Personality Development and Successful AgingThe Daily Life of Late AdulthoodRelationships: Old and New

Personality Development and Successful Aging

Personality change depends on specific personality characteristics What do you think these are?

Continuity and Change in Personality Fundamental continuity to personality Profound social environmental changes throughout adulthood may produce fluctuations and changes in personality Some discontinuities in development

Discontinuities of Development: What Do Theorists Say? Changes in personality occur as a result of new challenges in later adulthood. Erik Erikson Robert Peck Daniel Levinson Bernice Neugarten

Erik Erikson Ego-Integrity-versus-Despair Process of looking back over one's life, evaluating it, and coming to terms with it –Integrity Comes when people feel they have realized and fulfilled the possibilities that have come their way –Despair Occurs when people feel dissatisfied with their life, and experience gloom, unhappiness, depression, anger, or the feeling that they have failed

Robert Peck Personality development in elderly people is occupied by three major developmental tasks or challenges Redefinition of self-versus-preoccupation-with- work role Body-transcendence-versus-body- preoccupation Ego-transcendence-versus-ego-preoccupation

Daniel Levinson People enter late adulthood by passing through transition stage View themselves as being “old” Recognize stereotypes and loss of power and respect Serve as resources to younger individuals Discover new freedom to do things for simple sake of enjoyment and pleasure

Bernice Neugarten Disintegrated and disorganizedPassive-dependent personalitiesDefended personalitiesIntegrated personalities

Life Review and Reminiscence Common theme of personality development Triggered by increasingly obvious prospect of one’s death Provides better understanding of past Resolves lingering problems and conflicts Leads to sense of sharing, mutuality, and feeling of interconnectedness with others

Age Stratification Approaches to Late Adulthood Suggest that economic resources, power, and privilege are distributed unequally at different stages of the life course Help explain why aging is viewed more positively in less industrialized societies

What else? Power and prestige for elderly have eroded in industrialized societies Rapidly changing technology causes older adults to be seen as lacking important skills Older adults are seen as non-productive members of society and in some cases simply irrelevant

How culture shapes the way we treat people in late adulthood Views of late adulthood are colored by culture Compared to Western cultures, Asian societies generally hold elderly people in higher esteem What aspects of Asian cultures lead them to hold higher levels of esteem for old age?

Cultures That Revere Old Age Have Several Things in Common Homogeneous in socioeconomic termsControl of finances by older adultsContinued engagement in socially valued activitiesOrganized around extended families

Does age bring wisdom?

Things to Consider Wisdom reflects accumulation of knowledge, experience, and contemplation Wisdom is not the same as intelligence

Staudinger and Baltes Theory of Mind Study Older participants benefited more from experimental condition designed to promote wise thinking Older adults appear to be able to draw on a more sophisticated theory of mind

Successful Aging Secrets Three major approaches Disengagement theory Activity theory Continuity theory

Disengagement Theory: Gradual Retreat Late adulthood involves gradual withdrawal from world on physical, psychological, and social levels Withdrawal is a mutual process and not necessarily negative

Activity Theory: Continued Involvement Happiness and satisfaction from high level of involvement Adaptation to inevitable changes Continuing/replacing previous activities

And so… Neither disengagement theory nor activity theory provides a complete picture of successful aging

Continuity Theory: A Compromise Position People need to maintain their desired level of involvement in society to maximize their sense of well-being and self-esteem Regardless of activity level, most older adults experience positive emotions as frequently as younger individuals Good physical and mental health is important in determining overall sense of well-being

Selective Optimization With Compensation: A General Model of Successful Aging Selective optimization Process by which people concentrate on selected skill areas to compensate for losses in other areas Elderly individuals engage in compensation for age-related losses Outcome is a life that is reduced in some areas, but transformed and modified and, ultimately, successful

Erikson calls older adulthood the ego- integrity-versus-despair stage, Peck focuses on three tasks that define the period, Levinson suggests that older people can experience liberation and self-regard, and Neugarten focuses on the ways people cope with aging.

Societies in which elderly people are respected are generally characterized by social homogeneity, extended families, responsible roles for older people, and control of significant resources by older people. Disengagement theory suggests that older people gradually withdraw from the world, while activity theory suggests that the happiest people continue to be engaged with the world. A compromise position—continuity theory—may be the most useful approach to successful aging, and the most successful model for aging may be selective optimization with compensation.

According to Erikson, individuals in late adulthood engage in looking back over their lives, evaluating their experiences and coming to terms with decisions. This is also known as ______________. a. ego transcendence versus ego preoccupation b. acceptance of growing old c. generativity versus stagnation d. ego integrity versus despair

According to Peck, the first major developmental task is to decide on your identity even though you are no longer employed. This is also known as ______________. a. redefinition of self versus preoccupation with work role b. ego integrity versus despair c. body transcendence versus body preoccupation d. ego transcendence versus ego preoccupation

According to Levinson, as individuals enter late adulthood one of the hardest struggles they experience is the acceptance that they are “old.” True False

How might personality traits account for success or failure in achieving satisfaction through the life review process?

The Daily Life of Late Adulthood

Where do you hope to spend the last days of your life?

During late adulthood, the range of socioeconomic well- being mirrors that of earlier years.

Places and Spaces Living at home Specialized living environments Continuing-care community –Assisted living Nursing institutions –Adult day care –Skilled nursing

Living in Nursing Homes Greater the extent of nursing home care = greater adjustment required of residents Loss of independence brought about by institutional life may lead to difficulties Elderly people are susceptible to society’s stereotypes about nursing homes

I think I can, I think I can…or can I? Institutionalism Learned helplessness

Economics of Late Adulthood People who were well-off in young adulthood remain so in late adulthood Those who were poor remain poor in late adulthood

Poverty and Elderly While 10 percent of those 65 years of age and older live in poverty, women are almost twice as likely as men to be living in poverty. Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2005.

Other Differences Related to Poverty Racial and marital variables 8 percent of whites in late adulthood live below the poverty level 19 percent of Hispanics and 24 percent of African Americans live in poverty Divorced black women aged 65 to 74 have a poverty rate of 47 percent

Financial Vulnerability in Older Adulthood Reliance on a fixed income for support Social Security benefits Pensions and savings rarely keep up with inflation Rising cost of health care

The Cost of Staying Well

Work and Retirement Retirement is major decision Social Security Part-time employment Mandatory retirement Retirement is a different journey for each individual. Some are content with a more sedate lifestyle, while others continue to remain active and in some cases pursue new activities.

Combating Age Discrimination There was an old lady who lived in a shoe… and we were not sure just what she could do!

Some employers... Encourage older workers to leave their jobs in order to replace them with younger employees whose salaries will be considerably lower Believe older workers are not up to demands of the job or are less willing to adapt to a changing workplace

Retirement Retirement decision based on variety of factors –Burnout –Health concerns –Employer incentives –Desire to travel, study, or spend more time with family

Retirement Stages: Atchley and Barusch Honeymoon period Disenchantment Reorientation Retirement routines Termination

Planning for—and living—a good retirement Plan ahead financially Consider tapering off from work gradually Explore interests before retirement If you are married or in a long-term partnership, spend some time discussing views of ideal retirement with partner Consider where you want to live Determine advantages and disadvantages of downsizing your current home. Plan to volunteer your time

Elderly people live in a variety of settings, although most live at home with a family member. Financial issues can trouble older people, largely because their incomes are fixed, health-care costs are increasing, and the lifespan is lengthening.

After retirement, many people pass through stages, including a honeymoon period, disenchantment, reorientation, retirement routine, and termination. There are ways to plan a good retirement including tapering off from work gradually, exploring interests before retiring, and trying to plan ahead financially.

Older adults living in communities that offer an environment in which all the residents are of retirement age or older and need various levels of care reside in a ___________ home. a. retirement b. single-family c. continuing-care d. multifamily

After age 65, women are twice as likely as men to be living in poverty. True False

Which of the following is NOT cited in your text as a reason older adults decide to retire? a. declining health b. job burnout c. incentives from their employers d. spouses have retired

Based on research on successful aging, what advice would you give someone who is nearing retirement?

Relationships: Old and New

Marriage in Later Years: Together, Then Alone

Stress of Retirement Stress of retirement or old age may change relationship – At least 2 percent of divorces in the U. S. involve women over 60 years of age –Husband may be abusive or alcoholic –Husband may find a younger woman Divorce is harder on women than men –5 percent of the elderly never married and late adulthood brings fewer changes to their lives

Refashioned Relationships More time together More sharing in household chores Role reversalsHealth changes

Caring for an Aging Spouse Wide variety of reactions –Positive –Negative

Death of Spouse Few events are more painful than death of spouse –No longer part of a couple –Must deal with profound grief –No one to share life with and social life often changes –Economic changes often occur

Social Activity in Late Adulthood Friends and family play an important role in the social activity of the elderly. Source: Federal Interagency Forum on Age Related Statistics, 2000.

Family Relationships Connections important –Siblings, children, grandchildren, and great- grandchildren provide an important source of comfort to adults in last years of their lives Siblings are important because of shared life Children often most important

Developmental Stake Bonds between parents and children are sometimes asymmetrical, with parents seeking a closer relationship and children a more distant one Parents see their children as perpetuating their beliefs, values, and standards Children may turn to their elderly parents for advice, information, and monetary help

Grandparents Not all grandparents are equally involved with their grandchildren Gender differences in behaviors and reactions of grandparents and grandchildren Ethnic differences in grandparenting

When Grandparents Are Great! Great-grandparents Play less of a role in the lives of both white and African American grandchildren Close relationships tend to occur only when the great-grandparents and great-grandchildren live relatively near one another

Why do friends matter? Friendships in late adulthood Allow older adults more control about whom to include in a friendship May be more flexible Relate to increasing likelihood, over time, that one will be without marital partner

Social Support Social support: Assistance and comfort supplied by another person or a network of caring, interested people Important for successful aging Sympathy and empathy Can help furnish material support such as solve problems, give a ride, or fix broken things Dogs can be especially good at providing social support

Social Support: Significance of Others Benefits for recipient Sympathetic ear and sounding board for one’s concerns Unmatched degree of understanding and a pool of helpful suggestions from like other Material support Benefits for provider Experience feelings of usefulness and heightened self- esteem

Elder Abuse: Relationships Gone Wrong Physical or psychological mistreatment or neglect of elderly individuals May affect as many as 11 percent of elderly Often stems from economic, psychological, and social pressures on caregivers who must provide high levels of care 24 hours a day Is most frequently committed by family member

While marriages in older adulthood are generally happy, the many changes of the period cause stresses that can bring divorce. The death of a spouse has major psychological, social, and material effects on the survivor and makes the formation and continuation of friendships highly important.

Family relationships are a continuing part of most older people’s lives, especially relationships with siblings and children. Friendships are highly valued in late adulthood and an important source of social support.

Individuals still married in later life report being significantly less satisfied with their marriages than they were in earlier years. True False

he first stage of adjustment to the death of a spouse is __________. a. adaptation b. preparation c. anger d. bargaining

Which of the following characteristics is associated with elder abuse? a. being healthy b. being a victim of Alzheimer’s c. being less isolated d. having a caregiver who lives outside of the home

What are some ways the retirement of a spouse can bring stress to a marriage? Is retirement likely to be less stressful in households where both spouses work, or twice as stressful?