PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF AGING

PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF AGING

A number of theories have attempted to explain psychosocial aging. They are disengagement theory, activity theory and continuity theory. According to Erikson, the developmental task is ego integrity versus despair. People who attain ego integrity versus life with a sense of wholeness and derive satisfaction from accomplishments. By contrast, people who despair often believe they have made poor choices during life and wish they could live life ever.

Peck proposed the three following developmental tasks of the elder in contrast to Erikson's task of ego integrity versus despair.

• Ego differentiation versus work role preoccupation
• Ego transcendence versus body preoccupation
• Ego transcendence versus ego preoccupation

DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGES

• 65 to 75 years
• Adjusting to decreasing physical strength and health
• Adjusting to retirement and lower and fixed income
• Adjusting to the death of parents, spouses and friends
• Adjusting to new relationship with adult children
• Adjusting to leisure time
• Adjusting to slower physical and cognitive responses
• Keeping active and involved
• Making satisfying living arrangements as aging progresses
• 75 years and older
• Adapting to living alone
• Safeguarding physical and mental health
• Adjusting to the possibility of moving into a nursing home
• Remaining in touch with other family members
• Finding meaning in life
• Adjusting to one's own death

RETIREMENT

• It is a stage of life characterized by transition and role changes. There may be problems related to social isolation and finances.
• People who plan in advance for retirement generally have a smoother transition. Retirement has an impact on more individuals than the retired persons. Loss of the work role has a major impact on same retired person.
• The most powerful factor that influence the retired person's satisfaction with life are health status, the option to continue working and sufficient income. Adequate financial resources enable the older person to remain independent.

ECONOMIC CHANGE

• Problems with income are often related to low retirement benefits, lack of pension plans for many workers and the increased length of the retirement years.
• Food and medical costs alone are often a financial burden. Adequate financial sources enable the elders to remain independent.
• Nurses should be aware of the costs of health care. The supplies used in a client's care should be as economical as possible. While assisting a client to plan a diet, the nurse must consider which foods the client can afford to buy. The nurse or the client can request the physician to order lower priced medication or assist the older client to apply for medication assistance programs operated by pharmaceutical companies.

GRAND PARENTING

• The rate of grandparents being the primary caregiver for their grandchildren is increasing.
• While loving their grandchildren the grandparents often experience stress, anxiety, financial hardships and potential deteriorating health.
• It is important for the nurse to assess and help maintain the health of grandparents.

SOCIAL ISOLATION

• Many older persons experience social isolation and the degree of isolation may increase with the age.
• The vulnerability to isolation is increased in the absence of supportive others. Some older person withdraws from society due to feeling of rejection.
• The nurse can help the lonely adults in rebuilding social networks and reversing the pattern of isolation. Many communities have outreach programs designed to make contact with isolated older adults.

SEXUALITY

• All older adults, whether healthy or trail need to express sexual feelings. It involves love, warmth m sharing and touching. Provide privacy to discuss sexuality provide information on age related changes.

RELOCATION

• Many people experience relocation due to variety of factors. Making decision to move is stressful. Some elders need to move nearer to children for general support and supervision. They have to leave friends and neighbour’s from decades. More living choices and options are available for the old adult today. They are:
• Assisted living

ADULT DAY CARE

• Adult foster care and group homes
• Nurses in hospital should find out whether a client is being discharged to a nursing home or to a private home. Nursing homes require appropriate information to provide for continuity of care. Clients returning home however may require the assistance of a home care nurse.

MAINTAINING INDEPENDENCE AND SELF ESTEEM

• It is important to them to be able to look after themselves even if they have to struggle to do so.
• To maintain the elders, sense of self-respect nurse and family members need to encourage them to do as much as possible for themselves provided that safety is maintained.
• Nurse need to acknowledge the elder’s ability to think, reason and make decisions. The nurse can support a decision by an elder even if eventually the decision is reversed because of failing health. The values and standards held by older people need to be accepted whether they are related to ethical, religious or household matters.

FACING DEATH AND GRIEVING

• Older person usually thrives on companionship.
• Great bonds of affection & closeness can develop during this period of ageing together & nurturing each other.
• With the death of mate, they experience feelings of loss, emptiness & loneliness. More women than men face bereavement & solitude because women usually live longer.
• Some meaningful friendships economic security, ongoing interests in the community, private hobbies, & a peaceful philosophy of like copes more easily with bereavement.

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