Chapter Notes: Module 15

PSYC 200 Chapter Notes

 Chapters 9: Late Adulthood (pages 349-375)

As we move in to the final stages of life in this course, I am particularly interested in emphasizing the attitudes and perceptions we hold about the elderly and the aging process.  There are many uninformed and unfortunate myths about aging that are pervasive and prejudicial.  I encourage you to think about your own views and thoughts about this topic. 

There are some interesting life expectancy quizzes online. They are not binding contracts or an exact science, so don’t worry if your life expectancy is not as old as you might like it to be!  However, the quizzes do highlight some of the factors associated with healthy and successful aging.  I recall the findings of an Okinawa longevity study.  Influential factors for a long and healthy life included:  diet, low-stress lifestyle, caring community, activity, and spirituality. 

The opening pages of this chapter offer interesting statistics on late adulthood in America and around the world; also life expectancy information for American and the world. Regarding gender (pages 353-354) there are clearly biological (nature/genetics) and lifestyle factors (nurture/environment) connected with why females live longer. Next, there is a brief breakdown on age categories in late adulthood, with interesting information about centenarians (age 100+) and supercentenarians (age 110+) on page 357. 

As the chapter moves into physical development in late adulthood, I encourage you to be aware of the sampling of theories attempting to explain how we age. Some of them may be more familiar to you than others.

The next few pages highlight some of the normal physical changes associated with aging—body changes, skin and hair, height and weight, vision, hearing, taste and smell, and pain.   As a point of practical concern, I invite you to read the following thoughts related to the issue of elderly adults driving automobiles:

Link Links to an external site.

As the chapter continues, attention is given to issues of nutrition and chronic health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, COPD,  and shingles. The section on brain functioning (page 372) includes information on Parkinson's disease, as well as sleep disorders.  In a class on Adult Development and Aging I have taught at another University, I have the students read Snowden’s book, Aging with grace: What the Nun Study teaches us about leading longer, healthier, and more meaningful lives (Bantam, 2002). Some of you might enjoy the book and you can often find it in the library or a used bookstore.

The information on sexuality in late adulthood identifies some of the causes of sexual problems in this age group.  I appreciate the encouragement of the authors in their concluding thoughts on page 375, reminding us that "Key players in improving the quality of life among older adults will be those adults themselves. By exercising, reducing stress, stopping smoking, limiting use of alcohol, and consuming more fruits and vegetables, older adults can expect to live longer and more active lives."