Ch. 18 Late Adulthood (65+ yrs)

Question 1

Aging in Place

Answer 1

In late adulthood, remaining in a familiar setting where one has control over one’s every day life

Question 2

Dependency-Support Script

Answer 2

A predictable pattern of interaction in which caregivers attend to older adults dependent behaviors immediately, thereby reinforcing those behaviors, while ignoring independent behaviors

Question 3

Ego Integrity VS Despair

Answer 3

In Ericksons theory, the psychological conflict of late adulthood, which is resolved positively when adults come to terms with the lives in Feil Hall, complete, and satisfied with their achievements

Question 4

Independence-Ignore Script

Answer 4

A predictable pattern of interaction in which older dogs independent behaviors are mostly ignored and, as a result occurred less often

Question 5

Person-Environment Fit

Answer 5

A good match between older adults abilities and the demands of the living environments, which promotes adaptive behavior and psychological well-being

Question 6

Positivity Effect

Answer 6

And emotional strength of older adults who, compared with younger people, selectively attend to and better recall emotionally positive over negative information

Question 7

Reminiscence

Answer 7

The process of telling stories about people events from the past and reporting associated thoughts and feelings

Question 8

Secondary Friends

Answer 8

People who are not intimate but with whom an individual spends time occasionally such as a group that meets for lunch, bridge, or museum tours

Question 9

Social Convoy

Answer 9

A model of age related changes in social networks, which views the individual is moving through life within a cluster of relationships, with close ties in the inner circle and west close ties on the outside. With age, people change places in the convoy, new tires are added, and some drift off

Question 10

Socioemotional Selectivity Theory

Answer 10

A social theory of aging the states that social interaction in late adulthood extends lifelong selection process is. Aging leads to increased emphasis on the motion regulating function of social interaction causing older adults to for familiar social patterns with him they have developed pleasurable relationships

Question 11

Successful Aging

Answer 11

Aging in which genes are maximized and losses minimized, enabling realization of individual potential

Question 12

Third Age

Answer 12

A new phase of late adulthood extending from age 65 to 79 or longer, resulting from added years of longevity and health plus financial civility in which older adults pursue personally in reaching interest goals

Question 13

Four Stages

Answer 13

1st Age- chidhood
2nd Age- adulthood
**3rd Age- time of personal fulfillment from ages 65-79
4th Age- physical decline

Question 14

Ego Integrity vs Despair

Answer 14

Erickson’s 8th stage - feel a sense of integrity and fulfillment. Willingness to face death.
If not, feeling of dissatisfaction with life; despair over prospect of death.

Ego Integrity is associated with: favorable psycological well-being, up beat mood, close relationships with adult children, greater community involvement, and accepting of help from others.The negative outcome is a feeling of dissatisfaction with life; despair over prospect of death.

Question 15

Task of Ego Integrity - Peck

Answer 15

Peck said that attaining Ego Integrity involves three steps:

1. Ego Differentiaton- for those who invested heavily in careers, finding ways to affirm self-worth through family, friends, and community life.
2. Body Transcendence- surmounting physical limitations by emphasizing the compensating rewards of cognitive, emotional, and social powers.
3. Ego Transcendence- as contemporaries die, facing the reality of death constructively through efforts to make life more secure, meaningful, and gratifying for younger generations.

Peck’s theory requires older adults to move beyond life’s work, their bodies, and separate identities by investing is a future that extends beyond their own life.

Question 16

Joan Erikson

Answer 16

Suggested that attainments represent development beyond ego integrity to an additional psychosocial stage called Gerontranscendence

Gerotranscendence - a cosmic and transcendent perspective directed beyond the self to affinity with past and future generations and oneness with the universe.

Question 17

Gerotranscendence

Answer 17

Gerotranscendence - a cosmic and transcendent perspective directed beyond the self to affinity with past and future generations and oneness with the universe.

Question 18

Positivity Effect

Answer 18

Cognitive affective complexity(awareness of positive & negative feelings with an organized self-description)

This effect increases from adolscence through middle adulthood and then declines as a persons basic -information-processing skills diminish in late adulthood.

But older people often display compensating emotional stregnth, which is Positivity Effect.

Compared to younger people, older people delectively attend to and better recall emotionally positive information over negative info. This contributes to older adults resiliance. So, despite losing loved ones and poor health, they are optimistic, gaining in enjoyment.

Question 19

Emotional Self-regulation

Answer 19

Aging adults life experiences enable them to become expert in emotional self-regulation.

Question 20

Reminiscence

Answer 20

Telling stories about events and people from the past and reporting associated thoughts and feelings.Both young and old people use reminiscence during times of life transitions.

Question 21

Life Review

Answer 21

Calling up past experiences with the goal of achieving greater self-understanding.

Question 22

Robert Butler

Answer 22

According to Robert Butler, older adults egage in life review as part of attaining Ego Integrity

Question 23

Old Age

Answer 23

Is still associated with gains in life satisfaction

Old age is not a time when personality becomes rigid and morale declines. Rather, a flexible, optimistic approach to life, which fosters resilience in the face of adversity, is common.

Old adults gain modestly in agreeableness into their 70s. They decline in agreeableness after age 80 as they face physical and cognitive challenges.

Older adults experience age related dips in extroversion and decline in openness to experiences.

It was found that if older adults regularly do cognitively challenging puzzles, this sustained intellectual engagement induced them to view themselves as open to experiences.

Successful aging is an expression of remarkable resilience during this final period of the life span

Question 24

Spirituality & Religion in Old Age

Answer 24

Older adults hold great value to religious beliefs and behaviors.
65% of 65 and older say religion is very important
1/2 report attending service 1 time per week. Highest of any age group

Question 25

Control vs Dependency

Answer 25

These two sequences reinforce dependent behaviorin old adults:Dependency-Support Script- dependent behaviors are attended to immediatelyIndependence-Ignore Script- independent behaviors are mostly ignored.

Question 26

Person-Environment Fit

Answer 26

A good match between an older person abilities and the demands of their living environment

Question 27

Depression

Answer 27

Physical Health is a powerful predictor of psychological well-being in older adults

Risk of late-life depression increases with physical decline and chronic disease

Fewer older adults are depressed than young and middle-age adults

Profound feelings of hopelessness rise with age due to less personal control and increased isolation

Depression in old age is often lethal

People 85 and older have highest suicide rate of all age groups. U.S. rate has risen by 15% in the past few years. In this category, it is largely white men.

It is important for family and aides to encourage autonomy and NOT the dependency support script

More that 1/2 US nursing home residents don’t receive regular mental health intervention

Negative life changes may actually evoke less stress and depression in older people (through life experience, they’ve learn coping techniques)

Women of advanced age report lower psychological well-being than men

In late adulthood, social supports reduce stress, thereby promotes physical health and psychological well-being. This helps increase odds of longer life

Question 28

Excessive Assistance

Answer 28

when assistance is excessive or can’t be returned by the older person, it often interferes with self-efficacy and amplifies psychological stress

Question 29

Child Obligation

Answer 29

A lot of times adult children feel a deeper sense of obligation toward the older parent than the older parent expects from them.

Question 30

Perceived Social Support

Answer 30

For older adults, the sense of being able to count on friends and family in time of need is associated with a positive outlook

Question 31

Social Theories of Aging

Answer 31

Disengagement Theory-
older people decrease activity levels and interact less frequently, becoming more preoccupied with their inner lives in anticipation of death

Activity Theory-
this theory dispels the disengagement theory in that it proposes that social barriers to engagement, not the desires of the older adults cause declining rates of engagementQuality, not quantity of relationships predicts psychological well-being in old age

Continuity Theory-
A social theory of aging that states that most aging adults, and their choice of every day activities and social relationships, strive to maintain a personal system— an identity and a set of personality dispositions, interests, roles, and skills— that promotes life satisfaction by ensuring consistency between the past and anticipated future
Socio-emotional Selectivity Theory-
States that aging leads to changes in functions of social interactions. Social interaction in late-life extends lifelong selection processes.As people age, contacts with family and friends are sustained until the 80s, when they diminish gradually in favor of a few very close relationships.

Question 32

Continuity Theory

Answer 32

A social theory of aging that states that most aging adults, and their choice of every day activities and social relationships, strive to maintain a personal system— an identity and a set of personality dispositions, interests, roles, and skills— that promotes life satisfaction by ensuring consistency between the past and anticipated future

Question 33

Disengagement Theory

Answer 33

older people decrease activity levels and interact less frequently, becoming more preoccupied with their inner lives in anticipation of death

Question 34

Activity Theory

Answer 34

this theory dispels the disengagement theory in that it proposes that social barriers to engagement, not the desires of the older adults cause declining rates of engagementQuality, not quantity of relationships predicts psychological well-being in old age

Question 35

Socioemotional Selectivity Theory

Answer 35

States that aging leads to changes in functions of social interactions. Social interaction in late-life extends lifelong selection processes.As people age, contacts with family and friends are sustained until the 80s, when they diminish gradually in favor of a few very close relationships.

Question 36

Social Context of Aging:

Communities, Housing, and Neighbors

Answer 36

Communities & Neighbors-
about 1/2 of US ethnic minority older adults live in cities compared to 1/3 European Americans
The majority of Older Adults live in the suburbs.

The suburbs- higher incomes, better health. Compared with Urban communities, Aging adults in small & midsize suburban communities tend to be more satisfied with life.

Inner City- better public transportation, which is important to life satisfaction

In both Urban and Suburban environments, Older Adults report greater life satisfaction when many aging adults reside in the same neighborhood and are available to them

Older adults who experienced crime are more likely than those with physical and cognitive impairments to enter a nursing home.- from a study by Lach

Housing-
Older adults desire to age in place- remaining in a familiar setting where they have control over everyday life.

Aging adults in western nations want to stay in neighborhoods where they spent their adult lives.

90% remain in or near their old house

In US, about 14% relocate- mostly to be close to children or to a temperate climate

Most homes are not designed for aging adults and they are seldom modified

Ethnic Aging Adults are more likely to live with their children or have them care for them.

Two decades ago, Asian American aging adults were living with their children, whereas today 65% live independently

Continuity Theory helps us understand why many adults want to live independently. Their home is the site of memorable life events, the home strengthens continuity with the past, preserving a sense of identity in the face of physical decline and social losses.

Nearly 30% US older adults live alone. This number rises to 50% by age 85 and older

Over 35% of aging adults who live alone are poverty stricken. This number is much higher than aging couples. Of the number, more than 70% are widowed women

Question 37

Residential Communities

Answer 37

About 12% of US adults 65 and older live in a residential community. It increases to 27% with 85 and up

Question 38

Assisted Living

Answer 38

Independent Living Community-
this community provides a variety of hotel-like support services, including meals, house keeping, laundry, transportation, and recreational

Life-care Community- for a large initial payment and fees this type of community offers a continuum of housing alternatives:
Independent living
Residences with personal & health related services
Full Nursing Home Care

Question 39

Nursing Homes

Answer 39

About 3% of Americans, 65 and older are living in nursing homes. Nearly 1/2 of the residents are 85 and older

Question 40

The Social Convoy

Answer 40

Is an influential model of changes in our social networks as we move through life

Although the size of our convoy decreases as age mates die, aging adults are rarely left without people in their inner circle who contribute to their well-being

Question 41

Marriage/Remarriage/Divorce

Answer 41

aging adults maintain high satisfaction in marriage by putting greater emphasis on regulating emotion in relationships. Resolve differences in constructive ways

Couples who divorce in late adulthood is less than 5% of all US divorces each year. But divorce among 65 and older has quadrupled in the past 3 decades

Aging women are more likely to initiate divorce

Because women live longer and are less likely to remarry, 34% of US women 65 and older are widowed, compared to 12% men

About 5% of older Americans never married or had children. They form strong bonds with nieces nephews, and neighbors. Same-sex friendships become very close- more so with women

Question 42

Siblings

Answer 42

Majority of Americans 65 and older have at least one sibling living- usually within 100 miles of them

Both sexes describe closer bonds with sisters than brothers.

The closer they are to sister, the higher older people’s psychological well-being

Question 43

Friendship

Answer 43

In aging adults, friendship takes on increasing importance

The diverse functions of friendship in late adulthood clarify its profound significance:

Intimacy & companionship are basic to meaningful late-life friendships

Late-life friendships help shield each other from negative judgements stemming from stereotypes of aging

Friendships help protect older adults from psychological consequences of loss

As in earlier years, older people tend to choose friends whose age, sex, ethnicity, and values resemble their own

As age mated die, the very old report having more intergenerational friends

Older women have more secondary friends- people who are not intimates but with whom they spend time with occasionally

Question 44

Relationship with Adult Children/ Adult Grandchildren

Answer 44

About 80% of older adults in Western nations are parents of living children(middle aged)

Quality over quantity of interaction with their adult children affects older parents’ life satisfaction positively

Aging parents who provide more help to their children than help received from their children scored highest in life satisfaction

Both moms and dads feel ambivalent towards adult children with problematic lives

Staying in-touch with grand children is the main reason aging adults say they use social media

Grandparents expect affection(but not practical help) from grandchildren. They view this tie as very gratifying

Question 45

Elder Neglect

Answer 45

At least 10% of older adults say they were targets during the past year. This amounts to over 4 million victims

Elder maltreatment occurs at similar rates across all US ethnic groups

Elder Maltreatment takes the following forms:

*Physical Neglect
*Emotional Abuse
*Financial Abuse
Physical Abuse
Sexual Abuse

*Physical neglect, emotional abuse, and financial abuse are the most frequent abuses

Most abusers are family members

6 to 40% of caregivers admitted to having committed at least one act of abuse in the past year

Granny Dumping- abandonment of older adults with severe disabilities by family caregivers, usually at a hospital emergency room

Risk Factors:
Dependency of Victims- the very old and frail are more vulnerable

 Dependency of Perpetrators- abusers are often dependent, either financially or emotionally, on their victims.  The dependency is experienced as powerlessness. Perpetrators often have mental illness and/ or substance abuse.  Socially isolated and difficulties working

 History of Family Violence- In many instances, elder abuse is an extension of partner abuse

 Institutional Conditions- maltreatment is more likely to occur in nursing homes that are poorly run, overcrowded, rundown

Question 46

Retirement

Answer 46

The age of retirement has risen in the US and western nations. The recession of 2007-2009 extended this trend

Bridge Jobs-
new part-time or full-time jobs of shorter duration. They serve as transition between full-time career and retirement. They usually have a positive impact on older adult

15% Older adits leave their jobs but return to paid work or new career

Today, retirement isn’t a single event, rather a dynamic process with multiple transitions serving different purposes.

Retirement usually comes later for people in high earning positions than those in blue collar or clerical jobs.

Those that retire from high earning positions are more likely to get bridge jobs

Self employed older adults tend to work longer because they can flexibly adapt to fit their needs

Older adults in boring jobs and are in declining health and also have pleasurable leisure activities- choose to retire

Industries offer older workers incentives to retire early so they can be replaced with less costly younger workers

Women retire earlier than men, but single women and ethnic minorities work longer due to lack of financial resources

Most western nations(Except US) have a generous Social Security benefit

Retirement doesn’t lead to adjustment issues. People view it as a time of opportunity and growth

Leisure and community service pursuits are usually formed earlier in life and are sustained or expanded in retirement

About 1/3 of those in their 600s and 70s in industrialized nations report volunteering. They tend to give 200+ hours per year. Better educated and financially secure are more likely to volunteer

Question 47

Successful Aging

Answer 47

is where gains are maximized and losses minimized, enabling realization of individual potential

People age well when their growth, vitality strivings limit and, at times, overcome physical, cognitive, and social decline

Optimal Aging -
reflects the reality that aging well involves doesn’t just involve achieving desirable outcomes, but also effective coping with life challenges and losses

Question 48

Optimal Aging

Answer 48

Reflects the reality that aging well involves doesn’t just involve achieving desirable outcomes, but also effective coping with life challenges and losses

Vallient- he revealed factors that people can control like- health habits, coping strategies, years of education- far outweighed uncontrollable factors like parental SES, family warmth, and early physical health- in predicting satisfying active old age.

Question 49

Vallient

Answer 49

he revealed factors that people can control like- health habits, coping strategies, years of education- far outweighed uncontrollable factors like parental SES, family warmth, and early physical health- in predicting satisfying active old age.

He concluded- “The past often predicts but never determines our old age”