Late adulthood and death paper PDF

Preview

Summary

The paper discusses the concept of late adulthood and death in a social perspective. It explains how the two impacts social relationships....

Description

LATE ADULTHOOD AND DEATH PAPER “Death destroys a man: the idea of Death saves him” (Hoy, 1985). Just as life has a beginning, it also has an end which makes death inevitable. This paper is a rundown on the study of late adulthood and death of an individual as the highest point of life time process it requires an understanding of what late adulthood comprises of such as the thoughts people have on ageism and the stereotypic notions about late adulthood, how proper health can be enhanced so as to decrease the negative implications of ageism, the importance of socializing and maintaining healthy relationships with partners and friends during such a time as well as the cultural and personal attitudes late adulthood holds according to the dignity one requires during this stage of life. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Ageism can be defined as the stereotyping and prejudice based on a person’s age. The highest populations of the world that suffer through ageism is the elderly in the society. They face this kind of discrimination in every aspect of their lives as most of them are unable to find employment which leads to lack of proper healthcare and good living conditions. This type of discrimination is however not popular among people as elderly people are have always usually been cast out of their communities and forgotten. People have normalized the fact that the elderly have been discriminated for many years while they are in need of help and care more than we do. When analyzing ageism it is important to understand the disengagement theory by Elaine Cumming that states that as people age they tend to detach themselves from social interactions and relationships. He however states that this is beneficial to the cycle of social normalcy of any society. (Cumming & Henry, 1962)

Southern New Hampshire University

Page 1

LATE ADULTHOOD AND DEATH PAPER Every person in any society deserves to be respected and cared for regardless of their age and the elderly are the ones who need it the more. We will all get to age one day and it is a blessing to be granted many years to live. Therefore stereotypical recitations such as denying an older person employment due to their age and not capability can led to depression due to the rejection which might lead to them committing suicide. (Kroger, 2002) Ageism also brings about people’s dread of getting older as the society has neglected them. Thus many beauty and health products have been made to reduce the negative effects of aging such as wrinkles, sagging skin and other health effects. Even though aging cannot be stopped, there are measures that can be taken to mitigate the negative effects of aging. (Bytheway, 1994) By making healthier choices in the foods we consume one increases their chances of living a longer life without lifestyle diseases which are the most common causes of deaths as one age. Being accessible to quality healthcare services and proper nutrition also promotes to a better longer life span. Therefore this is crucial to ensure that one leads an active and happy life during a time when one as retired from work. Most hospitals and health care services today offer packages to help the elderly gracefully age. The packages usually include what nutrition they should be taking and what physical activities they should be engaging in to ensure that they do not die sooner than they should have. Another preventive measure is taking vaccines and going for screenings once in a while to ensure that your health is fine and to take action when it’s still early.

Southern New Hampshire University

Page 2

LATE ADULTHOOD AND DEATH PAPER In addition people approaching the late adulthood phase of their lives should ensure that they quit smoking as soon as possible as this is among the number one causes of early death. Smoking causes major damages to the lungs which lead to cancer and to heart attacks and stroke. Quitting smoking definitely increases the chances to living a longer and much healthier life. However smoking has proved to be one of the most addictive habit, counseling and products have been introduced to help out people in need of rehabilitation from smoking. Statistics show that only 6% of people all over the world succeed in quitting smoking on their own. Therefore much guidance and help is needed in order to help people quit smoking as its effects are detrimental to one’s health. It is also very important to get enough rest both on the body and mind. Research shows that lack of sleep has been linked to chronic heart diseases and poor immune system as the body requires rest in order to properly function. Therefore as one approaches late adulthood it is important to have as much rest as possible. It is also very important to have enough sleep when one is younger to prevent the negative effects of sleep deprivation at an older age. Refraining from stress and negative pressure at all costs, mental and psychological peace is very important to the physical health outcome one has. So avoiding stressors in one’s life can led to a better and healthier life. As we get older, the immune system weakens and thus the body fails to withstand certain pressures such as stress. Being under stress can lead to heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular failure. Hence as one comes closer to late adulthood they much ensure that they avoid stress at all costs so as to live longer and stronger.

Southern New Hampshire University

Page 3

LATE ADULTHOOD AND DEATH PAPER Social interactions and relationships are also paramount as one nears the end of life. Having a partner greatly helps during this time. However studies have shown that windows have an easier time adjusting to self-independence due to the support and care the society offers them as compared to widowers who rarely get support and recognition. They therefore seek companionship much earlier after the loss of their partners or sometimes isolate themselves from social interactions and the society. Social relationships have been defined and measured in a variety of ways but are most often understood in terms of social networks, social support and social participation (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010). As humans we crave social interactions, we require these relationships in order to feel good and therefore offering social support to older people is important. It is at this time as they near the end of life that they really need to be in a relationship with either a partner or just a friend who can offer that emotional support. The most important support they need is from family and friends. Interactions from family members boost their self-confidence and make them feel loved and cared for. Thus being around older family members is important in enhancing both their physical and mental health. Studies have shown that the more happy one is the healthier they are in terms of physical health. Despite that sometimes family interactions can be negative in such cases it is advisable to have social interactions and form relationships with other people going through the same transition. Interactions between such people can greatly be beneficial to one’s physical and mental health. It also just makes it easier to cope with the hardships of late adulthood. (Kroger, 2002)

Southern New Hampshire University

Page 4

LATE ADULTHOOD AND DEATH PAPER We all want to be treated with some certain amount of respect and dignity as we come near to the end of our lives. Most cultures view the elderly in the society as wise and hold great powers such as cursing and blessing and in this regard they are highly respected. The common beliefs people hold about cultural and personal attitudes comes from the fact that a normal life cycle consist of its final cognitive and developmental stages in late adulthood. This stage is almost the same as when one is born as it is at this time that older people seek social interactions and bonding with their families and friends. They became dependent on maintaining and developing relationships with close people in their lives as their physical and cognitive attributes depreciate. Cultural attitudes play a major role in late adulthood as every culture has a way of treating the elderly in terms of how they should be taken care of and their place in the society. (Kroger, 2002) In most societies the children or younger generations are responsible in taking care of the elderly in the society. In America the elderly are mostly put in age care living facilities by their family members while in other places such as Africa, India and Mexican countries it is the responsibility of family members to take care of the elderly either in their homes or at the elderly person’s home. In closing late adulthood and the ending of life in a person’s life should be greatly respected and taken seriously. We will all age at some point thus we will also require care and love. It is however our responsibility to ensure that we live a healthier life so not to shorten our life span.

Southern New Hampshire University

Page 5

LATE ADULTHOOD AND DEATH PAPER REFERENCES Bytheway, B. (1994). Ageism. McGraw-Hill Education (UK) Cumming, E., & Henry, W. E. (1962). The process of disengagement. Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk: a meta-analytic review. PLoS medicine, 7(7), e1000316. Hoy, P. C. (1985). The Narrow, Rich Staircase in Forster's Howards End. Twentieth century literature, 31(2/3), 221-235. Kroger, J. (2002). Identity processes and contents through the years of late adulthood. Identity: An International Journal of theory and research, 2(1), 81-99.

Southern New Hampshire University

Page 6...