Ch. 24 & 27: The Aging Individual; The Bereaved Individual Flashcards
Aging: intro
- Growing old is not popular in the youth-oriented American culture
- 66 million “baby boomers” will reach their 65th birthdays by the year of 2030, placing more emphasis on the needs of an aging population
How old is old?
Whether one is considered “old” must be self-determined, based on variables such as attitude, mental health, physical health, and degree of independence
Psychological aspects of aging
- Memory functioning
- Short-term memory seems to deteriorate with age, but long-term memory does not show similar changes
- Time required for memory scanning is longer for both recent and remote recall among older people
- Mentally active people show less memory decline than those who are not mentally active
Intellectual functioning and aging
- Intellectual abilities of older people do not decline but do become obsolete
- The age of their formal educational experiences is reflected in their intelligence scoring
Learning ability and aging
- Ability to learn continues throughout life, although strongly influenced by interests, activity, motivation, health, and experience
- Adjustments do need to be made in teaching methodology and time allowed fro learning
Loss and grief in aging
- Experience many losses
- Mourning has become a lifelong process
- Bereavement overload
Adaptation to the tasks of aging
Attachment to others: Social networks contribute to well-being of seniors by promoting socialization and companionship, elevating morale and life satisfaction, buffering the effects of stressful events, providing a confidant, and facilitating coping skills and mastery
Aging and self-concept
- Self-concept and self-image appear to remain stable over time
- Factors that have been shown to favor good psychosocial adjustment in later life are:
- Sustained family relationships
- Maturity of ego defenses
- Absence of alcoholism
- Absence of depressive disorder
Aging and dealing with death
- Studies show that elderly people do not fear death itself
- They fear abandonment, pain, and confusion
- Death anxiety among the aging is apparently more of a myth than a reality
Psychiatric disorders in later life
- NCDs
- Delirium
- Depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, sleep disorders
In virtually all cultures, the elderly share some basic needs and interests
- They choose to live the most satisfying life possible until their demise
- They want protection from hazards, and release from the weariness of everyday tasks
- They want to die with the same respect and dignity
Elder abuse
- It has been estimated that 1 in 10 older adults in the united states is a victim of abuse
- The abuser is often a relative who lives with the elderly person and may be the assigned caregiver
Suicide and aging
- Persons 65 years of age and older represent a disproportionately high percentage of individuals who commit suicide
- The group at highest risk appears to be white men experiencing loneliness, financial problems, physical illness, loss, and/or depression
Ch 27 – The Bereaved Individual
Loss is anything that is perceived as such by the individual
Stages of grief - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
5.Acceptance
Length of the grief process
- Acute grief: Usually lasts about 6 to 8 weeks; longer in older adults
- The grief process: is very individual, may last for many years
Resolution of the grief process
Thought to have occurred when a bereaved individual is able to remember comfortably and realistically both the pleasures and disappointments of that which is lost
Anticipatory Grieving
The experiencing of the feelings and emotions associated with the normal grief response before the loss actually occurs
Delayed or inhibited grief
- The absence of grief when it ordinarily would be expected
- Potentially pathological because the person is not dealing with the reality of the loss
- Remains fixed in the denial stage of the grief process
Distorted (exaggerated) grief
- All of the symptoms associated with normal grieving are exaggerated
- The individual becomes incapable of managing activities of daily living
- Depressed mood disorder is a type of distorted grief response
Chronic or prolonged grieving
- A prolonged grief process may be considered maladaptive when certain behaviors are exhibited
- Behaviors aimed at keeping the lost loved one alive
- Behaviors that prevent the bereaved from adaptively performing activities of daily living
One crucial difference between normal and maladaptive grieving
- The loss of self-esteem does not occur in uncomplicated bereavement
- The loss of self-esteem ultimately precipitates depression
Assessment. developmental issues:
- Children –> birth to age 2 they are unable to understand death but can experience the feelings of loss and separation
- Ages 3 to 5: Have some understanding about death but have difficulty distinguishing between fantasy and reality; believe death is reversible
- Ages 6 to 9: Beginning to understand the finality of death; difficult to perceive their own death; normal grief reactions include regressive and aggressive behaviors
- Ages 10 to 12: Understand that death is final and eventually affects everyone; feelings of anger, guilt, and depression are common; peer relations and school performance may be disrupted.
Adolescents and understanding death
- Usually able to view death on an adult level
- Have difficulty perceiving their own death
- May or may not cry: may withdraw
- May exhibit acting-out behaviors
Elderly adults and understanding death
- A time in life of the convergence of many losses
- May lead to “bereavement overload”
- Bereavement overload may result in depression
Concepts of death: Cultural issues
- Be aware that based on cultural values, individuals may process and grieve in different ways
- Grief is very individualized. There is no right way to grieve.
- There is no time limit
