Later Adulthood Development Report

 Later Adulthood Development Report

                                        Trista Blackwell

                                             BSHS/325

                                            09/12/2016

With age comes change. As individuals enter into later adult hood there will be many developmental changes that may occur with age. Changes in roles and positions may change as well as living situations and the level of care that is needed. Other changes include retirement, relationships such as marriage, family and friends as well as other matters concerning social politics.

 People in older adult hood go through many different life changes, personally, socially, and mentally. Most of the elder population can no longer be independent and care for them self, they require assistance from others. Nursing homes can provide the help needed for people in these situations. PHYLLIS MOEN, MARY ANN ERICKSON and DONNA DEMPSTER-MCCLAIN of Cornell University say as individuals move in and out of roles. In later life, many older adults have few prescribed roles—most are no longer employed for pay and few are responsible for young children. But the fact that society provides few norms for later life may also mean that the role identities of older adults are less constrained by actual role involvement than are those of younger adults.  Life course research holds that past experiences matter, shaping subjective definitions and assessments (Giele and Elder 1998). In addition, continuity theory (Atchley 1989) posits that individuals seek to maintain coherence and continuity. Thus, older adults may well retain social role identities tied to their past lives—identities associated with roles they either no longer occupy or in which they have reduced their involvement. Roles that are more privately defined (such as parent and friend) may generate strong identities that transcend time and place (1996). Life as we age changes courses and transition, this is a normal part of life as we age, it is important to help the elder find new roles that make them fill complete.

        Now to discuss living accommodations, things like accessibility and the need for health care for adulthood. In order to live a longer and healthier life it is recommended that older adults have medical care. There are many different health problems one can face, a few examples are heart conditions, arthritis, depression and anxiety. The national institute on aging says Approximately 85 percent of older adults have at least one chronic health condition, and 60 percent have at least two chronic conditions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health care can be very expensive and not everyone can afford it, but there are a couple different insurances that can help pay for medical expenses like medicate and Medicare. Accommodations are important in helping older adults get through everyday life comfortably, some accommodations and services offered include transportation to and from places like appointments and shopping, housekeeping and laundry services, around the clock staff to help with all needs, 24-hour safety call system, as well as different floor plans to choose from.

        Making the change from working to retirement is a big decision for many older adults. Going from working to not working can affect people differently either positively, negatively or in some cases not at all. Martin Pin quart of Friedrich Schiller University and Ines Schindler of University of Utah say that Retirement is an important milestone in later adulthood that is associated with changes in daily routines, social roles, social contacts, and income. Because of growing life expectancy, older adults spend an increasing amount of time in retirement (Lee, 2001). In many countries, available pension and saving plans have eased the financial burdens of retirement. How and whether the transition to retirement impacts on a person’s subjective well-being (SWB) has remained the subject of much debate (Reitzes, Mutran, & Fernandez, 1996). Retirement has been conceptualized as either a transition accompanied by psychological distress or a transition contributing to enhanced or stable SWB. It is important to try and help the new retiree find peace with this part of their life. Help them find a new normal, something that they can do to occupied their time that makes them feel useful and a part of something. Doing activities, going on outings and spending time with family and friends is encouraged.

        Changes in marriage, family and peer relationships in later adult hood are bound to change along with everything else. If one is married this means that the couple will most likely be spending more time together because one or both spouses are no longer working. In order for couples to be happy and satisfied they must find ways to work together and find enjoyable methods to spend together. Spouses provide companionship and support in the later years of life when health and mobility decline and their partner needs assistance. Brubaker, T states The elderly who have strong family relationships often feel they can turn to family members for assistance when needed. As older people experience losses in life, such as the death of close friends or a spouse and changes in health or mobility, they may reach out to family for support. Time with family, help with chores and business, and expressions of love become even more important as the elderly adjust to major changes in their lives (Brubaker, T, 1990). As for peer relationship’s it all depends on how close of friends they really are, after retirement social relationships with change due to the fact that they will no longer be going to work and there for will not be around the same old people anymore. As we age we hold on to everything we can we keep our family, friends and loved ones as close as possible.

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