Late Adult

Psychosocial, Retirement, Relationship and Social Issues

Our ideas about aging, and what it means to be over 50, over 60, or even over 90, seem to be

stuck somewhere back in the middle of the 20th century. We still consider 65 as the standard

retirement age, and we expect everyone to start slowing down and moving aside for the next

generation as their age passes the half-century mark. In this section we explore psychosocial

developmental theories, including Erik Erikson’s theory on psychosocial development in late

adulthood, and we look at aging as it relates to work, retirement, and leisure activities for older

adults. We’ll also examine ways in which people are productive in late adulthood.

I. Theories of Psychosocial Aging

THEORY DESCRIPTION

Sociological Theories Changing roles, relationships, status, and

generational cohort impact
the older adult's ability to adapt.

Activity Remaining occupied and involved is

necessary to a satisfying late life.

Disengagement Gradual withdrawal from society and

relationships serves to maintain
social equilibrium and promote internal
reflection.

Subculture The elderly prefer to segregate from

society in an aging subculture
sharing loss of status and societal
negativity regarding the aged.
Health and mobility are key determinants
of social status.

Continuity Personality influences roles and life

satisfaction and remains
consistent throughout life. Past coping
patterns recur as older
adults adjust to physical, financial, and
 social decline and
contemplate death. Identifying with one's
age group, finding a
residence compatible with one's
limitations, and learning new roles
postretirement is a major task.

Age Stratification Society is stratified by age groups that are

the basis for acquiring
resources, roles, status, and deference
from others. Age cohorts are
influenced by their historical context and
share similar experiences,
beliefs, attitudes, and expectations of
life-course transitions.

Person-Environment-Fit Function is affected by ego strength,

mobility, health, cognition,
sensory perception, and the environment.
Competency changes one's
ability to adapt to environmental demands.

Gerotranscendence The elderly transform from a

materialistic/rational perspective toward
oneness with the universe. Successful
transformation includes an
outward focus, accepting impending
death, substantive relationships,
intergenerational connectedness, and unity
with the universe.

II. Integrity vs Despair

● As a person grows older and enters into the retirement years, the pace of life and

productivity tend to slow down, granting a person time for reflection upon their

life. They may ask the existential question, “Is it okay to have been me?” If

someone sees themselves as having lived a successful life, they may see it as one

filled with productivity, or according to Erik Erikson, integrity.

 ● If a person sees their life as unproductive, or feel that they did not accomplish

their life goals, they may become dissatisfied with life and develop what Erikson

calls despair, often leading to depression and hopelessness. This stage can occur

out of the sequence when an individual feels they are near the end of their life

(such as when receiving a terminal disease diagnosis).

Integrity Despair
● An ability to accept the facts of ● Outcome when life’s event
one’s life and face death cannot be seen positively and
without great fear the older person is faced with a
● Incorporating all of life’s degree of de-evaluation and
events into positive whole perhaps hostility
● Leads to frustration and regret

III. Living in Retirement

The word R+E+T+I+R+E+M+E+N+T in English is a perfect representative of

the relevant factors when you consider what it embodies.

R – Review Review A time to reflect on your past. We each have met success

differently, have different memories we can be proud of, or some failures.

Looking back at life after you retire will remind you that life is much more

meaningful than you may have initially thought.

E – Emotion Emotion Emotion The emotions referred to is what it feels like when

employment

ends and one is no longer working. The void of a job title, workplace, and

colleagues could leave you with a sense of isolation and require significant
 emotional adjustment to achieve a good state of mind.

T – Travel Travelling and getting around can be a pleasurable way to bring

back memories. Visiting your old primary school, your first workplace or

leisure trips abroad can top up your experiences and bring lots of satisfaction

to yourself or acquaintances. It will help you embrace change better too.

I – Induce Induce Induce You can use your accumulated experience as a role model to

help

shape society in a positive direction. Uphold integrity and ethics to guide the

younger generation.

R- Religion is a path towards true happiness. Your Religion retirement period

presents a huge opportunity to seek enlightenment and bridge your values

with deeper spiritual principles.

E – Exercise Exercise Exercise For retirees, exercise needs to be an integral part of

retirement

life. It’s advisable to start preparing earlier; don’t neglect to care for your

physical health or focus just on short term considerations.

IV. Friends and Family in Late Life

● In late adulthood, social networks can include family relationships with friends,

adult children, romantic partners or spouses, siblings, parents, grandchildren or

extended family members such as cousins. Of these relationships, older adults are

more frequently in contact with their peers — romantic partners, siblings or

friends. With their peers, older adults are more likely to confide in them and share

life stories, and are likely to engage in shared hobbies or leisure time. Due to
 sharing similar life experiences, peers often are able to relate to one another and

discuss perspectives on a level that can be personally validating and rewarding.

These significant relationships with peers impact how well individuals are able to

age successfully.

● Many older adults report that they have close friends who they consider to be just

like family. Friendship is a relationship that can endure across the entire lifespan,

serving a vital role for sustaining social connection in late life when other

relationships may become unavailable. Sometimes friendships become so

important and central to our lives that we consider them to be Chosen Family,

which is a close relationship with someone who a person considers to be family

but who doesn’t have blood or legal family ties.

● Chosen Family • a close relationship with someone a person considers to be

family but does not share blood or legal family ties

V. Social Issues and Aging

● Any individual from any segment of society may be socially isolated, but senior

citizens are especially susceptible to the risk factors that may trigger social

isolation. These include living alone, family violence, loss of a spouse,

aging-related cognitive impairments and disabilities, and transport issues.

Consequences of social isolation can be dangerous, particularly for individuals

already predisposed to health problems.

● Studies have demonstrated that seniors who are socially isolated seniors are less

likely to take advantage of health and social services. This indicates a circularity
of social isolation and health: individuals who are already marginalized are not

pushed toward healthcare and individuals with quickly deteriorating health are

more likely to be socially isolated. Extended social isolation can contribute to late

life depression, which is a major depressive episode occurring for the first time in

an individual over sixty years of age.