Answer to Question #244855 in Psychology for Holi

Question

PART II - Reflect upon late adulthood. How do people in your country or culture generally view the process of getting older? You may include your thoughts on values, beliefs, expectations, and cultural practices surrounding late adulthood. Relate your answers to lifespan theories and to death and dying.

Answer 1

Late adulthood is the stage of life from the 60s onward and it constitutes the last stage of physical change. The average life expectancy is around 80 years; however, this varies greatly based on factors such as socioeconomic status, region, and access to medical care. In general, women tend to live longer than men by an average of five years. Many cultures view the process of getting old as characterized by continuous loss of elasticity of the skin, reaction time slows further, muscle strength and mobility diminishes, hearing and vision decline, and the immune system weakens.

People also believe that the aging process generally results in changes and lower functioning in the brain, leading to problems like memory loss and decreased intellectual function. About memory, many cultures believe that memory also degenerates with age and older adults tend to have a harder time remembering and attending to information. In other words, an older person’s procedural memory stays the same, while working memory declines.

They also view that as people age, they become more dependent on others.  With increased dependency, older adults may struggle with feelings of guilt, shame, or depression because of them depending on others especially in societies where caring for the elderly is viewed as a burden. Many cultures also view the process as connected to loneliness as many older adults contend with feelings of loneliness as their loves ones, partners, or friends pass away or as their children or other family members move away and live their own lives.

This is linked to the lifespan theories and to death and dying in that the older one becomes the more he/she is able to understand the meaning of death. In addition the death of an old person may not be as emotional as like the death of a young person. This is because many cultures believe that old people have already accomplished their mission.