Stratification Theory Late Adulthood Development

In the book The Ageless Self (1986), author Sharon Kaufman explains how older people create a connection of self by unfolding the sense of their lives which is discovered over the life evaluation process. They preserve a logic of self and of constant uniqueness throughout their lifetime and, therefore, can "be themselves" in old age. In order to accomplish self-integrity, they assimilate and accept different incidents of their lifetime into what Kaufman calls themes. These themes are produced by people as a means by which they interpret and evaluate their life experiences. Themes are logistic and helpful indicators which attach and assimilate diverse experiences and build and sustain stability. Themes fall into different types. Certain themes

The result shows that 46 or 92% of the elderlies wished that they had more respect to themselves. Forty or 80% of them said that they sometimes pity themselves while 34 or 68% of them perceived that they have little or sometimes nothing to help their family and friends. In addition, 33 or 66% of elderlies said that they are not happy with their accomplishments in life while 32 or 64% of them perceived that they do not have capabilities and good qualities that they can be proud of and shared that they find it difficult to accept the changes happening in themselves at the present moment. Moreover, 28 or 56% of the elderlies shared that they often think and wish that they are in other people’s condition while half of them (50%) think and feel that they are useless. Further, despite of the adversities experienced in later life, 32 or 64% of elderlies didn’t think that they

During 1959, the year before the Amendment of 1960, the Bureau of Census indicated a 35.2% of poverty with those 65+ and 17% with those from the ages of 18-64. Roughly seven years later, in 1966, when Medicare was passed and provided for a year, it was shown that 28.5% of the elderly population lived in poverty whilst 10.5% of people from 18-64 lived in poverty (Excel Files tbl 3). From the seven years prior to Medicare being passed to the actual passing of the program, the rate of poverty in the elderly decreased 6.7%. Sometimes, it is difficult to gauge the progress and effectiveness of a program when looking at the course of a few years, however, one can witness trends over a couple decades. In the fifty years since Medicare has been passed, the rate of poverty in geriatrics has steadily decreased as the rate of poverty in those from 18-64 steadily increases. The data, as reported by the Bureau of Census in 2012, is in agreement with the trend stated above. According to the study, roughly 9.1% of geriatrics live in poverty, whereas 21.8% of 18-64 year olds live in poverty (2012 census figure 5). In the past five decades, the rate of poverty in those 65+ has decreased a massive 26.1%. The favorable consequences of Medicare are undeniable and amidst the concern for the elderly, there was a growing awareness regarding civil rights issues of the

Many people in the United States and other industrialized countries are living longer. The life expectancy at birth now is 81 years old. Although this is an important achievement, it is important for social workers to understand the affects that increase longevity have on the individual, family life and social work practice. (https://www.nia.nih.gov). There are many negative stereotypes associated with older adulthood. These negative stereotypes arise from the assumption that late adulthood is considered to be the closing period of life span. Some of the commonly held beliefs about late adulthood include the belief that older adults are less active, do not have goals, are retired and are unable to learn new things. Social workers

The process of aging in not an unfamiliar topic to society and is an inevitable phase of life. Since 2011, the number of older individuals are increasing annually particularly those from the baby boomer generation. The life expectancy has been increasing with people living longer thanks to modern medicine. These occurrences are proof that civilization is growing exponentially, however the process of aging also means that the older individuals are facing dilemmas such as decreased physical functions, financial instability from retirement, and abuse. Even older adults who are independent may face some limitations. To address these issues, Congress has passed several acts to decrease the number of elderly abuse and improve living conditions.

This paper describes and analyzes a life review interview with an older adult. The purpose of this paper is to discuss, record and reflect on an older adult’s life in order to evaluate them on the last stage of Erik Erickson’s theory of psychosocial development; integrity versus despair. This paper will also focus on the elements of a life review as well as the reflections of the interview on the part of the author.

As individuals age older, they tend to slow down on their productively and begin retirement (Torges, Stewart, & Duncan, 2008). Erikson stated that during this stage, individuals reflect their lives and come to terms of their accomplishments or failures which have defined them of who they are (Capp, 2004). Individuals who accept the life they lived and view it as unchangeable will result in self-acceptance. Erikson described the importance of this acceptance in order to achieve ego integrity (Torges, Stewart, & Duncan, 2008). However, if individuals fail to accept their past may result in experiencing guilt or depression. They tend to regret their life choices and feel their life was meaningless (Torges, Stewart, & Duncan, 2008). This regret can result in despair which will have a negative impact on the

Health care disparity according to U.S National Library of Medicine (2017) “typically refers to differences between groups in health insurance coverage, access to and use of care, and quality of care”. The purpose of this research was to identify the different factors that prevent San Bernardino County residents from accessing quality healthcare and identify specific groups affected. Our research has concluded , social economics status, gender, race and ethnicity to be major factors in San Bernardino County that have created these healthcare disparities. According to the Kaiser Permanente Community Health Needs Assessment San Bernardino County (CHNA 2013 ) the impact of economic instability, unemployment, homelessness and transportation,

Late Adulthood is the stage of the human life cycle where an individual nears the end of their life. The life expectancy in the United States has slowly increased over the years therefore allowed many to further analyze the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development during late adulthood. The stage of late adulthood has been emphasized by ageism and the stereotypical "old" person but, will be further educated by the normative development of the life cycle of late adulthood. For the “old” experience dramatic changes in their development as they face loss, death, and illness.

Midlife is a reality that touches us all. The transition from young adult into the midlife years can take place as a smooth physical and psychological adjustment or it can dawn on us in a whirl of emotional chaos.

Long life has always been considered a blessing. Today, the people of the United States are enjoying the benefit of living much longer than ever before in history. However, there is a flipside to this coin of longevity. The population of the United States is aging at an unprecedented rate. “In 2010, 40 million people age 65 and over accounted for 13 percent of the total population in the United States.” (An Aging Nation) These numbers are expected to double by 2050, with one in every five Americans older than 65. Experts agree that this “Graying of America” will have enormous effects on society. Consequently, society must find ways to adapt to its changes and challenges.

The effects of inequality on the American Dream is a problem that many generations to come will be facing for a very long time. Cal Thomas’s essay titled Is the American Dream Over touches on some of the reasons why the American dream is over. Cal says, “Wherever you choose to look--at the economy and jobs, the public schools, the budget deficits, the nonstop warfare overseas--you’ll see a country in sad shape (Thomas 569). I couldn’t agree with him more. Our country is in sad shape, and its part of the reason why the American Dream is dead.

In general, a healthy diet can help to maintain a healthy body weight or improve overall health and decrease the risk of many diet-related chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers.

Ego - integrity or despair, the last stage, happens in late adulthood. People in this stage face many self - contemplations. They desire to promote intellectual enthusiasm, focus attentiveness on new roles and activities, and begin to recognize their believes about death. Older adults use more of their time reconsidering and reflecting about their past than before. They also tend to be more sensible to the decisions made years ago than those they have done during this stage. They often recall the events of their life and how they have lived. Within the integrity v.s. despair stage, life review process emerges among elders. In this process, older adults appraise the events and experiences of their lifetime. The most important event of this stage is the admitting of one own life.

During my observations, I have come to the conclusion that because middle adulthood is filled with so many physical, cognitive, mental, and social changes, that my subject’s behavior on both a physical and mental level is a normal response to such changes. While researching developmental theories for middle adulthood, I kept in mind some common stereotypes that people think of for this stage of life; declining in one’s physical shape and cognitive performance, trying to gain a sense of purpose in life, etc.