Confronting the Changes of Aging

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Confronting the Changes of Aging

• Early preparation
• ambivalent feelings explored
• getting to know spouse
• develop diverse interests
• financial planning (should begin in 20s)

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Confronting the Challenges of Aging (cont)

• Anticipating/accommodating inevitable changes
• generate energy rather than conserve
• adapt favorite activities
• hearing/vision loss
• menopause

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Aging Theories

• Individual cells or whole systems?
• Cells may contain aging genes which specify how
  many times it can replicate itself
• Free-radicals may cause alterations in cell
  structure

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Aging Theories (cont)

• Immune-system theories - body makes errors
  producing proteins immune system does not
  recognize, immune system weakens producing fewer
  antibodies
• Declining levels of sex hormones may cause changes

5
Life in Changing America

• People over 65 (34 million) represent 13 of
  population
• Older adults are healthier
• Younger elderly - increased political and
  financial power
• Growing segment of elderly are impoverished and
  ill

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Life in Changing America (cont)

• Friends, family, community services help older
  adults remain active, independent
• In 75 of cases, grown daughter or
  daughter-in-law cares for elderly relative
• Caregivers use community resources

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Life in Changing America (cont)

• Federal Government's Role
• Food Stamps
• Housing Subsidies
• Medicare
• Medicaid
• Encourage people to live healthier lives

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Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
..

• Stages of Coping with Death
• Stage 1 - Denial and Isolation
• temporary state of shock during which the person
  denies it will happen
• denial acts as a buffer and allows for other
  defenses to be mobilized

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Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
..

• Stages of Coping with Death
• Stage 2 - Anger
• person lashes out at others blaming them for
  their situation
• normal response to disability and loss of control
  over ones life

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Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
..

• Stages of Coping with Death
• Stage 3 - Bargaining
• makes promises to God or others to reform in
  exchange for prolonged life
• vulnerable to medical quackery

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Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
..

• Stages of Coping with Death
• Stage 4 - Depression
• accepts his/her fate but is depressed and grieves
  for what will be left behind

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Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
..

• Stages of Coping with Death
• Stage 5 - Acceptance
• accepts inevitability of death and acknowledges a
  sense of powerlessness over coming events
• contentment/make the best of things

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Coping with Dying - Charles Corr, Theorist

• Physical satisfying bodily needs and minimizing
  distress
• Psychological maximizing security, autonomy,
  and richness for living
• Social sustaining relationships and addressing
  social implications of dying
• Spiritual identifying, developing, or
  reaffirming sources of meaning and fostering hope

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Supporting a Dying Person

• nonjudgmental attitude
• the gift of listening
• tell them they are valued
• tell them they are not alone
• communicate that others are trying to come to
  terms with situation

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Coping with Loss

• Many losses throughout life call upon our coping
  resources.
• Losses accompany all changes and endings.
• Grieving (the emotional and physiological
  responses to the death of a loved one) is a
  process that must occur in order for the survivor
  to heal and get on with his/her life.

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Grieving

• Many emotions along with sorrow are felt by the
  grieving person.
• Each person experiences grief in an individual
  way.

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Phases of Grief

• First stage - shock, numbness, disbelief, denial,
  mental and emotional disorganization.
• Second stage - intense yearning, lethargy,
  restlessness, disturbed sleep (weeks to months).
• Last stage - resolution, reestablishing balance,
  reintegration. Grief recurs but with diminished
  frequency and intensity.

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William Worden, Psychologist - Tasks of Grief

• Accepting the reality
• Working through the pain
• Adjusting to a changed environment
• Emotionally relocating the deceased and moving on
  with life

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Helping Survivors Cope with Loss

• Listening, refraining from making judgements
• Children cope better when they are allowed to be
  a part of their familys experience of grief and
  mourning

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Healthy People 2010

• Reduce to no more than 90 per 1000 people the
  proportion of all people age 65 and over who have
  difficulty in performing two or more personal
  care activities and thereby preserving
  independence (Baseline 111/1000 in 1985).
• Reduce epidemic-related pneumonia and influenza
  death among people age 65 and over to no more
  than 15.9/100,000 (Baseline 19.9/100,000 in
  l987).

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Helpful Internet resources

• National Aging Information Center
• http//www.ageinfor.org
• National Council on Aging
• http//www.ncoa.org
• Project on Death in America
• http//www.soros.org/death.html

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Thank you