Age 40-65 Socio-emotional development Middle Adulthood Age 40-65 Socio-emotional development

Signs of Change Children are born, grow up, and leave home. Relationships grow, change, or sometimes dissolve. New jobs begin while unemployment is a reality for others. People get sick, some get well, others die. By this time in life, people have experienced many life changes and adjustments.

Family Relationships Many times people in this age group have to care for aging parents. Many are involved in grandparenting roles. The balancing act of providing care to different generations is called the sandwich generation. Sometimes the generativity v/s stagnation that we learned from Erikson relates to how successful people have been with family relationships.

Empty Nest This can involve grieving as a chapter in their life is over. A time for many to pursue new hobbies, interests, travel, or education. Couples will need to re-establish their relationships. Whether seen as a benefit or challenge, middle adults finally adapt to their new roles.

Work/Career Roles Middle adults often question if their career is one they want to continue for the rest of their working life. They may have reached the height of success or faced disappointment if things didn’t go as they had hoped. Middle adults often feel disappointment more acutely as their sense of responsibility to others is strong. Some adults find that this is the perfect time in life to make changes.

Prepare for Retirement Middle adults need to learn to enjoy leisure time in preparation for retirement. It will help to relieve stress of planning for retirement. Some worry about saving financially. Others look forward to hobbies, travel, and new experiences. Some have trouble coping with the idea of no longer being employed.

Special Needs Sometimes middle adulthood may bring about health changes that require special needs in ones household. Universal housing design is a design that meets the needs of people based on their physical abilities. For example, some people many need ramps for wheelchairs or extra space for walking aids. It allows for safety, convenience, and accessibility in a household.