Human Behavior and the Social Environment “If you live to be one hundred, you've got it made. Very few people die past that age.” George Burns “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.” Mark Twain “Old minds are like old horses; you must exercise them if you wish to keep them in working order.” John Quincy Adams Human Behavior and the Social Environment UNIT 9: CHAPTER 12 LATE ADULTHOOD: AGES 60+ YEARS

Welcome Microphone check If technical issues close out seminar, my students should meet in the classroom chat room. Tonight: End of term reminders, Unit 9 Project, overview of late adulthood (field trip), small group activity, and late adulthood and the biophysical dimension, psychological dimension, and social dimension

End of Term Reminders The end of term is rapidly approaching ALL late work MUST be submitted by the end of Unit 9, no exceptions All Unit 9 Projects MUST be submitted by the end of Unit 9, no exceptions End of term surveys Last seminar….

Unit 9 Project: Instructions Title page Introduction: brief summary/history of Luis Perez. End this paragraph with a CLEAR thesis statement. Body (must incorporate theory and information from the course): Strongest influences on Luis’ behavior Changes for Luis as he transitions from middle adulthood to late adulthood Potential biases or prejudices (refer to NOHS ethics)

Unit 9 Project: Instructions Conclusion: what you may learn about yourself through this case, close with your thesis statement Reference page: two required sources Format: Five (or more) complete paragraphs 2-4 pages of text, plus the title and reference page 12 point font, Times New Roman Double spaced Free of typographical errors

Unit 9 Project: Grading Criteria Introduction, 20 points Greatest influences, 20 points Changes over time, 10 points Prejudices and biases, 20 points Reciprocal relationship between clients and HSPs, 20 points Mechanics, 8 points Reference page, 2 points

Extra Credit: Up to 15 Points 5 points if you have your project reviewed by someone else (a classmate or the Writing Center) and you use their comments to improve your work. You must submit your paper with their comments on it along with your final project. 5 points if you review a classmate's work. You must submit their paper with your comments on it along with your final project. 5 points if you submit your final project before the end of Unit 8, rather than the end of Unit 9 when it is due. Be cautious if you do this, however, that you don't miss bringing in important information from Units 8 and 9 to your paper. Too late now!

Late Adulthood Stages: Social Theories of aging Young-old: 65-74 years old Middle-old: 75-84 years old Old-old: 85+ years old Social Theories of aging Continuity theory Activity theory Disengagement theory Socioemotional selectivity Gerotranscendence

Late Adulthood Senescence-decline in bodily systems and the resulting increased vulnerability (Foos & Clark, 2008) Biological Theories of Aging (Foos & Clark, 2008) Biological clock/Hayflick number Evolution Hormones Immune system Wear and tear Free radicals Garbage accumulation DNA Damage and repair

Late Adulthood What do you think plays a bigger role in aging – nature or nurture? Field trip: Grandpa Gustafson's opinion, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1leLgTr9ytw Has your opinion changed? What does the research say?

Commonalties in Aging Concern with leaving a legacy, this relates to Erikson’s integrity versus despair A change in the sense of time Wanting to fulfill the elder function Attachment to familiar objects Creativity, curiosity, and surprise

Chat Time Assignment to group Pick a reporter Reconvene and present responses Questions to consider (see page 574, exhibit 12.3) When will you be “old”? When is a person “old”? How should you refer to a person who is “old”? List some common stereotypes/media images of “old” people What is the best part of growing older? What is the worst part of growing older? How do you define successful aging?

The Biophysical Dimension

Biophysical Considerations Implications for practice: sexuality in late adulthood What is a good way for an HSP to broach a conversation about sexuality with an elder client? Health care and medications Chronic health problems Death and dying Advance directives for health care Implications for practice: End-of-life care What are some considerations for end of life care?

The Psychological Dimension

Cognitive Development Selective Optimism & Compensation- Focuses on ways the older self is able to cope & maintain integrity despite declines in reserve capacities Selection Optimization Compensation Fluid intelligence: abstract reasoning ability or “native intelligence”, decreases with age Crystallized intelligence: Accumulated information & verbal skill, Remains stable or may even increase with age Executive functioning: the cognitive abilities of organization & task performance, may be impaired by certain conditions

Mental Impairment NORMAL ALZHEIMER’S/DEMENTIA Temporarily forgetting a colleague’s name Having a word on the tip of the tongue Misplacing objects in moments of distraction Forgetting for a moment where you’re going Having trouble balancing the checkbook accurately Temporarily forgetting the day of the week Not being able to recall the name later Substituting strange words for forgotten words Misplacing things in unusual places & having no memory of putting them there Getting lost on your own street Forgetting how to add or subtract numbers Not knowing what season or year it is, even after thinking about them

Loss, Grief, and Mourning EXTRINSIC FACTORS Personal losses or gain Social forces (losses or gains) Socioeconomic adversities Unwanted retirement Cultural devaluation of older persons INTRINSIC FACTORS Nature of personality Physical diseases Age-specific changes Experience of bodily dissolution & approaching death

Loss, Grief, and Mourning Four tasks essential to mourning Accept the loss Feel the pain Adjust to the environment Find a way to maintain connection with the deceased

The Social Dimension

Parent-Child Relationships Contributors to caregiver resiliency Distancing from the care situation, physically & emotionally Regular physical exercise Keeping up personal hobbies Having at least one close confidant for emotional support Personal religious beliefs A philosophy of duty toward the parent Sense of humor

Senior Living Long term care: medical & social interventions for those who have chronic illnesses or impairments that are geared toward helping a patient live as satisfactorily as possible in an appropriate, least restrictive setting Options Independent living senior apartments Low-income-housing tax credit properties Board & care homes or adult foster homes Freestanding assisted-living facilities Continuing care retirement communities Nursing homes (the Eden Alternative and Green House) What contributes to quality for residents?

Elder Abuse and Neglect: Risk Factors, Signs, and Causes Presence of family member’s mental illness, or drug or alcohol abuse Stressful life events for the family, such as financial loss, death, divorce Cognitive impairment of the older person (more likely to be neglected) Physical impairment/dependence on others for physical needs (more likely to be abused) Older person’s social isolation Poor hygiene & nutritional status; obvious lack of care

Elder Abuse and Neglect: Risk Factors , Signs, and Causes The older person appears hyper vigilant or nervous The caregiver displays hostility & impatience toward the elder Causes Caregiver Stress Caregiver Impairment Ecological Model of Elder Abuse

Closing Tonight: End of term reminders, Unit 9 Project, overview of late adulthood (field trip), small group activity, and late adulthood and the biophysical dimension, psychological dimension, and social dimension Any questions? Next week: Unit 10: Reciprocal relationship between client and provider Reading: “From Tragedy to Triumph” No seminar, DB optional Ashford, J.B., LeCroy, C.W., & Lortie, K.L. (2009). The social environment and human behavior. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Foos, P.W., & Clark, M.C. (2008). Human aging. Boston, MA:Pearson Higher Education.