VI. Adulthood Chapter 5

 Young adulthood, or early adulthood, covers a span of about 20 years--from about age 20 to about age 40.  Most people reach their physical peak in their 20s.  Young adulthood is characterized by a desire to try new ways of doing things and by changing relationships with parents. A. Stages of Adulthood

 As time passes, young adults learn to become independent and to take responsibility for themselves and the decisions that they make.  The middle-to-late 30s are often characterized by settling down or “planting roots”  At this point, people become more focused on advancing their careers and gaining stability in their personal lives.

 According to Erik Erikson, one of they key tasks of young adulthood is the forming of relationships.  An intimate relationship is not necessarily a physical relationship. It is simply a trusting, close friendship with another person in which one can be honest without fear of rejection.  Because more people today are pursuing educational and career goals, the average age of first marriage for men has risen from age 23 to age 27, and from age 21 to age 25 for women.

 Fact: Almost 90% of Americans eventually get married  Those who cohabit before marriage have had higher rates of divorce and marital dysfunction than those who did not cohabit. The risk appears greatest for those cohabiting prior to engagement.

 Middle Adulthood spans the years from   By age 40, most people have begun to lose some of the strength, coordination, and stamina that they had in their 20s and 30s.  Erikson believed that the greatest challenge for middle-aged adults is generativity. Generativity is the ability to create, originate, and produce, especially in ways that guide and encourage future generations.

 In some people, a midlife transition triggers a second period of reassessment called a midlife crisis. The midlife crisis is a turning point that many people go through between the ages of 45-65, where they realize that their life may be half over and they feel trapped in meaningless life roles.

 Empty-nest syndrome is the term applied to the feelings of emptiness and loss some mothers feel after the children have left home to establish their own lives.  Some women seem to lose their sense of purpose when their children go out on their own

 Menopause, or the end of menstruation, usually occurs in women in their late 40s or early 50s.  It is caused by a decrease in the secretion of the hormones estrogen and progesterone.  After menopause, women can no longer reproduce, their breast tissue decreases, and the skin becomes less elastic.

 Hormonal changes can cause hot flashes, fatigue, and mood swings.  Menopause can be stressful for many women because of the psychological changes. She may feel less attractive or less of a woman.

 Late Adulthood begins at age 65  Physical changes take place in late adulthood. You develop wrinkles as the skin becomes less elastic, your senses become less sharp—don’t see and hear as well, and your reflexes are slower  What can help older adults feel well and help them fight disease as they age?  Regular exercise and a healthful diet

 Some cognitive problems may develop as we age  Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive functioning. It is characterized by speech problems and the inability to perform simple tasks like tying shoes, even if physically able. Also, sufferers may have difficulty concentrating

 Heavy mid-life smoking more than doubles later dementia risk  Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible progressive brain disorder characterized by the deterioration of memory, language, and eventually physical functioning. Often people with this disease become lost—they can’t recognize people and can’t care for themselves

 Our overall life expectancy here in the United States has risen to age 78.  With age, the eye’s pupil shrinks and its lens becomes less transparent, reducing the amount of light reaching the retina.  A 65-year-old retina receives only about 1/3 as much light as its 20-year-old counterpart  This also explains why older people often ask younger people “Don’t you need better light for reading?” B. Sensory Abilities

 Aging levels a tax on our brain by slowing our neural processing  Fatal accident rates per mile driven increase sharply after age 75. By age 85, they exceed the 16-year-old level

 Brain regions begin to atrophy during aging  Remember earlier when we noted that late maturing frontal lobes help account for teen impulsivity?

 Well, later in life atrophy of the inhibition- controlling frontal lobes can explain why older people sometimes ask blunt questions “Have you put on weight?” and make frank comments  The good news is that physical and mental exercise slows aging.

 There are 5 stages that many dying people pass through: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance.  Many psychiatrists agree that dying people pass through these stages, but not all agree that the feelings follow any particular sequence.  Dying people need security, self-confidence, and dignity. C. Death and Dying

 They need to feel supported and cared for. Therefore, family members should encourage a dying person to talk about his or her feelings.  It is also important to give the dying person accurate information about what he/she can expect to experience in terms of pain and loss of body functions.

 Bereavement is the period where people mourn over someone precious who has been taken away.  This can include feelings of sadness, loneliness, anger, and relief.