MIDDLE AGE

-Is the period in your life when you are no longer young but have not
yet become old. Middle age is usually considered to take place between
the ages of 40 and 60.

Erick Erickson stated that the primary psychosocial task of middle

adulthood ages to 45 to 65 is to develop generativity or the desire to
expand one’s influence and commitment to family, society and future
generations. In other words, Middle adulthood is concerned with forming
and guiding the next generation. The middle adult who fails to develop
generativity experiences “stagnation’’ with its associated self-indulgence
and invalidism.

Lachman (2004) provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges

facing midlife adults. These include:

 Losing parents and experiencing associated grief.

 Launching children into their own lives.
 Adjusting to home life without children (often referred to as the
empty nest).
 Dealing with adult children who return to live at home (known as
boomerang children in the United States).
 Becoming grandparents.
 Preparing for late adulthood.
 Acting as caregivers for aging parents or spouse.