Part 1-Most people think of older adults as being constant and stable. You often

Part 1-Most people think of older adults as being constant and stable. You often hear people say things such as ‘they are set in their ways’ and ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. In terms of transition and change there’s as much happening in old age as there was during adolescence. There are profound changes taking place in a number of different areas. That means older adults have to change attitudes and behaviors in order to adapt. Fortunately, they should be fairly well equipped to deal with these issues after acquiring a lifetime of knowledge and experience.
As previously discussed in other readings, there are declines in physical abilities, stamina, vision and hearing. And generally, there will be some health issues. On the other hand, most older adults retain memory, verbal abilities and intellectual functioning unless some form of dementia develops. So, although they are mentally capable, they have to deal with physical limitations that may hinder their activities to some degree.
There are also many social changes such as retirement, dealing with grown adult children, becoming a grandparent and possibly a great grandparent. With advanced age there can be less independence as they may need to increasingly rely on others, such as when they can no longer drive or need to enter an assisted living facility. Dealing with these new roles and changing situations can be challenging.
Older adults also have to deal with the concept of death more than other age groups simply because it becomes more familiar. As they outlive family and friends they have to learn how to deal with those losses. Even more difficult is the death of a spouse, which can be particularly devastating. Finally, older adults have to come to terms with their own mortality. Part of that is the legacy they feel they are leaving behind. This is what Erickson referred to as dignity versus despair. Will they be fondly remembered when they are gone? Part of it concerns all the associated questions. How much time is left? What, if anything, is next? Many rely on faith for answers.
Ultimately there are many things we can learn from older adults, including how to grow old. And some do it better than others. It’s all about how they deal with the inevitable transitions of aging. For this discussion I’d like you to talk about your grandparents, or some other older friends or relatives. Would you say they are successfully dealing with growing older? Are they remaining active physically, mentally and socially? What strategies do they use to cope with, and compensate for, all the changes taking place in their lives? Were there things that were particularly difficult for them to deal with as well? Were they ultimately resolved? Then respond to a couple classmates. Were there things in common between your observations and theirs? Were there things they mentioned that you might suggest to your own grandparents to make their lives better? Hopefully, we can generate a handbook of tips and tricks for dealing with growing older. And since I’m getting there myself I can benefit from what all of you have learned from your own grandparents.
Part 2-
You’ve seen this developmental progression diagram many times in this course. It sums things up nicely. But this time I’ve added something to it, where most of you are (at the beginning) and where I am (nearer the end). From my perspective it kinda sucks. 🙁
On the other hand, I’ve made it this far relatively intact. It’s all part of the process and trust me you’ll get there a lot sooner than you think. I can remember my grandma, in her mid-nineties at the time, lamenting on the same thing. “What the Hell happened? All of a sudden there’s this old lady staring back at me in the mirror.” Another thing that has started to occur to me in the last few years is that when I look back at certain events such as graduating High School and then starting college I realize I’m older than my parents were at the time. What were they thinking as I was entering college? Were they concerned about costs, how well I’d do, my leaving home?
If I’ve learned anything over the process of aging is that ultimately all you can really do is keep moving forward. The research shows that those that stay active mentally and physically, that continue to take on new challenges, tend to fair better. I really couldn’t have a better job as far as those things are concerned. There’s always new things to learn and I’m in contact with lots of fresh perspectives from my students.
Now many of you have probably never stopped to think about becoming old. Unlike myself, most of you are closer to the beginning of life than the end. But between the readings and videos you must have gained some insights on the topic. That’s what I’d like you to share here. Discuss any one of the sources that really got you to think about the challenges of old age, and that maybe got you to think about things differently. Then respond to one or two classmates concerning what really struck them.