HDFS 105 1st Edition Lecture 19 Outline of Last Lecture I Possible conflicts in the future middle adulthood II What is likely to happen to you in the next 20 years Outline of Current Lecture I A broad age range II Baby boomers reach middle age III Physical changes IV Menopause in women V Later motherhood VI Men s midlife change VII Sexuality VIII Health IX Health and personality type X Cognitive development XI Socio emotional changes XII Divorce in middle age XIII Leisure time XIV Life satisfaction XV Family violence XVI Families with adolescents XVII Family at midlife children leave home XVIII Family in later life XIX Middle adulthood terms to know Current Lecture I II A broad age range a Earlier middle age range 35 50 b Current middle age range 40 65 c Middle agers today more active than ever before d Some 70 year olds consider themselves in middle age today They are more active than past cohorts We have better medical technology and knowledge about fighting off diseases e Health and medical advances have extended the middle age range Baby Boomers reach middle age These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute a II II II II II Baby boomers born from 1946 1964 are of interest to the study of human development today great increase in population moving into old age b Increased number of people in middle age c Best educated and most affluent cohort in history to pass through middle age Physical changes a Middle aged people report that they do not feel older b Organs do begin very gradual decrease in efficiency c Some gain weight slight loss of weight metabolism changes d Some begin to develop cardio vascular problems e Very slow strength loss loss of bone density i Women s bone loss rate greater than men s since women s hormones change get shorter in height b Vision and hearing very slow decline after age 40 i Eyes lose some ability to change focus quickly and zoom in need reading glasses even though didn t need glasses before in younger years ii We hear less in high frequency range first that s why we don t notice our hearing loss early Menopause in women a Also called climacteric b Menstrual periods cease c Average age 51 d Estrogen begins to drop gradually in 40 s e Biologically middle aged women can have children right up to menopause i Birth control still important to women in the child bearing range ovaries still functional careers important to many women may not want babies in middle age ii There are greater risks giving birth in mid to late 40 s and up Later motherhood a Some women focus on career in early adulthood and put off child rearing until middle age b Positives maturity in parenting often have more money to support children c Negatives slightly greater risk of birth defects less energy than young parents d Father s perspectives Not much research has been done Men s midlife change a Hormone levels drop only slightly b Daniel Levinson described Mid Life Crisis i Interviewed middle aged men looked at famous men s biographies rather than statistical studies b Psychological crisis in self concept c No hormonal cause mostly psychological rather adjusting to declining physical energy family and work pressures d Only a minority of adults experience a mid life crisis Sexuality a Healthy men and women can function sexually into their 80 s II II II II II II b There may be a gradual slow down beginning later in middle age c People in middle and older age report satisfaction and fulfillment Health a Life styles affect general health b Diet smoking alcohol use c Strong social ties are conducive to good health in all stages of adulthood weak social ties lead to loneliness and bad health d Stress takes toll on health e Good health may reflect personality sense of control perceiving problems as challenges rather than great obstacles f A person s outlook on life is a factor Health and personality types a Type A driven in control competitive types are at higher risk of heart problems b Type B relaxed and easy going often retain good health longer c Type C uptight inexpressive holds in stress at greater risk for cancer Cognitive development a Use it or lose it a Long term memory begins to decline just a bit in middle age No serious cognitive changes b Fluid intelligence begins decline i Abstract reasoning b Crystalized intelligence increases i Accumulated information and verbal skills a Expertise in specific domains is at highest b It is good for the brain to learn new skills physical and cognitive Socio emotional changes a Erikson psychosocial tasks of midlife b Stage Generativity vs stagnation c Generativity leave legacies and benefits for the next generation work for improvement of society d Stagnation self absorption have done little for the next generation e Erikson s work presents mostly positive images of mid life Divorce in middle age a Positives adult children handle it better some divorcees understand selves better search for changes including end of unhappy marriage b Negatives some feel betrayed see divorce as failing in the best years of life c Reasons given for cause of divorce in middle age i Men 1 Fell out of love cheating different values ii Women 1 Verbal physical emotional abuse alcohol or drug abuse cheating Leisure time a By middle age many people have time and resources to diversify their interests and spend time and money on leisure activities b II II II II II II Adults who enjoy leisure activities take vacations take time to relax remain healthier and live longer c Leisure interests help prepare psychologically for transition to retirement Life satisfaction a Life satisfaction affects our conception of aging and mental health b Married people report higher levels of satisfaction c People with strong social networks better health d Religious beliefs have been documented to have positive effect on health as we age Family violence a Violence tends not to be a big issue for most families in middle age yet statistics show that when violence against family members occurs both men and women can be perpetrators Families with adolescents a Increasing flexibility of family boundaries b Financial more money c Interpersonal i Parental alliance ii Care for aging parent the Sandwich Generation 1 Average cost of nursing home 5 512 mo 2 Average salary of 65 years and over 1250 mo Family at midlife Children leave home a Accepting exits and entries into family system b