1. 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

2. 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

3. 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….

4. 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)

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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!

8. Late Adulthood Stages: Social Theories of aging
Young-old: years old
Middle-old: years old
Old-old: 85+ years old
Social Theories of aging
Continuity theory
Activity theory
Disengagement theory
Socioemotional selectivity
Gerotranscendence

9. 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

10. Late Adulthood
What do you think plays a bigger role in aging – nature or nurture?
Field trip: Grandpa Gustafson's opinion,
Has your opinion changed?
What does the research say?

11. 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

12. 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?

13. The Biophysical Dimension

14. 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?

15. The Psychological Dimension

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. The Social Dimension

21. 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

22. 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?

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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.