LATE ADULTHOODLATE ADULTHOOD

Growing old is not just about Growing old is not just about adding years to life, but also adding years to life, but also

adding life to years.adding life to years.

Images of late Images of late adulthoodadulthood

Began at 65 or 75 Began at 65 or 75 and ending at and ending at death.death.

More people live to More people live to late adulthood due late adulthood due to improvements to improvements in health and in health and medical medical technology.technology.

However, there is However, there is an increase in an increase in chronic health chronic health problemsproblems..

ISSUES OF LATE ADULTHOOD ISSUES OF LATE ADULTHOOD DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT

Erikson’s Theory – the stage proposed for Erikson’s Theory – the stage proposed for late adulthood is ‘ego integrity vs. despair’late adulthood is ‘ego integrity vs. despair’The older person must think back over The older person must think back over

her life and try to come terms with who her life and try to come terms with who s/he has been and who s/he is nows/he has been and who s/he is now

Butler proposed that in old age, all of us Butler proposed that in old age, all of us go through a process called a go through a process called a life reviewlife review

Several studies show that a process of Several studies show that a process of structured structured reminiscencereminiscence may increase the may increase the life satisfaction or self esteem of older life satisfaction or self esteem of older adults.adults.

DEPENDENCEDEPENDENCE

Main issue to overcomeMain issue to overcomeDependence in terms of:Dependence in terms of:

financialfinancial physical physical emotionalemotional

FINANCIAL DEPENDENCEFINANCIAL DEPENDENCE

Saving for futureSaving for futureMost of older people do not have Most of older people do not have

insurance.insurance. Income sources: children, pension, Income sources: children, pension,

investment, rent, business, work & investment, rent, business, work & etc. etc.

Financial protection is needed for Financial protection is needed for older people to remain financially older people to remain financially independent.independent.

PHYSICAL DEPENDENCEPHYSICAL DEPENDENCE

Decreased physical abilityDecreased physical ability loss of ability to live alone loss of ability to live alone loss of energy loss of energy loss of control over daily routine loss of control over daily routine possible inability to do favorite things possible inability to do favorite things

Older people need attention especially Older people need attention especially from family members. from family members.

Social welfare program for older people.Social welfare program for older people.

EMOTIONAL DEPENDENPCEEMOTIONAL DEPENDENPCE

Older people need love and social Older people need love and social interaction.interaction.

They feel lonely because of death They feel lonely because of death events and the decrease in events and the decrease in community involvement can disturb community involvement can disturb mental illness.mental illness.

Their friendship network decreases Their friendship network decreases and may have interaction only with and may have interaction only with their adult children.their adult children.

DEVELOPMENT TASKDEVELOPMENT TASK

1.1. Staying physically healthy and adjusting to Staying physically healthy and adjusting to limitationslimitations

2.2. Planning finances to ensure adequate Planning finances to ensure adequate means of supportmeans of support

3.3. Learning and adjusting to revised work Learning and adjusting to revised work rolesroles

4.4. Learning to use leisure time pleasurablyLearning to use leisure time pleasurably5.5. Finding companionship and friendsFinding companionship and friends6.6. Establishing new roles in the familyEstablishing new roles in the family7.7. Achieving integrity through acceptance of Achieving integrity through acceptance of

one’s lifeone’s life

STAYING PHYSICALLY HEALTHY AND STAYING PHYSICALLY HEALTHY AND ADJUSTING TO LIMITATIONSADJUSTING TO LIMITATIONS

The task of staying healthy becomes more difficult The task of staying healthy becomes more difficult as people ageas people age

This is one of the important challenges of late This is one of the important challenges of late adulthoodadulthood

It involves good habits and preventive medicine –It involves good habits and preventive medicine –getting regular medical and dental checkupsgetting regular medical and dental checkups

Many illness in later years develop into chronic Many illness in later years develop into chronic problems because of neglect not because of agingproblems because of neglect not because of aging

Older adults should also attend to their physical Older adults should also attend to their physical appearanceappearance

Physical health depends partially on mental attitudePhysical health depends partially on mental attitude

PLANNING FINANCES TO ENSURE PLANNING FINANCES TO ENSURE ADEQUATE MEANS OF SUPPORTADEQUATE MEANS OF SUPPORT

Financial planning should be implemented Financial planning should be implemented early and this requires careful long-term early and this requires careful long-term planningplanning

Good planning will help older people have Good planning will help older people have financial independencefinancial independence

The disabled adults who depend on others The disabled adults who depend on others need to investigate what resources might be need to investigate what resources might be viable: from children or other relatives, viable: from children or other relatives, pension, public old assistance programs etc.pension, public old assistance programs etc.

Many adults have to consider revising their Many adults have to consider revising their life style to cut down on expenses life style to cut down on expenses

LEARNING AND ADJUSTING TO LEARNING AND ADJUSTING TO REVISED WORK ROLESREVISED WORK ROLES

Ordinarily, government or non-government Ordinarily, government or non-government workers are retired at this stage and do an workers are retired at this stage and do an adjustmentadjustment

They have to consider a major change in They have to consider a major change in work roles & learn new types of workwork roles & learn new types of work

Retirement for them means retraining, Retirement for them means retraining, changing jobs or going into business for changing jobs or going into business for themselves.themselves.

Retirement offers the opportunity to do Retirement offers the opportunity to do their own activities. their own activities.

LEARNING TO USE LEISURE TIME LEARNING TO USE LEISURE TIME PLEASURABLYPLEASURABLY

As work decline, more leisure time is As work decline, more leisure time is available for preferred pursuitsavailable for preferred pursuits

Pleasure is the feeling of being Pleasure is the feeling of being pleased and happy; it is gladness and pleased and happy; it is gladness and joyjoy

Many of older adults have not Many of older adults have not learned to enjoy themselves because learned to enjoy themselves because of they are from the work generation. of they are from the work generation.

FINDING COMPANIONSHIP AND FINDING COMPANIONSHIP AND FRIENDSFRIENDS

Loneliness is one of the most frequent Loneliness is one of the most frequent complaints of older peoplecomplaints of older people

Their challenge is to find meaningful Their challenge is to find meaningful relationships with othersrelationships with others

Require joining formal organizations or Require joining formal organizations or groups in the community or extending groups in the community or extending oneself to others to cultivate friendsoneself to others to cultivate friends

Involves personal initiative in contacting Involves personal initiative in contacting others, extending invitations or making others, extending invitations or making phone calls.phone calls.

ESTABLISHING NEW ROLES ESTABLISHING NEW ROLES IN THE FAMILYIN THE FAMILY

Several events bring about the adjustment Several events bring about the adjustment of family rolesof family roles Children marrying & moving awayChildren marrying & moving away GrandparenthoodGrandparenthood RetirementRetirement The death of spouseThe death of spouse Becoming dependent on one’s childrenBecoming dependent on one’s children

All of these circumstances require major All of these circumstances require major adjustment and realignment of family adjustment and realignment of family roles and responsibilitiesroles and responsibilities

ACHIEVING INTEGRITY THROUGH ACHIEVING INTEGRITY THROUGH ACCEPTANCE OF ONE’S LIFEACCEPTANCE OF ONE’S LIFE

Erikson (1959) stated that the development Erikson (1959) stated that the development of ego integrity is the chief psychosocial of ego integrity is the chief psychosocial task of the final stage of lifetask of the final stage of life

This includes life review, being able to This includes life review, being able to accept the facts of one’s life without regret, accept the facts of one’s life without regret, being able to face death without great fearbeing able to face death without great fear

It entails appreciating one’s own It entails appreciating one’s own individuality, accomplishments, and individuality, accomplishments, and satisfactions as well as accepting the satisfactions as well as accepting the hardship, failures and disappointmenthardship, failures and disappointment