kinesthetic ones, to aid their ability to recall. Reminiscing : The tendency to reminisce about increasingly more marked with adv: reminisces depends mainl: their living conditions. Sense of Humor humorless people. While it to decrease with advancing comprehend increases. Vocabulary : Deterioration in vocabulary is very slight in old because elderly people constantly u: se words most of which wi childhood or adolescence. Learning new words in old as than frequent. Mental Rigidity : Mental ri contradiction to the stereotype of the elderly as ment: rigidity sets in during middle age, it tends advancing age partly because the elde ith more difficulty than they did earlier and partly because they believe that old values. and ways of doing things are better than new ones. ‘T Not mental rigidity in the strict use of the term but a carefully reasoned decision, oo] Social Interests : With advancing age, most people social loss or social disengagement-a Process of mutu aged from the social environment. Social disengage explained, involves four elements of "load shedding’ the past becomes ancing age. How much the individual 'y on how pleasant or unpleasant the elderly find A common stereotype of the elderly is that of is true that their comprehension of the comic tends age, their appreciation for the comic that they can age ere learned in. e is more infrequent idity is far from universal in old age, in ally rigid. When mental to become more Pronounced with rly learn more slowly and w suffer increasing al withdrawal of the ‘ment, as Birren has ": less involvement withB.A. Ill, Papor-ist, Som..V (Life Span Human Development) / 111 other people, a reduction in the variety of social roles mental ability and less Participation in physical activit 5. Discuss nbout the kinds of social disengagement in old age. Aus. Kinds of Social Disengagement : Social disengagement may be 'voluntary or involuntary. In the case of voluntary social “disengagement, elderly people withdraw from social activities because they feel that such activities no longer meet their needs. Involuntary social disengagement comes when elderly people want and need social contacts but are deprived of the opportunities to have them because of conditions over which they have little or no control. When, for example, many of their contemporaries have died or have moved away or are Physically or economically unable to do things with them, elderly people no longer have the companionship they formerly enjoyed. : Elderly people may also lack the strength or the means of transportation to see their friends. If their income is limited, they may not be able to layed, a greater use of Sources of Social Contact Affected by Aging Close, Personal Friendships: : Close, personal friendships with members of the same sex, many of which date back to adolescence or the early years of marriage, often end when one of the friends dies or moves away, and it is unlikely that the old person will be able to establish another such relationship. Friendship Cliques : These cliques are made up of couples who banded together when they were younger because of mutual interests stemming from the husbands’ business associations or because'of the wives’ mutual interests in their families or community organizations. As men retire and women's home and community activities ‘reduce, the members have little left in common and gradually move apart. Formal Groups or Clubs : As leadership roles in formal groups and clubs are taken over by younger members and as the activ les are planned mainly around their interests, older people feel unwanted in these organizations and discontinue their meinbership in them. Adjustments to Chances in Family Life in Old Age : The pattern of family life, established in early adulthood, starts to change with the onset of middle age. These changes are made more pronounced by retirement, with the accompanying reduced income, or by the death of a spouse in old: ge. Of the many adjustments centering around family relationships that the lderly Person must make, the five most important are, Ve Relationships with a spouse 2. Changes in sexual behavior412/ Ujjawal Notes (Psychology) 3. Relationships with offspring 4, Parental dependency 5, Relationships with grandchildren, : i ? Relationships with Spouse : The first important ad. {justment centering around family relationships elderly people must make is establishing ood relationships with their spouses. With the role change from worker to retiree, most men spend much more of their time at home than they ever did before. If their relationships with their wives are good, this will contribute to the happiness of both. When, however, their relationships are strained, friction is increased by constant contacts. Because many retired men feel lost and do not know what to do with their free time, they tend to be depressed and unhappy. They may show their feelings by being critical, faultfinding, and irritable in their treatment of their ° wives. Many of them resent any suggestion that they assume some of the household responsibilities on the grounds that that is "woman's work.” How well husbands and wives will adjust to each other in old age when retirement forces them together more than at any previous time in their marriage will depend primarily on how many interests they have in common, Changes in Sexual Behavior : The second important adjustment centering around family relationships elderly people must make are changes in sexual behavior. These adjustments are made difficult by the popular belief that impotence and lack of interest in sex are natural accompaniments of aging. They are believed to be due to the neuro endocrine changes that occur with physical aging. There is evidence that changes in sexual behavior among the elderly are due more, to psychological than to physical causes. An antagonistic relationship and in compatability with the spouse, for example, influence the kind of sexual behavior the elderly engage in. Unfavorable social attitudes toward sexuality among the elderly also influence sexual behavior, Relationships’ with Offspring: The third important adjustment centering around family relationships elderly people must make are changes in relationships with their offspring. For the most part of the world, the relationships of elderly people with their offspring are far less satisfactory than many believed possible, even during middle age, when these relationships may have begun to deteriorate. In normal curve, there is a drop in parental satisfaction that occurs during old age; pronounced for men than for women. When parents are willing to shift their attitudes toward their children to suit the children's age and developmental level, the chances are that the parent child relationship will be a wholesome one as the years go.on, and that the elderly person will find much satisfaction in the companionship of sons and daughters. However, parents who have been unwilling over the years to adjust their attitudes to meet the changing needs of growing children are likely to this drop is moreI B.A. Ill, Paper-Ist, Sem.-V (Life Span Human’ Development) / 113 face a lonely old age. The strain in the parent-child relationship that began in adolescence is more likely to grow worse rather than better as time goes on. Parental Dependency ; The fourth important adjustment centering around family relationships elderly people must make’ is the possibility of parental dependency. With the role reversals, elderly people are finding very difficult to make successful adjustment with their children, Many elderly people, even when they depend.on their children for financial support and companionship, are unable or unwilling to relinquish their role of authority over their children. They continue to treat them as they did when they were young. Elderly parents who are happily married and have interests of their own are emotionally less dependent on their children than those whose marriages are unhappy or who have failed to develop interests to occupy the time formerly devoted to parental roles. Financial dependency on their children is a bitter pill for most parents to swallow. This is especially true of men who have played the role of provider for the major part of their lives. Relationships with Grandchildren’ : The fifth important adjustment centering around family relationships elderly people must make is the type of relationships they will have with their grandchildren. By the time men and women reach old age, their grandchildren may be teenagers or young adults. In this case, the grandparents are no longer called upon to help with their care. How much they see the grandchildren and the kind of contacts they have with them will depend partly on how close they live to one another and partly on how well they get along when they are together. If the grandparents live far away from the grandchildren, they will have only occasional contacts with them, unless the grandparents go to live in the parents' homes. Even then, the grandchildren eventually go away to college or establish homes of their own and thus many have fewer contacts with the grandparents than they did when they were younger. As a result of rapidly changing values, attitudes, patterns of dress and behavior, and moral standards, grandparents often find that there is a gap between them and their grandchildren. They disapprove of their grandchildren, and the grandchildren in turn regard them as old-fash-ioned. Q. 6. Describe the major changes in late adulthood. Ans. Changes in Late Adulthood— Late adulthood is the stage of life from the 60s onward; it constitutes the last stage of physical change. Average life expectancy in the United States is around 80 years; however, this varies greatly based on factors such as socioeconomic status, region, and access to medical care. In general, women tend to live longer than men by an average of five years. During late adulthood the skin continues to lose elasticity, reaction time slows further, and muscle strength diminishes. Hearing and vision—so sharp in our twenties—decline significantly; cataracts, or cloudy areas of the eyes that result in vision loss, are frequent. The other senses, such as taste, touch, and smell, are also less sensitive than they were in earlier years. The414] Ujjawal.Notes (Psychology) a e susceptible to inannine system is weakened, and many older people are mors pi jlness. cancer, diabetes, and other ailments.: i ommon in old Cardiovascular and respiratory problems become more c i i ili a loss of age. Seniors also experience a decrease In physical mobility and balance, which ean result Te are generally results in changes Changes in oe nike brai Tending to problems like memory loss and wer functioning in the brain, ig to pro! ae ased intellectual function. Age is a major risk factor for ba Coda neurodegenerative diseases, jricluding mild cognitive impairment, a ‘Alzheimer's disease, cerebrovascular disease, Parkinson's disease, ehrig's disease. Ee mm ini agreat deal of research has focused on diseases of aging. there are only a few informative studies on the molecular biology of the aging brain. Many molecular changes are due in part to a reduction in the size of the brain, as well as loss of brain plasticity. Brain plasticity is the brain's ability to change structure and function. The brain's main function is to decide what information is worth keeping and what is not; if there is an action or a thought that a person is not using, the brain will eliminate space for it. Brain size and composition change along with brain function. Computed tomography (CT) studies have found that the cerebral ventricles expand as a function of age in a process known as ventriculomegaly. More recent MRI studies have reported age-related regional decreases in cerebral volume. The brain begins to lose neurons in later adult years; the loss of neurons within the cerebral cortex occurs at different rates, with some areas losing neurons more quickly than others. The frontal lobe (which is responsible for the integration of information, judgement, and.reflective thought) and corpus callosum tend to lose neurons faster than other areas, such.as the temporal and occipital lobes. The cerebe!lum, which is responsible for balance-and coordination, eventually loses about 25 percent of its neurons as well. e Changes in Memory— Memory also degenerates with age, and older adults tend to have a harder time remembering and attending to information. Jn general, an older person's procedural memory stays the same, while working memory declines. Procedural memory is memory for the performance of particular types of action; it guides the processes we perf and most frequently resides below the level of conscious awareness. In eae Le) isthe oe actively holds multiple pieces of " i : here they can be manipulated. The reduced capacity of the working memory becomes evident when ils a te tn ng Pt ec Sasi knowledge. This type of iene ‘underlies the a ee, factual information and gener : Re econ oF ; al knowledge about the wor emains relatively stable throughout life. oa tasks areB.A. Ill, Paper-ist, Som.-V (Life Span Human Development) / 115 Increased Depelideney~ As people age, they become more dependent on others, Many elderly people need as: istance in meeting daily needs as they age, and over time they may become dependent on caregivers such as family members, relatives, friends, health professionals, or employees of senior housing or nursing care, Many older adults spend their later years in assisted living facilities or nursing homes, which can have social and emotional innpacts on their well-being. Older adults may struggle with feelings of guilt, shame, ot depression because of their increased dependency, especially in societies where caring for the elderly is viewed as a burden. If an elderly person has to move away from friends, community, their home, or other familiar aspects of their life in order to enter a nursing home, they may experience isolation, depression, or lonelinesé. Increased dependency can also put older adults at risk of elder abuse. This kind of abuse occurs when a caretaker intentionally deprives an older Person of care or harms the person in their charge. The elderly may be subject to many different types of abuse, including physical, emotional, or Psychological. Approximately one in ten older adults report being abused, and this number rises in the cases of dementia or physical limitations. Despite the increasing physical challenges of old age, many new assistive devices made especially for the home have enabled more old people to care for themselves and accomplish activities of daily living (ADL). Some examples of devices are a medical alert and safety system, shower seat (preventing the person from getting tired in the shower and failing), bed cane * (offering support to those with unsteadiness getting in and out of bed), and ADL cuff (used with eating utensils for people with paralysis ot hand weakness). Advances in this kind of téchnology offer increasing options for the elderly to continue functioning independently later into their lives. Q. 6. Explain the psychological effects of retirement on the clderly. Ans, The Psychological Effects of Retirement on the Elderly— Retirement is supposed to be’an exciting experience. You’Ve worked for so many year’s to reach this point, and you now to get to relax and enjoy your time with family and friends. Many older adults don’t feel so optimistic after retirement, though. In fact, retirement can bring about some significant mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. : Because so many aspects of your life change when you retire, the transition can feel disruptive. If you or a loved one is ‘approaching retirement age, you should be aware of the psychological effects of retirement and what you can do to protect your mental health. The Psychological Effects of Retirement : Some seniors feel happier and more peaceful than ever when they retire. Others struggle much more with their mental health than they previously did. The effects that retirement may have on your mental health vary depending on Your lifestyle, your social support network, and many other factors. ae Some of the Most Common Concerns When Adjusting to Retirement4416 / Ujjawal Notes (Psychology) Loss of Identity and Purpose ee ee ion i amot ‘Ss Depression is, unfortunately common a a rider ci ossion after retirement is a loss of identity. If you most common causes of depression a sa lo 9 disliked your job or didn’t find much personal erat ecb aed i" i arecr. y robably excited to part ways with your car c 7 ne of personal pride, giving itup can be very ed you may not know who you are ‘or what you have to offer. Seg ~ This is why finding meaningful activities and social ou ne so important for older adults adjusting to retirement. It’s easy to fall into depression when you're lacking a sense of self or a sense of purpose. Many seniors feel like they have to reinvent themselves after retirement because so much of their identity was connected to their work. Social Isolation es Another major cause of depression during retirement is social isolation and loneliness. Not all seniors face isolation, but it becomes much more common after retirement. You may struggle to meet your social needs if most of your interactions were with coworkers. Everyone needs regular social interaction to maintain their mental health and avoid depression. If you don’t have healthy social outlets, retirement can feel bleak. Lack of Routine Your career probably provides a great deal of structure and routine. You wake up at the same time every day, travel to the same place, and see the same people. Following a routine can be an excellent way to maintain your mental health because it creates a sense of comfort and encourages you to keep moving. i When you retire, you may feel like you’ve lost all structure in your life. Some older adults love this newfound freedom and look forward to the flexibility each day. Others struggle severely with the lack of routine. When you don’t have as many obligations throughout your day, you might start spending too much time at home alone. The loss of routine can negatively impact your cognitive health and can worsen the symptoms of depression. Financial Challenges _ Most seniors see a significant change in their finances after retirement, which can be a serious source of anxiety. Adjusting to retirement may involve making dramatic changes to your lifestyle and spending to accommodate for the drop in income. Trying to make ends meet on a fixed income is incredibly stressful, so you may find yourself spending most of your di your finances, Physical Health Decline You won't necessarily see a decline in retire, You might even see your hej get active and focus on a healthy lay worrying about ii your physical health when you : th improve if you use your extra time to lifestyle, However, Many seniors becomeB.A. Ill, Paper-Ist, Sem.-V (Life Span Human Development) / 117. more sedentary during retirement. Spending most of your time at home without keeping your body moving will take a toll. The disengagement theory states that as people age, their withdrawal from society is normal and desirable as it relieves them of responsibilities and roles that have become difficult. This process also opens up opportunities:for younger people; society benefits as more energetic young people fill the vacated positions. > The activity theory contends that activity is necessary to maintain a “life of quality,” thatyis, that one must,“use it or lose it” no matter what. one's age and that people who remain active in all respects—physically, mentally, and socially—adjust better to the aging process. Proponents of this theory believe that activities of earlier years should be maintained as long.as possible. Q. 3. Write in short about social changes during aging. Ans, Social Changes During Aging— Retiring Effectively— Because of increased life expectancy in the 21st century, elderly people can expect to spend approximately a quarter of their lives in retirement. Leaving one’s career is a major life change and canbe a time when people experience anxiety, depression, and other negative changes in the self-concept and in self-identity. On the other hand, retirement may also serve as an opportunity for a positive transition from work and career roles to Stronger family and community member rolés, and the latter may have a variety of positive outcomes for the individual. Retirement may be a relief for people who have worked in boring or physically demanding jobs, Particularly if they have other outlets for stimulation and expressing self- identity, Psychologist Mo Wang (2007) observed the well-being of 2,060 people between the ages of 5! and 61 over an eight-year period and made the following recommendations to make the retirement phase a positive one— __ |. Continue to work part-time past retirement in order to ease into Felirement status slowly. _2 Plan for retirement — this is a good idea financially, but also making plans to incorporate other kinds of work or hobbi post-employment life makes sense, 3. Retire with someone — if the retiree i idea to retire at the same time as a spouse, so that Part-time and follow a retirement plan together, ies into till married, it is a good people can continue to work fin ret wo pla jobs som toll relie Peog retin are | few sma Sec; Offe WithB.A. lll, Paper-Ist, Sem.-V (Life Span Human Development) /119 marital problems tend to ve a positive home life to Couples that 4, Have a happy marriage — people with find retirement more stressful because they do not ha return to and can no longer seek refuge in long working hours. work on their marriages can make their retirements a lot easier. . 5, Take care of physical and financial health — @ sound financial plan and good physical health can ensure a healthy, peaceful retirement. 6. Retire early from a stressful job — people who stay in stressful jobs for fear that they will lose their pensions or won’t-be able to find work somewhere else feel trapped. Toxic environments can take a severe emotional toll on ayremployee. Leaving an unsatisfying job early may make retirement a relief. 7. Retire “on time” — retiring too early or too late can cause people to feel “out of sync” or to feel they have not achieved their goals. Whereas these seven tips are helpful for a smooth transition to adaptable, and that no retirement, Wang also notes that people tend to be t ‘ matter how they do it, retirees will eventually adjust to their new lifestyles. Q. 4. What is the impact of ageing? Ans. Impact of Ageing > During later adulthood, an individual may experience a deterioration in their cognitive ability. Ageing influencés how the individual processes information which affects their memory and recall of information. . >» The older population are more likely to suffer falls because of a deterioration in mobility and balance. Senses also start to deteriorate which results in poor sight and hearing. > However, there is an increase in the UK of people in later adulthood taking up gentle exercise to combat illness and keep in physical shape. Swimming and taking part in gentle circuit exercise can help maintain good heart health and coordination. Exercise also improves positive mental health and increases social interaction. > The improved understanding, we now have about food and nutrition ensures that people within later adulthood can sustain a healthy lifestyle. The combination of exercise and diet can result in longevity. . Q. 5. Write a. note on work and retirement age 65". ans. » Work and Retirement- Age 65+ Older adults who are still working are typically committed to their work, ate productive, report high job satisfaction, and rarely change jobs. However, . fewer older adults are working today than were in the 1950s. In fact, only a small portion of adults age 70 and older are in the work force. With Social Security benefits beginning as early as age 62, some companies have opted to offer early retirement incentives that permit employees to leave their positions Without penalizing them before the regular retirement age. Then the120 / Ujjawal Notes (Psychology) and less expensive employees. Other ntinue working, part time, y, most retire between the companies can hire less experienced companies encourage their older workers to col While many. older adults continue to work for pa ages of 65 and 70. Retirement is a major transition of late adulthood. The retired person must eventually accept a more leisurely life, whether desired or not. He or she must also continue to live in a worker's world, in which retirees are viewed as spent or devalued. Indeed, the psychological impact of retirement on older adults can be significant. Many must contend with feelings of depression, uselessness, and low self esteem. People who are in good health, are financial worries, have adequate family and social networks, and are satisfied with life usually look forward to retirement. Retirees may choose to spend A their free time volunteering for charities, traveling, taking classes, or engaging in hobbies. The least satisfied retirees are those who never planned for retirement, have limited income, have few or no extracurricular activities, and who stay home day after day with nothing substantial to occupy their time. better educated, have few or-no