socioemtional development in late adulthood Flashcards
stereotypes of older adults
belief that they are lonely; lack close friends and family; have a higher rate of mood disorders; and are rigid, unable to cope with age-related declines, one-dimensional, dependent, and cognitively impaired
self-concepts
multifaceted, complex and stable
-most maintain a positive view
-categorize
subjective age
most feel younger
-avoid self being “old”
-related to well-being
-crystallized intelligence stays good
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life review
reflecting on past experiences and contemplating the meaning of those experiences and their role in shaping one’s life
-integral to develp a sense of ego integrity vs despair
ego integrity vs despair
the last stage in Erikson’s (1959) psychosocial theory, in which older adults find a sense of coherence in life experiences and ultimately conclude that that their lives are meaningful and valuable
-relies on cognitive development and social factors
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personality
remains stable
-might mellow out
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sexuality
older people maintain sexual interest and remain sexually capable and active
-declines with age but sexual satisfaction often remains unchanged
-correlate of health
friendships
-become more important and fulfilling
-become more centered on activities
-as older report more friends of different ages
-helps health
marriage, divorce, cohabitation
-marital satisfaction tends to increase
-report divorce because poor communication, emotional detachment etc
-may have more difficulties adjusting to divorce
-cohabitation is common
-enter as an alternate to marriage
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relationships with children and grand children
-increase opportunities for emotional support
-remains strong even though contact may decrease
disengagement theory
-incorrect
- older adults are thought to disengage from society, relinquishing valued social roles and reducing interaction, as they anticipate death
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activity theory
continuity theory
successful aging entails not simply remaining active but maintaining a sense of consistency in self across one’s past into the future
- people are motivated to maintain their habits, personalities, and lifestyles, adapting as needed to maintain a sense of continuity, that they are the same person they have always been
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socioemotional selectivity theory
the functions of social interactions change with age
-As perceived time left diminishes, people tend to discard peripheral relationships and focus on important ones, such as those with close family members and friends
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neighborhoods
-influence adaptation through provision of physical and social resources
-suburban tend to be happiest, but walk less
-urban have better access
-rural interact with neighbors more
aging in place
most prefer to age in their homes.
-permits control
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deciding to retire
-process begins long before last day of employment
-influences: health, financial, stress, sense of control
transition to retirement
-honeymoon phase
-disenchantment
-social and intellectually active
clinical death
when heart stops beating
-heartbeat is no longer clear marker of life
whole brain death
irreversible loss of functioning in the brain that may occur prior to clinical death
persistent vegetative state (PVS)
the person appears awake and maintains heart rate and respiration but is not aware, due to the permanent loss of all activity in the cortex
-not recognized as death
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dying trajectory
the rate of decline that people show prior to death
-4 patterns
-abrupt surprise death: sudden, unexpected
-short-term expected: a steady predictable decline due to a terminal illness such as cancer
-expected lingering: is anticipated but prolonged, such as in the case of frailty and old age
-entry-reentry: slow declines are punctuated by a series of crises and partial recoveries
emotional reactions to dying
5 reactions
denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance
death with dignity
ending life in a way that is true to one’s preferences, controlling one’s end-of-life care
