HGD Lecture Notes Chapter 9Late AdulthoodThe chapter begins with a discussion of the demographics related to this period of the lifespan. The number of those aged 65 and older is expected to increase throughout the world by 2050.Your text discusses the difference between Maximum Lifespan and Life Expectancy.Maximum Lifespan refers to the greatest age reached by someone in a given population. It is currently between 120-125 years of age. Life Expectancy refers to the average number of years that those in a population live.Women live longer than men throughout the world. Interestingly, today's youth, due to a sedentary lifestyle (e.g., lack of exercise), may not live as long as their parents. Wow!!Why are there gender differences in life expectancy?There are biological considerations (e.g., genes and hormones) as well as lifestyle factors that are important to consider (e.g., males typically have more dangerous occupations). Read/study this section.There are 3 age categories in late adulthood. Young-Old (65-84), Oldest-Old (85 and over), and Centenarians (100 or older). Read/study the characteristics of each.Theories of Aging-Be familiar with genes and free radicals.There are significant bodily changes in late adulthood. Now, the authors have presented very detailed descriptions of the numerous health issues associated with late adulthood. Know the following terms: sarcopenia, cataracts, glaucoma, tinnitus, presbycusis, anosmia, and osteoporosisSleepAdequate sleep is necessary for physical, mental, and emotional functioning. Now, recall from Chapter 6 that adolescents experience delayed phase preference, in which they can't fall asleep until late in the night. Those in late adulthood experience advanced sleep phase syndrome in which they go to sleep earlier and get up earlier than those who are younger. Insomnia is the most likely sleep issue faced by adults over the age of 60. It involves issues with either initiating or sustaining sleep. The typical form involves an inability to fall asleep. There are different causes of insomnia. It can be due to stress/anxiety, worrying about falling asleep, and even the blue light from a cell phone that is used before going to bed (put your phone away!!). Another form of insomnia, termination or terminal insomnia, involves waking up too early and then not being able to fall back asleep. This is frustrating as the person knows that they need the sleep. Stress and alcohol use are potential causes of this form of insomnia.

Other Sleep Issues Sleep Apnea- Refers to repeated short pauses in breathing, while an individual sleeps, that can lead to reduced oxygen in the blood. A CPAP device is usually worn to aid the individual in breathing.REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep Behavior Disorder-This occurs when one's muscles can move during REM sleep and sleep is disrupted. Remember from general psychology, when we are in REM sleep we are unable to move. So, this is a significant issue. Here is a brief video highlighting a man who has this problem:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XhcsZKa3joRestless Leg Syndrome-This involves crawling sensations in the legs when trying to fall asleep.Make sure you read and study the paragraph on exercise and sleepinteresting!!Have you ever wondered about your sleep quality?Here is the link to the brief What's Your Sleep Like? Sleep Quiz https://psychcentral.com/quizzes/sleep-quiz/Cognitive DevelopmentResearch cited in your text reveals that episodic memory (e.g., memories for past events) shows greater age-related declines than semantic memory (e.g., knowledge of facts). Older adults experience the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon more than younger adults when trying to remember data. This phenomenon occurs when we know the answer and we just can't retrieve it ("It's right on the tip of my tongue."), only to be surprised later when the answer seems to come to us from out of nowhere!!!Prospective Memory-This type of memory involves remembering things we need to do in the future. Now as per your text, there are time-based prospective memories, such as having to remember to do something at a future time, (e.g., pick up a friend from work at 4:00 p.m.), or event-based prospective memories, such as having to remember to do something when a certain event occurs (e.g., taking one's vitamins after dinnerdinner is the event that reminds one to take the vitamins).Age-related declines are found more in time-based than event-based memories.Here is an excellent video highlighting a lab-based approach to studying prospective memory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AmHWad7vRAMake sure you have read/studied the sections on The Age Advantage, Changes in Attention In Late Adulthood, Problem Solving, and The Processing Speed Theory.

WisdomHave you ever gone to an older relative or friend for advice? Why? Probably because you knew that they were wise on the issue of concern. As related in the text, Wisdom is the ability to use the accumulated knowledge about practical matters that allows for sound judgment and decision making. Essentially, if we have lived long enough and experienced many of life's challenges we can develop wisdom which can be of benefit to others. As related in the text, however, Paul Baltes, a leading researcher on development suggests that wisdom is rare! Read/study this section.Neurocognitive DisordersAs defined in your text, a Major Neurocognitive Disorder is diagnosed as a significant cognitive decline from a previous level of performance in one or more cognitive domains and interferes with independent functioning,Now, there are different types. We will discuss the most common-Alzheimer's Disease. This disease affects not only cognitive and emotional functioning but physical functioning as well, and results in death. There are no cures at this time. A great deal of detail is provided in the textread the section and pay attention to the 2 graphics that have been presented. Also, watch this informative video on signs and symptoms of this illness:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_98lYUheKpEWork and RetirementThe average age for retirement in the U.S. is 65. Some individuals cannot accept retirement (e.g., "I'm bored"), and re-enter the workforce. Some individuals begin an encore career, which is defined as work in a different field from the one in which they retired. Robert Atchley has studied retirement and found a distinct pattern of stages (phases) that occur. They are:Remote Phase-Involves fantasizing about what one will do (e.g., "I'm going to buy a boat and live at the beach.").Immediate Pre-Retirement Phase-Plans are now made for retirement.Actual Retirement-The big day has arrived!Honeymoon Phase-This involves doing the things they could not do in the pasthaving fun!Disenchantment Phase-The realization that it might not be all it was thought to be (e.g. boredom, missing the structure of work).Reorientation Phase-Developing a regular life-schedule of events.

Ageism-This is prejudice or discrimination based on one's age. An example might include not hiring a fully qualified candidate for a job because he/she was "too old."Social Networks-Think about who your friends are now and who were your friends in the past. Has there been any changes? As we age our relationships and who we interact with change. As noted in the text, The Convoy Model of Social Relations suggests that the social connections that people accumulate differ in levels of closeness and are held together by exchanges in social support. So, we are part of a convoy (like a group of cars traveling down "the road of life"), but over time people in our convoy change (e.g., we may have had a good supportive friend in college who we lose contact with due to residential change). So, this person drops out of the convoy. Throughout life individuals enter and exit our convoy.Now, as related in the text The Socioemotional Selectivity Theory focuses on changes in motivation for actively seeking social contact with others. This involves the emotional aspects of our social relationships. As we age many of us decide who is good and who is bad for us emotionally (e.g., we may cease being friends with someone because "He is too negativehe always brings me downI don't have time for this"). Widowhood-As defined in the text, the widowhood mortality effect refers to the higher risk of death after the death of a spouse. Friendships/confidant-How does this impact the effect of widowhood?Elder Abuse-Read/study this section.Successful Aging-Many older adults are healthy both mentally and physically and adapt well to the inevitable changes of becoming elderly. So, adaptation to one's environment is important. Your text describes selective optimization with compensation which is used when the elder makes adjustments, as needed, in order to continue living as independently and actively as possible (e.g., a person who can no longer drive asks a younger neighbor if he can ride to the store with him on shopping day)

As noted in this chapter both physical and cognitive changes (issues with attention) are common among the elderly. A practical issue of concern is driving. Based on what you have learned in this chapter do you believe that there should be a mandatory age in which an individual must give up their driver's license? Why or why not? Make sure that you respond to at least one other classmate's post. Remember, always be polite and respectful when responding to another classmate's post.