1. Chapter 6 Section 3 The Later Years

2. Changes in Late Adulthood Gerontology is the scientific study of the processes and phenomena of aging Social gerontology the study of nonphysical aspects of the aging process Late adulthood is broken down into 3 phases: ▫Young-Old (ages 65-74) ▫Middle-Old (ages 75 to 84) ▫Old-Old (ages 85+)

3. Adjustment to Retirement Loss of work can be a shock due to the relationship between what work we do and identity Studies find that most people adjust to retirement quickly-it is correlated to how satisfied they were before retirement Factors such as income, health, social networks, and identity influence how people adjust to retirement Failure to adjust can have negative consequences- suicide rates are high for people over 65 (esp. white men)

4. Physical/Mental Functioning Physical changes: muscles and tissues shrink, entire body loses weight, less strength and endurance, nervous system functions more slowly and less accurately, all organs and functions slow down Most people remain mentally alert, retaining their intellectual ability Alzheimer’s disease is an organic condition that results in the progressive deterioration of brain cells Progression of the disease is slow usually 8-10 years

5. Dependency and Death Dependency is the shift from being an independent adult to being dependent on others for physical and financial assistance Elderly tend to resist dependency and the new roles that accompany it Most elderly do not fear death- that is more of a middle aged fear Elderly are at the end of their lives, many feel fulfilled, others fear the have less to lose by dying as the future holds few prospects

6. New Opportunities For many, especially those with strong income/savings, retirement is a time of freedom and exploration Many choose to do things they have always dreamed of doing: ▫Travelling ▫Taking new college courses/ learning a language ▫Hobbies Others use the time to focus fully on ventures/commitments they care about: ▫Family ▫Volunteer work

7. Homework Page 150 #1-6