Late adulthood interview
Almost every person is afraid of the late adulthood stage primarily when they are young. As young people progress in life, they begin to appreciate the late adulthood stage and even look forward to experiencing it. The late adulthood stage begins at sixty five years and above. It is noteworthy that individuals value life other than feel bitter and disheartened (Berk, 2010). The population of elderly individuals has been on the rise. In the United States, it has been predicted that in the year two thousand and twenty five, twenty five percent of the population will be above sixty five years. There are many problems that are associated with aging though this does not imply that everybody is affected according to studies.
I interviewed my grandfather who is sixty eight years, and he agreed that he is happy experiencing this stage. However, my grandfather experiences some physical challenges for instance although he can still walk; he cannot do it in an upright manner. He bends while on foot, and this is normal in many old people. The walking position is not upright, and this slows down his rate of moving. This is a challenge such that he cannot cover a mere hundred meters on foot. Therefore, he has to reside at home nearly all of time to avoid straining. He is also, incapable of reading without the help of spectacles.
Lifting weighty objects and doing household tasks are also a problem for my grandfather thus he requires help from other family members most of the time. My grandfather’s lifestyle reflects the theories of successful aging outlined in Berk’s work. The first hypothesis is the detachment theory which states that as individuals go through their aging process, they become withdrawn from the society in general. This withdrawal from society is viewed as normal and advantageous since these people are relieved from roles that seem difficult for them. This process again opens chances for those who are young who view them as their time has expired.
This is because the society benefits a great deal from energetic individuals who fill these vacancies left by elderly people. Other than the inability of muscles and bones to move normally, older people also experience change in their nerves such that the rate of neural process slows down (Lecture, April 19th).The respiratory and circulatory systems are again not that efficient in these groups of people (Lecture, A look at late adulthood; Physical changes of aging April 21st 2011)..I was interested in knowing how my grandfather has managed to adjust to all these changes in the late adulthood stage. He revealed that he rarely visits the gym like before, and he prefers to exercise from home.
There are certain foods that my grandfather does not eat since he has lost taste. Also, they are not recommended for his health. He mostly tends to avoid foods that have high-calorie content since at his age; he is vulnerable to heart-related illnesses. Activity is necessary to maintain a healthy life not only in older people but everyone in general. Health practitioners recommend that activities that are done when people are young should be maintained throughout their lifespan (Berk, 2009). Other than exercising physically, my grandfather explained that he enjoys watching insightful movies and programs.
To be specific, he admitted that he loves watching documentary and movies that focus on world history. Emotional activity is also essential during the late adulthood period. It should be understood that emotions and steadiness vary among individuals in this stage. This stage is what Berk theory refers to as tension versus despair. According to him, individuals may accept their life as meaning or perceive it as unproductive and, this is what results into despair. Research on development asserts that most people fall in between these two extremes. Researchers again insinuate that the manner in which individuals cope with aging depends largely on their social and cultural contexts (Berk, 2009).
My grandfather revealed that his parents were not poor hence he did not encounter harsh times while growing up. This social context had helped him a lot to cope up socially in his current stage. This is due to the fact that most old people were born when problems such as isolation were rampant. It should be noted that most of the people who lived in such periods experienced aspects such as poverty and illiteracy. This affected their ability to access proper healthcare and social services. However, my grandfather acknowledges that although he was able to receive education, it was not of high quality.
He explains that all he wishes is for his entire family to success and, this is what gives him the strength to fight on. Also, explains that he is aware that he is the role model of the family and if he despairs then everyone will be affected. He wishes to die a happy man and despairing will affect his family negatively. Although there are times he admits that he could go back to those days when he was still energetic, but all in all he is contented with the current state. My grandfather again enjoys drawing and painting. He reveals that when he was young he found pleasure in painting though he never specialized in it.
Now that, he is old, he prefers spending his free time painting and drawing, and this undoubtedly jogs his mind. During family occasions such as get together and thanksgiving, he is normally the head and guides these events. Developmental psychologists insist that it does not matter which race or social class individuals may come from, but there is a substantial need for those in the late adulthood stage to remain active. Studies indicate that those who stay active admit that life is eminently enjoyable. They are hopeful at all times, and their energy levels are significantly high. These psychologists again emphasize that it is necessary for individuals in their late adulthood stage to maintain close friendships.
Maintaining close friendships assists older people to cope well when their spouses or loved ones pass on. It is obvious that aging involves a loss of roles and power in the family, and most of the time what these older people can do is just offer advice. My grandfather confessed that he can no longer run family projects and such roles are no longer his. The amount of support he can offer is minimal for instance approving business deals or recommending on how such aspects should be handled. When it comes to his relationship with my grandmother, he explained that they have been married for over fifty years, and they are still going strong. Studies indicate that satisfaction in marriage peaks in late adulthood.
In older individuals, cognitive changes are somewhat complex, and studies have indicted that the rate of response significantly declines (Lecture, April 26th).Older adults have lower performance when it comes to putting information together (Berk, 2009).My grandfather admits that he forgets some things easily, and this is evident in most old people. Tasks that require cognitive effort are normally not well performed in older people. Nevertheless, changes in the cognitive aspect do not mean that other abilities of older people reduce as well. According to Berk, ageism as discrimination that takes place on the basis of age which means they are no longer considered on development projects. This concept mostly results into retirement in older people. My grandfather revealed that he retired ten years ago.
The reason as to why he retired was because first the law detected so and second, he was becoming weak and was no longer productive. Berk explains that most people retire due to health issues. I was interested to know if he was prepared for retirement, and he admitted that he was. He explained that when a man begins to get old, he starts thinking about retirement though not most are normally ready for it. Readiness entails not only monetary aspects but, social and psychological, as well. He stated that he had been saving for quote some time and when the time came he was more than ready. Most problems that face individuals at retirement revolve around money issues.
When this is settled, stress is minimized hence this boost the emotional aspect. Socially he explained that he had all the support from my grandmother and his children. This ensured that he did not have a hard time coping with this change. I was also curious to know if my grandfather would go back to work but he denied. This is because he was now enjoying the fruits of his labor, and it would not be right to engage in other mind exhausting activities at his age. He also did not have the necessary strength to conduct heavy tasks thus; it would be advisable that he concentrates on enhancing his health.
My grandfather lives in Texas with my grandmother and he is not planning to move somewhere else anytime soon. He clarified that there are no future arrangements and he is okay with the way things are currently. Late adulthood is a stage that is supposed to be enjoyed and not regretted. Proper planning and healthy living can provide the fulfilling life that many older people yearn for. To achieve this, a stable foundation has to be prepared right from the time an individual becomes an adult.
Reference
Berk, E. (2009). Development through the Lifespan. 5th ed. New York: Prentice Hall PTR.
Class lecture for “A look at late adulthood; Physical changes of aging” Reading: Chapters 17 (pages 563- 582), 4/19, 4/21
http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov Admin. On Aging; http://agingstats.gov/
Class lecture for “Cognition/Intelligence” Reading: Chapter 17 (590-599), 4/26
