ICL 2.3: Adult/Geriatric Health & Development Flashcards
what happens during young adulthood?
one spends significant resources to discover what they like to do and with whom they want to be intimate (intimacy versus isolation)
through this process they begin to find meaning and purpose
what happens during middle adulthood?
many focus on guiding the next generation and leaving a legacy (generativity versus stagnation)
what happens during late adulthood?
one reflects on life and feels satisfaction or a sense of failure in their achievements (integrality versus despair)
what is the continuity theory of aging?
when making adaptive choices middle‐aged and older adults attempt to preserve and maintain “existing” biological, psychological and social patterns aka they minimize losses
how does an individual adapt to getting older or more health issues?
the older one becomes, or, the more health issues that occur an individual adapts through:
- selection = focus on fewer, most important activities like family, patio garden/condo, solitary activities
- optimization = engage in activities that enhance functioning like a hobby, reading, puzzles
- compensation = make more effective use of resources like walker/wheel chair, assistance from family, aides, focus on fewer activities per day/week
what is the developmental perspective?
self-esteem and efficacy increase gradually throughout adulthood and likely levels off in old age
low self-esteem predicts depression and anxiety
self-esteem is positively related to presence of meaning and purpose but is negatively related to the search for meaning and purpose
how does diagnosis effect a patients perspective of their life meaning?
patients more proximal to their medical diagnosis report higher search for meaning & lower presence of meaning than those further from diagnosis
what is the state of your physical health during middle adulthood?
your physical peak is from 20-40 years old –> you’ll have the most muscle strength, sensory abilities, reaction times and cardiac functioning
appearance stabilizes, health is typically good and you have good sexual functioning
what is the state of your physical health during old age?
ones’ unique genetic blueprint and lifestyle influence the course of physical changes
- appearance, skin, musculoskeletal changes
- changes in vision, sense of smell, hearing – presbyopia, cataracts, presbycusis
- health: change in immune system functioning and end of reproduction for women
what is the state of your cognitive health during middle adulthood?
it remains relatively stable!
crystallized intelligence grows steadily = accumulating knowledge/ experience, information skills & strategies
fluid intelligence remains stable = Information processing skills, processing speed, divided attention
what is the state of your cognitive health during old age?
ones’ unique genetic blueprint and lifestyle influence the course of cognitive changes
crystallized intelligence holds steady or improves but fluid intelligence declines in late middle age
what is the state of your psychosocial health during middle adulthood?
- seek/maintain meaning
2. positive social relationships associated with physical and emotional health
what are the challenges seen in the psychosocial health of middle adulthood?
- undefined dreams/goals
- social comparisons
- lost relationships
- negative life events like empty nest of adult children staying/returning home
what is the state of your psychosocial health during old age?
- seek/maintain meaning
- positive social relationships associated with physical and emotional health
- narrower view of what’s important
what are the challenges seen in the psychosocial health of old age?
- regret, dreams/goals unachieved
- desire to go back to youth
- loss of relationships through death
- adapt to illness, loss of function, eventual death
