Chapter 8 - Middle Adulthood.pptx

Primary and secondary aging  Primary aging    Age-related changes caused by biological factors Molecular and cellular factors, oxidative damage Secondary aging   Age-related changes caused by controllable factors Unhealthy lifestyle, lack of exercise, poor diet Physical changes in mid...

Primary and secondary aging  Primary aging    Age-related changes caused by biological factors Molecular and cellular factors, oxidative damage Secondary aging   Age-related changes caused by controllable factors Unhealthy lifestyle, lack of exercise, poor diet Physical changes in middle adulthood: Hair  Graying hair     Hair follicles produce melanin, which colors hair With aging, hair follicles produce less melanin Typically begins in 30s, but depends on race/genetics Thinning hair   Hair follicles produce less new hair, strands shrink Male-pattern baldness related to testosterone Physical changes in middle adulthood: Skin  Skin dries and loses the underlying layer of fat   Loss of muscle tone   Wrinkles Skin appears droopy Wrinkles, dark spots, blotchy skin  Aggravated by sun exposure Physical changes in middle adulthood: Muscles  Sarcopenia – Loss of muscle mass and strength that occurs with aging      Caused by decline of growth and anabolic hormones, especially testosterone Also caused by decreased physical activity Can start as early as 40 years of age Contributes significantly to decreased life quality, increase in health care costs, and early death in older adults Muscle-to-fat ratio also changes  Fat accumulates in the stomach area Physical changes in middle adulthood: Lungs  Lung capacity decreases with age     Thinning of the bones can change the shape of the rib cage and result in a loss of lung expansion Weakened diaphragm muscles Results in shortness of breath and feeling tired Usually minimal in healthy, active nonsmokers  But may have significant effects on smokers and people with chronic lung problems Sensory changes in middle adulthood: Vision  Presbyopia – Loss of elasticity in the lens of the eye   Floaters – Little spots or “cobwebs” in visual field    Harder to focus on close objects (e.g., small print) Occur when vitreous humor shrinks Decreased scotopic sensitivity – Ability to see in dim light and adjust to changes in light levels Dry eye syndrome – Eye does not produce tears properly or tears evaporate too quickly Figure 8.3 Interior of the human eye Sensory changes in middle adulthood: Hearing  19% of 40- to 69-year-olds report hearing problems   Specific difficulty with high-frequency sounds   Increase from 5.5% of adults under age 40 Problems understanding speech in noisy settings Worse for people with exposure to loud noises Health concerns in middle adulthood: Heart disease   Can include heart defects and rhythm problems Cardiovascular disease – Narrowed, blocked, or stiffened blood vessels   Atherosclerosis – Buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries Increased risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and cardiac arrest  Risk factors include family history, smoking, poor diet Figure 8.5 Atherosclerosis Health concerns in middle adulthood: Hypertension  High blood pressure – Heart has to work harder to pump blood throughout body     Systolic pressure – Pressure in the blood vessels when the heart beats Diastolic pressure – Pressure in the blood vessels when the heart is at rest Increased risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney damage Lifestyle changes often effective Health concerns in middle adulthood: Cancer   Collection of diseases in which cells divide without stopping and spread into surrounding tissues May form tumors that interfere with bodily functioning   Malignant tumors invade nearby tissues Metastasizing – Spreading throughout body Figure 8.6 Cancer Health concerns in middle adulthood: High cholesterol  Cholesterol – A waxy, fatty substance carried by lipoprotein molecules in the blood   Necessary to create hormones and digest fatty foods Most are low-density lipoproteins (LDL)  High LDL levels can form plaque in the arteries, leading to heart attack and stroke Health concerns in middle adulthood: High cholesterol (continued)  High-density lipoproteins (HDL) absorb cholesterol and carry it to the liver to be flushed from the body   High HDL levels can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke Triglycerides – A type of fat in the blood used for energy  High levels can also increase heart disease and stroke risk Health concerns in middle adulthood: Diabetes mellitus   Body can’t control blood glucose 90-95% of adult cases are Type 2    Insulin resistance – Cells in muscles, liver, and fat tissue don’t use insulin properly Insulin = Hormone that helps cells use glucose for energy Number of cases quadruples after age 45 (from 4.3 million to 13 million adults) Health concerns in middle adulthood: Diabetes mellitus (continued)  Different rates across and within racial/ethnic groups   Other risk factors: Diet, obesity, inactivity, family history Increases risk of limb amputation, retinopathy, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure Health concerns in middle adulthood: Metabolic syndrome  Cluster of cardiometabolic risk factors, including:       Large waist circumference High blood pressure Elevated triglycerides 34% of U.S. adults have this Increases diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk Increasing activity and losing weight can help Health concerns in middle adulthood: Rheumatoid arthritis     Inflammatory disease that causes pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function in the joints Immune system attacks the membrane lining of joints Symptoms include joint pain and swelling but also fatigue and fever Genetic component with environmental trigger Figure 8.8 Rheumatoid arthritis Health concerns in middle adulthood: Heartburn  Stomach acid backing up into the esophagus    Sometimes linked to eating fatty or spicy foods, caffeine, smoking, and eating before bedtime Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) – Lower sphincter muscle in the esophagus relaxes too frequently and stomach acid flows into the esophagus Can injure the lining of the esophagus and: Cause discomfort (short-term)  Increase esophageal cancer risk (long-term)  Health concerns in middle adulthood: Gallstones  Hard particles that develop in the gallbladder    Made of fatty materials, bile pigments, and calcium deposits Can block bile or pancreatic ducts Risk factors include family history, highcalorie and carb diet, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and obesity Health concerns in middle adulthood: Sleep   Adults require 7 hours of sleep per night 9% of Americans report having a sleep disorder    Sleep apnea and insomnia most common causes Pain and stress also interfere with sleep Health consequences include:   Impaired memory and glucose and immune functioning Increased cancer, diabetes, and hypertension risk Exercise, nutrition, and weight in middle adulthood  Exercise recommendations    150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise, including at least 10 minutes or aerobic exercise Muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week Any activity will have health benefits Exercise, nutrition, and weight in middle adulthood (continued)  Nutrition recommendations  Less than 2300mg (1 teaspoon) of sodium per day   Less than 10% of calories per day from saturated fats   Most adults consume 3440 mg In average American diet, 15% of calories from saturated fats Less than 10% of calories per day from added sugars  In average American diet, 15% of calories from added sugars Exercise, nutrition, and weight in middle adulthood (continued)  Metabolism – Process by which the body converts food and drink into energy    Slows during midlife due to muscle mass decrease Adults should increase exercise, eat less, and watch nutrition to maintain earlier physique Obesity associated with health problems, including increased dementia risk  Fat cells may produce harmful chemicals that promote inflammation in blood vessels in the brain Climacteric     Midlife transition when fertility declines Biologically based but impacted by environment Men experience reduction in reproductive ability Women lose reproductive ability Female sexual and reproductive health    Perimenopause – Ovaries stop releasing eggs and hormone production decreases Menopause – 12 months without menstruation Possible effects:      Hot flashes – Surges of adrenaline Disrupted sleep Painful intercourse Increased osteoporosis risk Depression, irritability, and weight gain not menopausal Hormone replacement therapy   Estrogen sometimes used to treat menopause symptoms But associated with:     Breast cancer Stroke Development of blood clots Greater emphasis on non-hormonal treatments   Eating soy, practicing relaxation Avoiding caffeine and alcohol Menopause and ethnicity  White women more likely to disclose psychomatic symptoms   African American women more likely to disclose vasomotor symptoms   Depression, irritability, forgetfulness, and headaches Hot flashes, night sweats, flushing Chinese and Japanese women reported fewest symptoms Menopause and culture  Menopause-related language reflects experiences   Example: No Hmong word for “hot flashes” Significance of menopause varies    Liberating experience or loss of youth and womanhood? May depend on expected social norms May depend on cultural views of aging Male sexual and reproductive health   Men don’t lose ability to father children Erectile dysfunction increases with age    Main causes: Diabetes, kidney disease, alcoholism, and atherosclerosis Prostate enlargement Declines in testosterone  Associated with diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and testicular cancer Sexuality in middle adulthood  Most middle-aged adults sexually active    Women may experience painful intercourse and decreased desire Men may need more stimulation to get/maintain erection Safer sex education still important   2014: 16.7% of new HIV diagnoses in people 50+ But adults over 40 have lowest rate of condom use Brain functioning in midlife      Older adults use more of the brain than younger adults Brain demonstrates plasticity White matter increases into 50s Focus on positive information more than negative Better decision making, especially financial Crystallized and fluid intelligence  Crystallized intelligence – Accumulated knowledge acquired throughout life    Semantic knowledge, vocabulary, and language Increases with age Fluid intelligence – Capacity to learn new ways of solving problems and perform activities quickly  Decreases with age Seattle Longitudinal Study   Tracks cognitive abilities every 7 years since 1956 Increase until 70s:      Verbal memory Spatial skills Inductive reasoning (generalizing from specific examples) Vocabulary Numerical computation and perceptual speed decline in middle and late adulthood Flow    Mental state of being completely present and fully absorbed in a task Achieving great joy or intellectual satisfaction Not concerned with extrinsic rewards Tacit knowledge  Knowledge that is pragmatic or practical    Learned through experience (not explicitly taught) Using skills and solving problems in practical ways Increases with age Middle-aged adults and education       2009: 17% of higher education students age 35+ Older learners have slower speed of processing, less working memory space Compensated for by experience and better learning strategies Older students take longer to learn material but also remember it longer Especially focused on relevance and meaning More task-oriented learners Gaining expertise  Expert – Someone with specialized skills and knowledge in certain area       Intuitive – Less reliance on specific rules and steps Automatic – Process information faster/more efficiently Strategic – Use knowledge to generate ideas Flexible – Take on more challenging tasks Expertise can’t make up for all cognitive losses Novice – Someone who has limited experiences with a particular task Work at midlife    From late 1990s-2012, employment rate dropped from 67% to 64% More adults aging out of workforce Fewer adults entering workforce Workplace climate at midlife  Job satisfaction tends to peak in midlife   Higher pay, more autonomy But not for everyone   Glass ceiling – Organizational discrimination that limits women’s career advancement Job burnout – Being disillusioned/frustrated at work  Lack of paid vacation, overtime pay Figure 8.19 Average annual hours actually worked per worker Workplace challenges in midlife  Primarily economic in nature     Fewer hours/having to switch to part-time Pay cuts Loss of retirement savings Lack of opportunities for middle-aged adults Cheaper to hire young workers  Younger workers farther from retirement  Difficulty relocating  Leisure  Time off from work and duties    Watching TV is more than half of leisure time Men spend more time in leisure than women   Beneficial for mental and physical health Gap smaller for parents America has less paid time off than other countries  But workers don’t always use this time off Feel pressure from boss/coworkers  Worries about things piling up  Socioemotional development: Midlife crisis  Levinson (1978) – Midlife transition (40-45) is a time of:      Reevaluating previous commitments Making dramatic changes if necessary Expressing previously ignored talents or aspirations Feeling more urgency about life and its meaning Middle adulthood (45-50) – Committed to new choices Socioemotional development: Midlife crisis (continued)  Levinson (1978) – Midlife crisis was a normal part of development   Difficulty reconciling reality with dreams about future Later research suggests midlife crisis is uncommon   Most common among highly educated Often triggered by major life event, not fear of aging Stress     Pattern of physical and psychological responses after threatening event Disrupts homeostasis and coping abilities Major life events and daily hassles Associated with illness and physical wear and tear Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome  Three-phase model of stress    Alarm – Mobilization of physiological resources Resistance – Organism attempts to cope Exhaustion – Organism’s resources depleted Socioemotional factors and stress  Type A behavior - Competitive, impatient, hostile, and time-urgent    Associated with increased risk of heart disease Hostile, competitive people have heightened arousal Social integration – Number of social roles one has  Associated with reduced stress, better health Caregiving and stress   National Alliance for Caregiving (2015): 40 million Americans provide unpaid caregiving Caregiving associated with greater stress    Includes social isolation, financial problems Can affect physical and mental health Female caregivers experience more stress Stress management and coping    Problem-focused coping – Actively addressing the event that is causing stress Emotion-focused coping – Regulating emotions that come with stress Biofeedback - Technique where the individual is shown bodily information that is not normally available to them (e.g., heart rate), and then taught strategies to alter this signal Erikson: Generativity vs. stagnation  Generativity – Procreativity, productivity, and creativity     Concern with leaving positive legacy Caring for people, products, and ideas Associated with good cultural knowledge and adaptation Not feeling needed or challenged may result in stagnation Midlife relationships: The sandwich generation  Adults who care for parents and children simultaneously    May include financially supporting parents or grown children 2013: 47% of middle-aged adults Associated with feeling rushed, financial strain Midlife relationships: Kinkeeping  Keeping the family connected and promoting solidarity and continuity in the family       Organizing family gatherings Keeping track of family history Providing advice and support Strengthening bonds Can be stressful when interferes with other duties May include caregiving activities Midlife relationships: Empty nest    Time period when children are grown up and have left home Empty nest syndrome: Emotional distress parents experience after children have left home Cultural differences   Mainstream American culture: Role strain relief for parents Chinese culture: Loss of emotional and financial support Midlife relationships: Boomerang kids  Young adults who return home after moving out    39% of adults 18-34 Often due to financial or mental health issues Adjustment depends on:   Reasons for returning home Quality of pre-existing relationship Middle adult lifestyles: Singlehood and dating  Single adults not worse off than married adults   May depend on reasons/circumstances Most important reasons for dating:    Companionship Romantic activities Sexual fulfillment (decreases in later life) Middle adult lifestyles: Marriage   48% of adults age 45-54 are married Marital satisfaction tends to increase in midlife    Children leave home Have learned to work out problems But may be attrition effect Middle adult lifestyles: Divorce  27% of adults age 45 to 54 were divorced   57% of them are women 2/3 of divorces are initiated by women Enhancers better themselves and seek better relationships  Competent loners use their experience to grow emotionally, but choose to stay single   Most divorces occur in first 5-10 years of marriage Early divorces tend to be angrier and more conflictual  Later divorces often reflect growing apart  Middle adult lifestyles: Dating postdivorce  Most adults date within 1 year of divorce   More likely in young adults Children can complicate dating  Gatekeeping – Parents regulate the flow of information about new romantic partners Middle adult lifestyles: Remarriage  Remarriage rate declined 16% since 2008     But has increased for adults 55 and older Men more likely than women to remarry Whites more likely than other groups to remarry Potential problems with family roles/expectations   Child-focused parent allows the child’s views, reactions, and needs to influence the repartnering Adult-focused parent expects that the child can adapt and should accommodate to parental wishes Grandparenting  Cherlin and Furstenberg’s grandparent styles (1986)  Remote (30%): Live far away or have distant relationship    Companionate (55%): Do things with grandchild but have little authority or control over them Involved (15)%: Take a very active role in grandchild’s life   Contact is typically made on special occasions May include grandparents who raise their grandchildren Cultural factors may influence grandparent Friendships in midlife  Friendships are beneficial     Increased sense of belonging and security Less depression and anxiety Reduced adverse effects of stress Poor social connectedness associated with a larger risk of premature mortality than cigarette smoking, obesity, and excessive alcohol use Friendships in midlife (continued)  Female friendships associated with support     Confidants important for mental health May be hard due to competing responsibilities Male friendships often involve shared consumption of alcohol Quality/quantity of friendships in young adulthood important Internet and workplace friendships  Internet friendships can be intimate   Social anxiety, autism, geographical location Workplace friendships can make work more pleasant   People often spend lots of time at work Mentoring, social support, resources Women in midlife   Aging stressful in cultures that emphasize youth and attractiveness Double standard of aging: Aging men are viewed as “distinguished” and aging women are viewed as “old”   Women valued for reproductive capabilities may be considered old after menopause Men valued for achievements and not considered old until they are physically unable to work Women in midlife (continued)  Attitudes about aging vary by race, culture, and sexual orientation    Older Asian women age attain greater respect and have greater authority White women have more stereotypes about aging Lesbians are less negative about aging and looking older Religion and spirituality     Religiosity – Engaging with a formal religious group’s doctrines, values, traditions, and members Spirituality – Intrapsychic sense of connection with something transcendent Both associated with better quality of life More common in women, older adults  But may be influenced by cultural practices 

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