 Improved health care has enabled more and more people around the world to live longer › People over the age of 65: fastest growing age segment of the world’s population › Could be as high as 20% of US pop. By 2030  Gerontology: the scientific study of the processes and phenomena of aging › Social gerontology: study of the nonphysical aspects of the aging process

 Later adulthood is no longer viewed as a single stage of adult development; people are living longer › 65 is a different life than life at 85  Three groups: young-old, middle-old, and old-old › Young-old: 65-74; adjustment to retirement one of the most important developmental issues › Middle-old: 75-84; shift to health and physical well being › Old-Old: 85 and older; health and death issues become major areas of concern

 In American society we tend to identify individuals by their jobs  Reasonable to assume people have a hard time adjusting to retirement › Loss of work is a great shock: evident in those who strongly identify with their jobs and do not want to retire › Some considered retirement one of the least stressful events in their lives

 Level of adjustment to retirement reflects a persons earlier attitudes and behavior › People happy and well adjusted in their working lives will generally enjoy retirement › People unhappy or unfulfilled in their work rarely find retirement satisfying  Factors of adjustment: income, health, social networks, and identity › Income: need money to live comfortably › Good health: sickness makes any stage miserable  Both income and health are the strongest desires of senior citizens- to remain independent

› Remain linked to social networks: friends and family; remaining active in the community › Suicide rates are high among people over the age of 65; identities are tied to their jobs

 Muscles and tissues shrink as body cells begin to die › Skin wrinkles and weight loss occurs › Lessen strength and endurance  Nervous system functions more slowly and less accurately  Organs slow down and hair turn gray  Everything for the elderly is done slower

 Mental alertness remains; retain intellectual abilities throughout life  Earlier research showed that mental tests given to the elderly showed that the questions asked appealed to a young-adults and the youth and young people tend to have more formal education than the elderly  Alzheimer’s Disease: organic condition that results in the progressive deterioration of brain cells › Progress of the disease slow but steady; 8 to 20 years form first symptoms to death › 8-15% of the over 65 population suffer form Alzheimer Disease › Dementia is becoming the most difficult challenge of those over 60

 Dependency: the shift from being independent adult to being dependant on others for physical or financial assistant › Changes the individuals status in society and necessitates new role behaviors  Child taking care of their parent: puts a strain on the relationship  Many elderly fear dependency, they do not fear death; fear is more common among middle-aged people › Factors of less fear:  elderly are at the end of their lives; see fewer prospects for future, less to lose;  many have lived longer than expected– living on borrowed time;

 Retirement can ne accompanied by a sense of freedom › Time to do what they want to do › Try new things › Travel › Pursue activities: crafts, golf, photography, or gardening › Active in politics › Begin second career › Volunteer  Those who plan ahead for retirement are in better position to take advantage of the opportunities in this period of life