Old age Flashcards
A time when adults dis- cover they no longer feel fulfilled in their jobs or personal lives and attempt to make a decisive shift in career or lifestyle.
Midlife crisis
According to Levinson, a process whereby adults assess the past and formulate new goals for the future.
Midlife transition
The time in a woman’s life when menstruation ceases.
Menopause
A neurological disorder, most commonly found in late adulthood, characterized by progressive losses in memory and cognition and changes in personality.
Alzheimer’s disease
The person denies the diagnosis, refuses to believe that death is approaching, insists that an error has been made, and seeks other, more acceptable opinions or alternatives.
Denial
The person now accepts the reality of the situation, but expresses envy and resentment toward those who will live to fulfill a plan or dream. The question becomes “Why me?” Anger may be directed at the doctor or randomly in all directions. The patience and understanding of other people are particularly important at this stage.
Anger:
The person desperately tries to buy time, negotiating with doctors, family members, clergy, and God in a healthy attempt to cope with the realization of death.
Bargaining
As bargaining fails and time is running out, the person may succumb to depression, lamenting failures and mistakes that can no longer be corrected.
Depression
Tired and weak, the person at last enters a state of “quiet expectation,” submitting to fate.
Acceptance
