 20 – 40 years old  Physical peak  Characterized by a desire to try new ways of doing things  30 yrs may bring major life changes

 Settling down › Increase of financial and emotional investments  Marriage › Patriarchy: men play the dominant role › Matriarchy: women play the dominant role

 Divorce › ½ of marriages in US end in divorce  Children of Divorce are more likely to: › Have behavioral problems › Engage in substance abuse › Earn lower grades

 40 – 65 years old  Decline in physical ability (hardly noticeable)  Greatest challenge: Generativity (ability to create, originate and produce) › Make a difference › Give back

 Midlife Transistion › Perspectives change in a major way › Thinking changes from How old am I? to How many years do I have left? › Can trigger Crisis  Midlife Crisis › Second period of reassessment  Middlescence › Period of searching, resembles adolescence › Search for a new identity or second adulthood

 Empty-Nest Syndrome › feelings of emptiness after children leave the home  Menopause › Decrease in the secretion of estrogen and progesterone

 65 years old +  Senses become less sharp  Reflexes and reaction times are slowed

 Cognitive Changes › Problems  Dementia: serious loss of cognitive functioning (memory loss)  Senile dementia: dementia occurring after 65 yrs old

 Cognitive Changes › Problems  Alzheimer’s Disease: general, gradual deterioration in mental processes (memory, language, etc)  Vascular Dementia: bursting of blood vessel in brain (stroke) or lack of blood supply to the brain

 Why do people age? › Programmed theories  Biological clocks moving at predetermined pace › Cellular damage theories  Body cells lose capacity to maintain themselves as a result of damage (toxins or trauma)

 FIVE STAGES 1. Denial: It can’t be me. The doctor’s diagnosis must be wrong. 2. Anger: It’s unfair. Why me?! 3. Bargaining: I’ll be kinder if I can just live to see my grandson graduate. 4. Depression: What’s the use in living another day? 5. Acceptance: I’ve had a good life, I’m ready to die.

 Criticism: › Not all feelings follow a particular sequence › Quickly shifting emotions › Acceptance of death greatly varies › Ignore the uniqueness of each individuals experiences at the end of life