Adulthood and Old Age

Donta’, Macey, Juan, Tyler

Adulthood is a time of transition. It involves shifting priorities and outlooks on

life from adolescence throughout the remainder of life.

Adulthood

Middle aged adults hair starts to turn gray, Skin gets dry also.

Older aged adults skin becomes wrinkly, their muscle and fat that have been built up start to deteriorate.

They lose weight and get shorter. Senses are also altered.

More stimulation becomes required for each sense.

Physical Changes

Good health reflects a life of making choices exercise, diet, and lifestyle. avoid cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, and

emotional stress and it will make you look and feel younger

The 3 most common causes for bad health in late adulthood are heart disease, cancer, and drugs.

Health Problems

Production of sex hormones drops tremendously

Stop ovulating No more menstruating Cannot conceive Calmer, confident, and freer Men don’t change biologically

Menopause

90 percent of adults in the US will be married at sometime in their lives

40 to 60 percent of those marriages will end in a divorce

Success or failure in a marriage depends on 2 things: how couples handle conflicts and how often couples share intimate and happy moments

Happily married couples and unhappy couples both argue but happily married couples argue constructively

Listen, focus, respect. Do not ignore, deny the conflict, exaggerate issues, or

have ugly fights.

Marriage and Divorce

Studies have shown that sexual activity does not automatically decline with age.

Those who are inactive are bored with their partner, have poor physical condition, or have an illness.

Sexual Behavior

1) Early adult transition (17-22) - leave adolescence, make choices for adult life

2) Entering the adult world (22-28) - make initial choices in love, occupation, friendship, values, and lifestyle

3) Age 30 transition (28-33) – a lot of changes occur in this time period, either a moderate change or, more often, a severe and stressful crisis.

Levinson’s Theory of Male Development

4) Settling down (33-40) - establish a place in society, have a stable home and children

5) Mid-life transition ( 40-45) -usually a time of crisis in the meaning, direction, and value of each person's life. Also at this time, men becoming increasingly aware of death and they are reminded of how short life really is.  They become involved in trying to leave a legacy and this usually forms the core of the second half of his life.

6) Entering middle adulthood (45-50) - choices must be made, a new life structure formed. 

“Empty Nest” syndrome-women think that the period after the

children are grown is one of the happiest times of their lives because they reorganize their lives by focusing on new interests and activities

- if a women has a warm relationship with her husband she may find the adjustment easier.

Female Development