Lifespan Development Psychology Psyc 2100
Lecture Block 18: Emotional and Social Development in Late Adulthood Mental illness after age 65 is less prevalent
than at any other life period. This may be due to selective mortality with
the mentally disordered dying earlier due to compromised immune function, more cardiovascular
disease and years of over extending coping resources.� Lower rates of mental illness
can also be due to better mental health and leaving symptoms behind by adjusting better
to life stressors.� �
>>>>>>>>>>> Ego integrity vs despair is the 8th and final
crisis in Erik Erikson�s psychosocial development theory. This is the era of old age, over 65. Feelings of acceptance of self and feelings
of fulfillment come with being able to look back with pride at life accomplishments. This is a reckoning with one�s life. Contentment, satisfaction, completeness and
serenity accompany ego integrity. The good and bad, successes and failures,
joy and disappointment that inevitably are experienced with relationships, jobs, parenting,
and leisure activities are accepted as contributions to life�s meaning. The uplifting realization that one�s life
is a spoke in a huge wheel of world humanity, enhances the ego integrity felt. Death is not dreaded as dire doom or feared
demise as the elderly with ego integrity contemplate their own life as a link in a long chain of
extended human existence. Also in old age, people with ego integrity
have self-acceptance along with hope. They entertain future plans to improve on
the self they have accepted. Despair and bitterness result if all a person
is able to muster when looking back over life are missed opportunities and bad choices. This old person is unpleasant to be around,
negative, complaining and mad at the world. Time is short and there are no chances to
turn things around. The person feels bitter, defeated and hopeless. He/she is full of regret, non-acceptance of
impending death, and contempt. Fingers of blame are pointed at others and
deep despair makes this person miserable with self. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Robert Peck cites 3 objectives of Erikson�s
ego integrity vs despair crisis� 1. ego differentiation vs work-role preoccupation,
2. body transcendence vs body preoocupation,
and 3. ego transcendence vs ego preoccupation. The duty of ego differentiation vs work-role
preoccupation involves finding self-worth in substitute endeavors after retiring from
a demanding career. Family, friends and community work must fill
the void. The duty of body transcendence vs body preoccupation
involves rising above physical limitations brought with aging. Advanced cognitive, emotional and social talents
replace or overshadow loss of youthful appearance, balance, motor ability, strength, and immunity
to disease. Body transcendence relies on psychological
strengths. With acceptance of life�s changes, comes
agreeableness. The duty of ego transcendence vs ego preoccupation
involves making life worthwhile for the next generation after own death. It includes accepting death and valuing a
larger future. There is a more advanced spirituality that
may or may not include religion. Meaning of life can be found in nature, in
art and in relationships. For some, symbols and traditions and ceremonies
of organized religion enable meaning of life. For the more reflective� connections to
others, awareness that own set of beliefs is only 1 of many viewpoints, accepting of
uncertainty�a higher level of spirituality is reached. >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Erik Erikson�s widow Joan takes her husband�s
and Peck�s theories further. She adds a 9th psychosocial stage called gerotranscendence. This stage projects beyond the self and beyond
satisfaction of the life lived to this point. It requires plenty of quiet reflection resulting
in serene peace and inner calmness without withdrawing from others or current events. The elderly have more time to keep abreast
of current events and are much more committed to voting. Gisella Labouvie-Vief�s theory says that
emotional expertise is displayed by the elderly as their affect optimization improves. As information processing or memory skills
decline with age, emotional self-regulation strengthens. The elderly are more skilled in enhancing
positive emotions and minimizing negative ones. They are more in touch with their feelings
before they make decisions. They control emotions internally using emotion-focused
coping. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> In old age, people enjoy reminiscing. This reflection of the past can be quite positive
unless it is focused on bitterness and a means to escape from the present. Reviewing life using reminiscence, can help
with mourning and bereavement of loved ones and proceeding on with life. Giving too much assistance and giving too
little are each as guilty as the other in contributing to the psychological non-health
of the elderly. Some daily life assistance that allows an
elderly person with energy limitations to enjoy and invest in other more meaningful
pursuits is optimal. Too much daily life assistance that takes
away all control for everyday living is not good. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 10 to 20% of elderly suffer enough from mental
disorders like depression and anxiety to need medical help. And most do not receive it.� Depression
can be successfully treated with antidepressants like Prozac along with cognitive, behavioral
treatment and/or intrapersonal psychotherapy.� Caution must be used though since the elderly
are more apt to suffer side effects from the medication.� They are more likely to have
problems with severe dizziness upon standing called postural hypotension, and are more
likely to suffer injuries with resultant falls.� The elderly are also at more risk for heart
attacks because of the antidepressant. Despite the possible side effects of treating
depression, not treating it can be lethal in the elderly. Some elderly with reduced physical abilities
and increased incidence of disease, spiral into hopelessness and increasing social isolation
as they lose more personal control over their daily lives. Their suicide rate is higher than for any
other age group. �People over 65 are 3 times more likely
to commit suicide than younger adults.� White males between the ages of 80 and 84
have the highest rate of suicide per capita than all other age groups.�
Anxiety happens more than depression in the older set, but long-term use of benzodiazepines
is dangerous.�� Cognitive behavioral treatment is recommended. >>>>>>>>>>>>> Social theories of aging�disengagement,
activity, continuity, socioemotional selectivity Disengagement theory states that people in
old age retreat from the mainstream of society via retirement and fewer responsibilities. Because the elderly disengage and are no longer
as needed, society misses them less when death comes. Activity theory states that life satisfaction
for the elderly depends on interacting with more people. Research has shown that quantity of social
contacts is far less important than quality of them. Just increasing the number of social contacts
will not contribute to a stronger psyche. Continuity theory states that to attain ego
integrity and contentment, the elderly must establish a present and future that is in
line with the past. This preserves their personal history. They seek to do familiar things with familiar
people. Socioemotional selectivity theory states that
because of changing life conditions, the elderly have little interest in forging new relationships
but prefer to strengthen close bonds. The quality of higher priority relationships
is enhanced because of the emotional maturity of the elderly to avoid conflict and to enable
harmony. Marriages, family bonds with siblings and
children, friendships are more stable and rewarding. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Most older folks live in the community with
relatives.� Nursing homes have a poor track record with understaffing and inferior care.�
These homes are breaking the law if they accept elderly with psychological disorders.� Only
5% of Americans over 65 live in nursing homes. Less than 25% of Americans over 85 live in
nursing homes. Assisted living facilities are gaining in
popularity as an alternative to nursing homes.� Both are prohibitively expensive.� Wherever
the older person resides, it is important that he/she retains as much control over things
as is feasible or possible.� �
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Elder maltreatment�exists in several forms�physical,
psychological, sexual and financial abuse and physical neglect. Physical abuse includes hitting, restraining,
cutting, burning and other forms of inflicting pain on purpose. Psychological abuse includes yelling, name-calling,
humiliating, treating like a child, and threatening to place in a nursing home. Sexual abuse includes any unwanted sexual
touching or contact. Financial abuse includes stealing and unauthorized
use of funds or property. Physical neglect includes deprivation of food,
medicine, services or company. >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Elder maltreatment is more likely to occur
if some of the following risk factors are present. over-dependency of the elder due to physical
or mental disabilities, over-dependency of the caretaker/perpetrator
on the elder�s money or housing, psychological instability of the perpetrator due to undue
stress, unemployment, alcohol or drug abuse, family violence history with perpetrators
having experienced child abuse overcrowded, understaffed nursing homes with
little monitoring and low wages >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> To successfully age, adults need more than
an optimistic attitude, friends and active life participation. In addition, society needs to do its part
to contribute to the dignity of growing old. The US should provide adequate health care
for the elderly, social security benefits, adequate and safe housing, invigorating social
services and educational opportunities. It is a very sad commentary on our society
to have elderly forced to choose daily between meals and medicine, between eating and taking
their prescriptions because they cannot afford to do both. There is no justification for a country as
great as ours to not adequately care for out senior citizens.