Adult Development and Aging Essay Example

socializing, male military personnel have become more physically aggressive and deeply invested in pursuing romantic relationships. As they assimilate into the military culture and aspire toward new career and educational opportunities, many have attempted to pursue higher education prior to enlistment but were hindered by an inability to focus on academics, resulting in a premature departure from school. Additional obstacles may have included lack of financial support from parents who previously paid for their tuition.

Despite financial constraints, certain individuals chose to enlist in the military for tuition assistance to pursue their education. This includes a couple who found themselves unexpectedly expecting before reaching their current post. To manage this situation, they decided to wed and were fortunate enough to be stationed at the same base, facilitating joint parenting. Despite unplanned parenthood and matrimony, they remained committed to meeting social expectations and establishing a caring familial bond.

In early adulthood, the prevalence of blended families causes a conflict in prioritizing relationships between the husband and wife and the natural parent and child. The solution may involve cultivating mutual respect among all family members, with particular emphasis on fostering respect between step-parents and step-children.

According to Bouchard (2006), when a step-parent is introduced into a family, it can cause tension and make the child feel left out of decision-making, which can put pressure on the biological parent. During my research on middle-aged individuals, I met an elderly couple in their late 70s who had been married for over 40 years. They had two adult children and three grandchildren and despite physical limitations, they remained active at home. Recently, the husband retired from his second profession.

Having served in the U.S.

Air Force for 26 years, he then spent a further 30 years working for the Navy as a civilian. During this time, his wife balanced her responsibilities as a stay-at-home mother with occasional part-time employment to maintain financial stability.

The wife and husband both place importance on staying physically active, but they have different methods - the wife chooses to take daily walks while the husband prefers going to the gym. While they generally maintain a healthy diet, like many adults, they occasionally indulge in less nutritious foods or desserts. They prioritize traveling to avoid becoming stagnant at home and remaining active without breaking their budget. Additionally, as middle-aged individuals, one of their top three important roles is being grandparents.

Before turning 65 years old, 75% of adults in the United States become grandparents. Additionally, one in every two females experiences this before turning 54 years old. Due to the expected rise in longevity in the country, it is anticipated that up to half of our lives may be spent as grandparents (Parenting roles).

According to Bjorklund and Bee (2008), grandparents today are much different than those two generations ago. They are more active and commonly take on non-traditional roles while still working. It is important for grandparents to also excel in their role as a good parent.

It is important for parents to have a strong relationship with their children to maintain access to grandchildren and be involved in family experiences. The empty nest refers to when the last child leaves the home, leaving only the parent(s). Women typically experience this around ages 40-50, while men experience it around ages 55-60. This stage, known as "post parental", follows

the period of in-home parenting. While often viewed as a sad time in life, it is not necessarily so.

According to Bee and colleagues (2008), studies indicate that marriages and relationships experience improvement during the empty nest phase. This is possibly due to women having less daily responsibilities, enabling them to pursue new careers or further education opportunities.

In the domain of late adulthood, I observed a couple in their assisted living home for seniors during a three-hour session. The couple, in their late 80’s, had been happily married for 60 years and were delighted with their new community where they had moved a year ago. Despite their attachment to their previous family home, where they raised their children and grandchildren, they decided to relocate to have medical assistance readily available. They also wanted to have full-time help as they aged and needed more assistance, but expressed apprehension about leaving their old abode due to the memories they had there.

Despite their families' willingness to help, the individuals in question chose to move into their new home instead of being dependent on their relatives. Their relocation was a positive experience as they made new friends who shared their interests. They followed a routine that included mentally and physically stimulating activities throughout the day. The recreation center offered card games, puzzles, and an indoor pool for swimming and water aerobics. This was essential as a sedentary lifestyle leads to negative health outcomes. Studies show that over 50% of women aged 65 or older lead a physically inactive lifestyle (Scanion-Mogel, Roberto, 2004). Additionally, they received three nutritious meals per day that helped sustain their energy levels.

IV. Elderly

During my three-hour

observation of the late adulthood domain, I documented the actions of Sam, a 93-year-old war veteran. Sam currently resides in the VA center located in Cheyenne, Wyoming, although he is originally from Chicago. Despite being far from his home and family, they visit him periodically. However, due to his age and distance from loved ones, Sam has begun to show signs of disengagement. This is apparent by his withdrawal from past roles and relationships.

During World War II, Sam served in the Navy and fondly talked about his service. Recently, he has begun to engage in life review according to Erickson's theory of ego integrity versus despair (Bjorklund, B., ; Bee, H., 2008).

Sam experiences memory lapses and requires assistance to move around due to limited physical ability. He spends most of his time engaged in past reflections, reading or playing cards. Despite these limitations, spending time with Sam provided insight into the cycle of aging and adult development.

Public policy regarding adult development is unclear as there is no single concrete viewpoint. The Council on Aging acts as advocates for the aging community and participates in various arenas on their behalf. They specialize in geriatric psychiatry and geropsychiatric issues, providing technical expertise in areas such as prescription drugs and Medicare Part D. The Council also works towards increasing funding for research and endorsing legislation including the Positive Aging Act and the Older Americans Act (Roca, 2008). In order to enhance the health of the elderly, the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) was developed to address conditions such as frailty and mental illness.

CGA addresses the promotion of increased longevity, mobility, and functionality while reducing the need for nursing homes

and hospitalization. The organization offers problem lists, care plans, and resources for families and communities (Wieland, Ferrucci, 2008). Additionally, adult developmental perspectives differ across cultures, with Korean adults prioritizing Confucian ethics that place family above self.

According to a study of 165 Koreans aged 65 to 96, when it comes to healthcare decisions, family involvement is prioritized over individualism, which is often emphasized in Western culture. The study found that 74.9% of elderly Koreans prefer making healthcare choices with the support and participation of their families.

Disregarding the elderly patient's wishes is a common occurrence among health care professionals when making treatment decisions. In Western society, patients began participating in decision-making processes during the 1960s, while in Eastern culture, this practice did not become widespread until the 1980s as traditionally it was seen as the family's responsibility to care for elderly adults during medical emergencies. A study discovered that men diagnosed with prostate cancer sought extensive information about their condition whereas women with breast cancer were satisfied with physicians' provided information and didn't request further details.

Various studies have shown that women typically exhibit a stronger inclination towards taking part in medical care decision-making than men. However, this propensity may fluctuate depending on the specific health condition under consideration. Current research indicates that individuals are more inclined to participate in decisions concerning minor health issues while relying on their healthcare provider's proficiency for major concerns. Furthermore, people with higher education levels usually seek out more information about their medical alternatives (Chang, Lee, Kim & Lee, 2008). This paper examines various stages of adulthood and assesses public policies and cross-cultural outlooks on adult development.

From birth until death, every individual

goes through the process of adulthood, although each person's life journey is distinct. Bjorklund and Bee (2008) discuss this process in their book, The Journey of Adulthood (6th edition).

Pearson-Prentice Hall in Upper Saddle River, NJ published Bouchard's (2006) book titled "Conquering Conflict," which offers valuable techniques for resolving conflicts in blended families. Additionally, Chang from Rapid City, SD is also mentioned.

, (2008), Lee, K., Kim, I., Lee, W.

The article titled "Older Korean People's Desire To Participate in Health Care Decision Making" was retrieved from the Discovery database identified by Document ID 1401636541. It was published in Nursing Ethics volume 15, issue 1, pages 73-86. The publication date is unknown. The authors of the article are Elium, J and Elium, D in the year 1994.The book titled "Raising a daughter", published by Celestial Arts in Berkeley in 2007, can be found on the website Parentingroles.com.The website Parentingroles.com has a section on grand parenting, accessible at http://www.parentingroles.com/grand-parenting/index. This information was retrieved on April 1, 2008 from the Parentingroles.com website.

In 2008, Robert P. Roca revealed that The American Journal of Psychiatry (Vol. 165, No. 2, pp. 276-277) featured the Council on Aging in an article. This information was obtained from the Discovery database on April 29, 2008.

(Document ID: 1426088921) Scanlon-Mogel, J. and Roberto K. authored a paper in 2004.

The article "Older adults' beliefs about physical activity and exercise: Life course influences and transitions" by Wieland discusses the impact of life events on the attitudes of senior citizens towards being physically active. The paper is published in Quality in Ageing and can be retrieved from the Discovery database using the document ID: 827973371. This information was accessed

on April 29, 2008.The article "Multidimensional Geriatric Assessment: Back to the Future" by Ferrucci, L. was published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series A Biological sciences and medical sciences in 2008. It can be found in the Discovery database and was retrieved on April 29, 2008. The article examines the use of multidimensional assessments for elderly individuals.

(Document ID: 1468530101). Appendix 1 investigated the shift from early adulthood to middle adulthood in individuals aged 20-39 through observation. The research analyzed young Air Force members for four hours and documented gender-specific behaviors that are common among this age group. Men demonstrated aggression, physicality, and a desire for female companionship while participating in activities like video games, sports, and socializing. Additionally, they exhibited indications of acclimating to military life by prioritizing career advancement and educational opportunities.

Before joining the military, many individuals attempted to advance their education but encountered obstacles that prevented them from completing it. Various reasons led to dropping out of college, including academic difficulties and inadequate financial support from parents. For those who chose to join the military, receiving educational funding was a significant incentive for pursuing higher education. Additionally, one couple got married after the woman became pregnant with the man's child before they began their current service.

Fortunately, they were both heading towards the same assigned location, which would make raising their child easier and a shared responsibility. Although unplanned, they both felt a sense of obligation to “do the right thing” by societal standards and provide for their child as a family unit. Another aspect of early adulthood is the integration of blended families. This can present challenges such as determining priorities between the

spousal relationship and the parent-child dynamic. However, establishing respect among all family members is crucial and serves as the foundation for healthy relationships.

Highlighting the importance of mutual respect between step-parent and step-child is crucial when blending families. The introduction of a step-parent can leave the step-child feeling excluded and unable to participate in decision-making, leading to conflicts among all parties involved. Such conflicts may put added pressure on the biological parent, as evidenced by my observations detailed in Appendix 2 concerning a couple in their late 70s during the middle adulthood stage.

Despite their age and physical limitations, this couple leads an active lifestyle at home. They have been married for 40 years and are parents to two adult children, as well as grandparents to three. The husband has had a dual career, serving in the U.S. Air Force for 26 years before transitioning into civilian work in the Navy for another 30 years. Meanwhile, the wife primarily devoted herself to being a stay-at-home mom but also took on part-time jobs when necessary.

During my visit to a senior community, I observed an elderly couple in their assisted living home who follow a consistent exercise routine. The wife prefers daily walks while her husband visits the gym regularly. They also make conscious decisions to consume healthy foods but occasionally indulge in non-nutritious meals or desserts like other adults do. In order to remain active and avoid becoming sedentary at home, they travel within their financial means on a regular basis (refer to Appendix 3).

The couple had been happily married for 60 years and recently relocated to a new home. They were optimistic about their new community and

pleased to have made new friends. Despite the emotional attachment to their previous family home, they chose to move in search of medical assistance and full-time support as they aged. While acknowledging the willingness of their family to help, they preferred not to rely on them in such a way. The move was a positive experience, allowing them to meet like-minded individuals and receive the necessary care.

During the three-hour observation of the late adulthood domain, I recorded the activities designed to keep elderly individuals active both mentally and physically. The recreation center offered games, puzzles, and card games, while the indoor pool provided water aerobics and swimming opportunities. The behavior of an 87-year-old veteran named Sam was observed at his home in the VA center located in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Although Sam's family is from Michigan, they visit him occasionally at this VA location, which is the closest they could find for him.

Sam, who served in the Navy during WW II and enjoyed talking about his time as a serviceman, has demonstrated disengagement from roles and relationships he used to have due to both his age and distance.