Late Adulthood Development Report

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Later Adulthood Development Report Kristina Lamey BSHS/325 June 5th, 2014 Dr. Laura Cobb, Ph. D * * * Late Adulthood Development Report * Later adulthood is or should be, a time for reflection and acceptance as people evaluate their lives and seek solace in the inevitability of death. Since the average life expectancy is increasing, older Americans will soon make up 21% of the population (Williford, 1998). If only Americans could change the way they view people in later adulthood, these individuals could make the transition from middle adulthood to later adulthood with optimism. With increasing health care and financial needs, and the changes in family and peer relationships, older adults have a difficult time with their self-esteem and acceptng their life in this final stage. There is hope, however, for the people in late adulthood. If they continue to remain active in social, political, and occupational settings, the will keep their sense and role in society. * * Social and Role changes * In the United States, there are negative views about growing older. “However, people in many other parts of the world think and feel positively about aging and assign a positive value and meaningful role to the aging members of their communities” (Williford, 1998, p.4). This promotes a healthy view for the older people in these communities. For them, aging means status and authority. Needless to say, people in late adulthood in these parts of the world are actually respected and valued more. The U.S. refers to aging with less than desirable characteristics such as memory loss, gray hair, and wrinkled skin. There are many older people in the U.S. who suffer from depression and anxiety during late adulthood because of the negative perspectives of aging. In fact, “Lack of social interaction in the elderly population has been shown to
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