LATE ADULTHOOD- PSYCHOSOCIAL What social relationships do the elderly need?

What stage is this in Erickson’s theory?  Erikson’s Integrity vs. despair  Maintain integrity and identity  Objects (e.g. photos) become more precious  Hold on to identity

How important is income to well-being?  Income strongly effects the well-being of the elderly More afraid of running out of money than of dying.

Activities in late adulthood

What is the importance of work?  Psychological benefits  Social support & recognition  Status  Increased self-esteem  Self-fulfillment

What is “aging in place”?  Desire to stay in the same home (Age in place)  Home care  Adjustments for aging  E.g. bath tubs

Political activism  More letter writing & voting  AARP  American Association of Retired Persons  Largest organized interest group in the U.S.  Age 50 & over  Advocates for the elderly Re: Medicare, pensions, prescription drugs, medical costs

Do you remember?  What strongly effects the well-being of the elderly?  What are the psychological benefits of working after retirement?  Where do people prefer to grow old?  What is the main politically active group for retired persons?

What is the effect of having friends & relatives?

How do long-term partnerships help?  Spouses buffer problems of old age & help extend life  Married older adults are healthier, wealthier, and happier than unmarried people their age  In long term marriages, the elderly are happier in their marriages compared to younger adults in their marriages  Partners become interdependent & emotionally closer than younger couples  Spouses accept each other’s frailties  Assist with physical & psychological needs

Can family help?  Filial responsibility  Obligation of adult children to care for aging parents Most adults in U.S. want to be self-sufficient  Elderly are more likely to give financial support than to receive it.

What about grandchildren?  Grandparents follow one of four approaches  1. Remote (Distant) grandparents Emotionally distant  2. Companionate grandparents Most U.S. grandparents Happy to be free of childbearing demands Will look after grandchildren if other commitments allow it  3. Involved grandparents Active in the day-to-day lives of their grandchildren  4. Surrogate parents Raising their grandchildren Parents usually unable or unwilling to do so

Do you need a friend?  Older adults need at least one close companion (Spouse or friend)  Most never married adults are happy and active  Life satisfaction correlates with friends more than family

Do you remember?  How do married older adults compare to unmarried people for wealth and happiness?  What are the four approaches grandparents can take to grandchildren?  What do older adults need to be happy?

What is the “frail elderly”?

Activities of Daily Life (ADLs)  Five self-care tasks important to daily living  Eating  Bathing  Toileting  Dressing  Transferring from bed to a chair

Instrumental activities of daily life (IADLs)  Actions requiring cognitive ability (Intellectual competence)  Grocery shopping  Paying bills  Driving  Critical to self-sufficiency (even more than ADLs).

When is elder abuse most likely?  Most abuse is committed by adult children  Most likely when:  Care receiver is frail  Drug-addicted caregiver  Isolated place  Poverty Worker beating a 90 year old patient

When do you need assisted living?  An intermediate care for older adults  Combines privacy and independence with medical supervision

Who will need long-term care? (Nursing home)  90% of elders are independent  Half will need nursing-home care at some time  Needed when they can not perform activities of daily living (ADL’s)

Do you remember?  What are ADL’s and IADL’s?  Which require more intellectual competence?  Who is most likely to commit elder abuse?  When is elder abuse most likely to happen?  What is the difference between an assisted living center and a nursing home?