chapter 7 Flashcards
middle age - age 40-64
The current midlife generation consists of the baby boomers.
In 2011, this is the largest group in the population.
Baby boom cohort has a profound effect on Canadian society
Never before have so many been so close to retirement
middle years
Social Scripts
- cultural rules that tell us what and how we should do things - are “loosening”
Social Time Clocks
- Socially approved timetables for life events
- are “losing time”
There is much diversity among families during the middle years
These years of the family life cycle are transitional
Key theme of the middle years is transitions in roles and relationships.
erik erikson: psychosocial task
Generativity vs stagnation
Generativity takes various forms
Raising children
Mentoring a relative or younger person
Creation of artistic/literary works
Working to better the community through advocacy/volunteering
Commitment to family leisure time to transmit family history and values
Changing Family Relationships and Roles During Middle Age
empty nest: when children leave/move out of home for the first time - feeling of grief and lonliness
-sandwich genreation… people who have elderly parents and young children to take care of at the same time
empty nest (detailed)
Children leave home
Relationships between members of family of origin change:
Adult children gain independence and may pursue education, careers, their own intimate relationships, and have their own children
Parents have more freedom to renew their own relationship
May have to renegotiate some aspects of their relationship
Shift towards androgyny
not so empty homes
Sometimes the Nest is Not So Empty :
1981 - 27% of young adults aged 20-29 lived with parents
2011 - 42% of young adults aged 20-29 years lived with parents
Due to unemployment, pursuit of higher education, declining marriage rates, later age at marriage, housing costs
These same factors, in addition to economic difficulties, divorce, child care issues, and life hardships, contribute to ….
“Boomerang Kids” – children who return after moving out
“Revolving Door” – repeated moving in and out
Approximately 30% of Canadians aged 20-29 years return home at least once after leaving.
_____ of young adults living in parental homes
increase
not so empty nest issues
Living with parents has become increasingly acceptable, but does produce stresses
Practical issues arise:
Adjustment of roles, since old parent–child ones may now be inappropriate
Privacy for parents and children
Use of family car
Family rules and regulations
Sharing of expenses
Use of home for parties and other forms of socializing
Parents feel the need to maintain control of their home
Adult “children” have the need to control their own lives
sandwich generation detailed
Caring for the needs of both children and aging parents
3 in 10 Canadians aged 45 to 64 with unmarried children under 25 also caring for a senior (General Social Survey, 2002; 2012)
Caring has work/financial implications
Reduce or change work hours
Incur expenses related to caring
The burden of caring for elderly parents tends to fall on women
In contrast to earlier generations, many of these women have jobs
Caring for both children and elderly relatives can be stressful, especially for those with several children or those looking after more than one older person
mid life crisis
Men: “Mid-life Crisis”
Levinson “The Seasons of a Man’s Life” (1978)
Women: “Empty Nest Syndrome”
midlife crisis influenced by:
1) Cohort - age may not be respected in theculture/society
2) Family relationships - good relationship with kids decreased because move away
3) Work - potential shift between work and retirement
Mid-life is a time of transitions and not crisis
