Gerontology is the study of aging.

It is
distinguished from geriatrics, which is
the study of the diseases of the aging.
Gerontology covers the
social, psychological, and
biological aspects of aging.

A “gerontologist” must take a

multidiciplinary approach,
focusing on senescence, which
is the combination of
processes of deterioration
which follow the period of
development of an organism.
Their studies might include an
investigation of the effects of
our aging population on
society, and applying this
knowledge to policies and
programs.
 Middle adulthood is considered that period
of time between ages 40 and 59. With
increases in human longevity, middle age
Humor is a reflection of the expectations have changed. The American
human condition and culture. In population is living longer, primarily due to
the U.S. culture of youth, aging better living conditions and advanced
becomes the target of many healthcare.
jokes. This is especially true
when adults reach milestones
such as 40, 50, and 60 years old.
I demand a recount. After fifty everything
that doesn't hurt doesn't work! In dog
years I'm dead. Just when I find the key to
success, someone goes and changes all
the locks. Once over the hill, you pick up
speed. Be kind to your kids; they'll be
choosing your nursing home. I don't have
hot flashes, I have power surges. 50 year
old; one owner; needs parts; make offer.
Age is like underwear, it creeps up on you!
Age is important only if you're cheese or
wine. Eat right, exercise regularly, die
anyway. Seen it all, done it all, can't
remember most of it. We are born naked,
wet & hungry; then things get worse.
 A mid-life crisis is an emotional state of
doubt and anxiety in which a person
becomes uncomfortable with the realization
that life is halfway over. It commonly
involves reflection on what the individual
has done with his or her life up to that point,
often with feelings that not enough was
accomplished. The individuals experiencing
such may feel boredom with their lives, jobs,
or their partners, and may feel a strong
desire to make changes in these areas.
Rates of depression, suicide, and divorce,
however, show no significant increase
during the “midlife crisis” years.
The “crisis” condition ranges from the ages
of 35-50, with the average age of onset
being 46. Mid life crises last about 3-10 Midlife crisis may occur naturally or
years in men and 2-5 years in women, but may be triggered by life-altering
length varies. There is research indicating events such as death, divorce,
that midlife crises occur more often in men children leaving, etc… or may not
than women. occur at all.
 This text of this car ad targets men
who may be experiencing boredom,
associated with mid-life crisis:
“These dazzling models ooze style
and power -- perfect candidates for
revving up boring lifestyles and
dispelling the blues!”
“Symptoms” associated with a mid-life
crisis or transition may include…
Exhaustion, or frantic energy
Self-questioning
Daydreaming
Irritability, unexpected anger
Acting on alcohol, drug, food or other compulsions
Greatly decreased or increased sexual desire
Sexual affairs, especially with someone much younger
Greatly decreased or increased ambition
Discontentment or boredom with life or with the lifestyle (including people
and things) that have provided fulfillment for a long time
Feeling restless and wanting to do something completely different
Questioning decisions made years earlier and the meaning of life
Confusion about who you are or where your life is going
The term “midlife crisis” was coined by Canadian
psychologist Elliot Jacques, but the credit for
recognizing and understanding this emotional
state must be given to psychologist Carl Jung. In
his mid-life studies he described the crisis as
“normal” in the process of maturing. He
developed a model containing 5 stages of mid-life:

Accommodation: the different ways people

present themselves to others. Those who present
personas that are not in line with their inner selves
tend to have more difficult times in midlife
Separation: deals with the evaluation of the
different personas and masks and discovering
why certain masks are used and if they reflect the
inner self accurately
Liminality: the person may feel unsure of his/her identity and looks towards
others for feedback
Reintegration: occurs when the person when the person begins to feel
comfortable with himself or herself although a bit of uncertainty is still
normal
Individuation: the person recognizes inner conflict, accepts it, and attempts
to discover a balance between these conflicts.
 Empty nest syndrome refers to feelings of depression, sadness, and/or grief
experienced by parents and caregivers after children come of age and leave
their childhood homes. This may occur when children go to college or get
married.. Sociologists popularized the term in the 1970s, and the media have
helped make its existence part of conventional wisdom.
Empty-nest syndrome was once considered a
problem for women only, as stay-at-home
mothers seemed to exist only for their
children. An unprecedented number of
mothers now work outside the home, however,
giving them a role beyond that of parent. They
may now feel less emptiness when their
children leave home.

Cheaper long-distance charges, e-mail and

lower airfares have also made it easier to stay
in touch once children leave home. Now men
have as much difficulty dealing with children
leaving home as women.
Many parents actually look forward to,
and enjoy the advantages of the empty
nest. Grocery bills are lower. There's
food in the refrigerator. The house
stays clean. They only have to wash
clothes and towels once a week.
Their calendar is often just as busy as
it ever was, but it is filled with fun
things to do with spouse or friends.

The hard work of raising children is now

finished. With more free time, they are now
able to do projects and hobbies that they
never had time or money for before. There
is an absence of the day-to-day stressors
that come with living together and
children's often stormy adolescences.
 Empty nests are now refilling in record numbers as adult children return
home after college or even after their first post-college jobs. According to
the 2000 census, almost four million young adults between 25 and 34 years
old now live with their parents--possibly the result of a tough job market,
delayed marriage, high housing costs, economics, divorce, extended
education, drug or alcohol problems, or temporary transitions.

Psychologist Allan Scheinberg

coined the phrase "boomerang
kids“, noting that many of these
young adults want the "limited
responsibility of childhood and
the privileges of adulthood.“
Some expect to live the same
lifestyle with the same material
possessions that their parents
have achieved after working
many years… so move back
home to get them.
 Conception during middle age presents risks, but having a baby later in life
is a consideration for some couples. Women sometimes delay childbearing,
due to careers. Still other couples want to have a baby, to delay the
“empty nest”.
Female fertility declines significantly after age 40,
Some conditions are
and an advanced maternal age increases the risk of
also correlated with
a child being born with some disorders such as
advanced paternal
Down’s Syndrome.
age. Achondroplasia
(Dwarfism);
craniofacial disorders
such as Apert
Syndrome and
Crouzon Syndrome;
mental retardation of
unknown origins;
autism; and 25% of
schizophrenia cases
are correlated with
advanced paternal
Down’s Syndrome Apert Syndrome
age.
 Menopause is the physiological cessation of menstrual cycles associated
with advancing age in women. The menopause is sometimes referred to as
change of life or climacteric. Menopause occurs as the ovaries stop
producing estrogen, causing the reproductive system to gradually shut
down. The term menopause comes from the Greek roots 'meno-' (month) and
'pausis' (a pause, a cessation).

As the body adapts to the decreasing

levels of the hormones estrogen,
progesterone, and testosterone,
vasomotor (muscles and nerves)
symptoms such as hot flashes and
palpitations (fast heartbeat),
psychological symptoms such as
depression, anxiety, irritability, mood
swings, lack of concentration, and
atrophic symptoms such as vaginal
dryness and urgency of urination
appear. Together with these symptoms,
the woman may also have increasingly
erratic menstrual periods.
 Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) provides
the best relief, but certain forms appear to pose
significant health risks such as slightly increased
risk of breast cancer, heart disease, stroke, and
Alzheimer’s disease.

A woman has officially reached menopause

when she has not had a period for one year.
Changes and symptoms can start several
years earlier…taking 2-5 years:
Shorter, longer, lighter, or heavier periods
Hot flashes and/or night sweats
Trouble sleeping
Vaginal dryness
Mood swings
Trouble focusing
Less hair on head, more on face
Decreased elasticity of skin
Urinary frequency, urgency, and/or incontinence
Osteoporosis and/or muscle, joint, or back pain
 It's estimated that, by the age of 55, one
in five women will have had their uterus
surgically removed; one in 3 women by
the age of 60. This operation is called a
hysterectomy.
A hysterectomy ends the possibility of
reproduction, and if the ovaries are
removed it begins menopause.
Types of hysterectomies:
Partial – removes uterus
but not cervix
Total – removes uterus and
A hysterectomy might be recommended for of: cervix
1. Fibroids – noncancerous tumors Hysterectomy and
2. Endometriosis – uterine tissue grows Oophorectomy – removes
elsewhere in the body, such as in the vagina uterus, cervix, fallopian
3. Uterine prolapse - when the uterus drops tubes, and ovaries
into the vagina Radical – removes all
4. Cancer of the uterus, cervix, or ovaries reproductive tissue as well
5. Vaginal bleeding that persists despite as the top of the vagina
treatment and surrounding lymph
6. Chronic pelvic pain nodes
 Andropause is a biological change
experienced by men during their mid-life,
often compared to the female menopause.
The concept of andropause is more widely accepted in Australia and Europe
than it is in this country. Most clinicians in the United States recognize a
progressive decline in levels of male androgens, specifically testosterone, but
not dramatic, and not enough to end reproductive abilities. Many recognize
symptoms associated with andropause as psychological rather than
physiological.

Andropause occurs between the ages of 40 and

55, though it can occur as early as 35 or as late
as 65. Symptoms of this “male climacteric” may
include loss of libido (sexual desire),
nervousness, depression, impaired memory, the
inability to concentrate, fatigue, insomnia, hot
flushes, sweating, and some degree of erectile
dysfunction (impotence).

Treatment for andropause often includes the discouragement of smoking and

drinking alcohol, improving nutrition and exercise, and possibly hormone
replacement therapy.
 According to a report by the U.S. Bureau of the
Census, by the year 2050 the U.S. population age 65
or older will grow more than 135% from 1995 levels.
Many middle aged adults will become the caregivers
of aging parents. Currently, one in every ten adults
ages 51 and over are providing assistance with basic
everyday activities for an aging parent.

Adult children may need to “take

away the car keys” and provide
transportation, take over
finances, assist with personal
hygiene care, do cleaning and
cooking, telephone daily, visit
frequently, make long-term care
decisions, etc.
About a third of aging parents who need help currently live with their children.
Stress on the adult child caregiver, due to overwhelming time demands of the
aging parent, often leads to tension in the caregiver’s marital relationship,
anxiety, depression, irritability, sleeplessness, fatigue, and a total
reorganization of the family’s lifestyle.
 In one respect, aging family members can be a source of both financial and
emotional support to the caregiver and their family, and "keepers of the family
history" for younger family members. However, they may also be seen as
burdensome as they age and need more daily care. Adult child caregivers
often experience intense guilt and feelings of confusion because of this.

There are options to help: The

parent may be able to stay in their
own home if safety features could
be installed, including first-floor
bathrooms, grab bars in hallways
and bathrooms, and a personal
emergency response system in
case the parent needs assistance
while alone. If your parent is in
need of daily assistance with
meals, chores, or personal
hygiene, he or she can apply for
several services, such as Meals
on Wheels, or home health care.
Adult day care is a good way to get your parent to socialize with other adults,
but may cost up to $100 a day, depending on the amount of attention and
activities provided.
 Psychologist Erik Erikson
developed the 8 stage theory
The 7th stage is called generativity which of psychosocial development.
individuals experience during middle adulthood.
A chief concern is to assist the younger generation in
developing and leading useful lives. We give back to
society through raising our children, being productive
at work, and becoming involved in community
activities and organizations. When we fail to achieve
these objectives, the result is “stagnation”.
Men tend to decrease the number and intensity of
same-gender friends. Men most often meet other
men in work settings. Because of this, many of their
potential friends are people with whom they
compete for raises or advancement, or with whom
they are involved either as supervisors or
subordinates. Neither of these conditions is
conducive to the openness and concern necessary
for the development of a close friendship.
Social relationships may depend on family availability and interaction.
Friendships and neighbor interactions are important. Women’s friendships are
very personal, but they tend to separate friends into “work friends”, “activity
friends”, and “real friends”.
 The Red Hat Society is a social organization for women over 50, founded in
1998 by Sue Ellen Cooper of California. As of October 2006 there are about 1.5
million registered members in over forty thousand chapters in the United
States and thirty other countries. The founder or leader of a local chapter is
usually referred to as a "Queen". Members are called "Red Hatters".

The Society takes its name from

the opening lines of the poem
Warning by Jenny Joseph,
which starts:

“When I am an old woman I

shall wear purple
With a red hat that doesn't go
and doesn't suit me.”

Queen Sue Ellen Cooper and her

court.
 The Red Hat
Society fondly
refers to itself
as a
"dis-organization"
with the aim
of social
interaction, tea
parties, and
to encourage
fun, silliness,
creativity, and
friendship in
middle age
and beyond.

The Society is not a sorority or a voluntary service club. There are no

initiations or fundraising projects. Members over fifty years old wear red
hats and purple attire to all functions. A woman under age fifty may also
become a member, but she wears a pink hat and lavender attire until
reaching her fiftieth birthday.
 Homeostasis is the property of a living organism to regulate its internal
environment to maintain a stable, constant condition. Human beings, as they
age, will lose efficiency in their control systems. This is known as
homeostatic imbalance, and will increase the risk for illness and be
responsible for some physical changes associated with aging. There are 3
important mechanisms human bodies need to regulate: Among the most
important are:
Thermo-regulation - the ability to keep
body temperature within certain
boundaries, even when temperature
surrounding is very different

Osmo-regulation - the active regulation

of bodily fluids, including concentration
and pressure; this will directly affect
absorption of nutrients, excretion,
hormone levels, blood, skin, hydration,
and kidney function

Glucoregulation - the maintenance of

blood sugar levels
 Beginning at age 40, individuals
need to:
1. Go to the dentist every year for
an exam and cleaning.
2. Have their blood pressure checked every year
3. Have cholesterol checked, and if normal, have it rechecked every 5 years
4. Have a physical exam every 1-5 years
5. Have a tetanus-diphtheria booster vaccination every 10 years

Men over the

age of 50 need a
yearly rectal
exam to check
for colorectal
cancer and
prostate cancer.

Women over the age of 40 should continue with monthly breast self-exams,
have yearly pelvic exams and pap smears, and have a mammogram done
every year to check for breast cancer.
 Coronary heart
disease is the
#1 cause of
death in the U.S.
20% of deaths
due to heart
disease occur in
men and women
under the age of
65.

Risk factors for

heart disease
include smoking,
obesity, high-fat
diet, physical
inactivity, high
blood pressure, Type A Personality: impatient, excessively time-
high cholesterol conscious, insecure about one's status, highly
levels, stress, and competitive, hostile and aggressive, incapable of
type A relaxation, workaholics, hard-driving, frequent
personality. hostility, driven by deadlines
 Osteoporosis is a condition that features
loss of the normal density of bone, and
fragile bone associated with ageing.
Osteoporosis leads to abnormally porous bone. This disorder of the skeleton
weakens the bone leading to an increase in the risk of breaking bones (bone
fracture). Normal bone is composed of protein, collagen, and calcium. Bones
that are affected by osteoporosis can fracture with only a minor fall or injury
that normally would not cause a bone fracture. It is estimated that 1 in 3
women and 1 in 12 men over the age of 50 worldwide have osteoporosis.

Risk factors include:

Getting older
Being small and thin (frailty)
Family history of osteoporosis
Taking certain medicines
Being a white or Asian woman
Having low bone mass
Tobacco smoking
Alcoholism
Calcium/ Vitamin D deficiencies
Insufficient physical activity
Excessive physical activity
Exposure to heavy metals such as cadmium or lead
 Everyone should have regular eye
exams every 2 years after the age of 40.
After the age of 45, a check for
glaucoma should be included.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness, affecting one in two hundred
people aged fifty and younger and one in ten over the age of eighty. Untreated
glaucoma leads to permanent damage of the optic nerve and resultant visual
field loss, which can progress to blindness. Glaucoma initially causes no
symptoms, and the loss of peripheral vision is only slightly noticeable.

Normal optic
nerve

Damaged optic
nerve
Advanced damage
People at the highest risk of developing glaucoma are women, diabetics,
African-Americans, Asians, Inuits, people who use steroids, and those with a
family history of the disease. There are medicinal and surgical treatment
options.
 Most forms of glaucoma are characterized by high intraocular pressure.
Intraocular pressure is maintained at normal levels when some of the fluid
produced by the eye is allowed to flow out.

When fluid cannot

flow out
effectively, this
causes an
increase in
intraocular
pressure and
damage to the
optic nerve…
leading to vision
loss.
Early detection is
the key to
successful
treatment.
 Research on intellectual development during middle adulthood shows
declines in perceptual speed (ability to make visual discriminations) and
numerical ability (simple arithmetic calculations). It shows stable and/or
peaks in abilities in vocabulary (understand ideas expressed in verbal form),
verbal memory (recall lists of words, etc.), inductive reasoning (recognize
patterns and relationships and use them to solve further problems), and
spatial orientation (visualize rotated stimuli in 3-D space.

IQ tests rely on timed, physical responses,

so may lack validity for middle aged adults
due to decreases in perceptual speed and
reaction times rather than cognitive
changes.
 Psychologist Jean Piaget categorized cognitive
development into 4 stages : sensorimotor,
preoperational, concrete, and formal operational. Middle
aged adults, however, are capable of postformal thought
in solving problems. They go beyond abstract thought,
relying on subjective feelings and intuition. They can
integrate opposing views, and are able to reconcile
and/or choose between conflicting views.

Fluid and crystallized intelligence are factors of general

intelligence identified by Raymond Cattell (1971). Fluid
JEAN PIAGET intelligence is the ability to find meaning in confusion
1896 - 1980 and solve new problems. It is the ability to draw
inferences and understand the relationships of various
concepts, independent of acquired knowledge. It
appears to peak during early adulthood and then
declines during middle age. Crystallized intelligence is
the ability to use skills, knowledge, and experience. It
should not be equated with memory or knowledge, but
it does rely on accessing information from long-term
memory. It appears to be stable, peaks, or improves
during middle age and beyond.
 Memory is an organism's ability to
store, retain, and subsequently recall
information. A steady decline in many
Short-term memory refers to the cognitive processes are seen across
amount or bits of information we can the lifespan, starting in one's thirties.
hold in our head at any given time and
lasts between 1 second and 24 hours
depending upon how much importance
you put on the information. You would
use this type of memory for phone
numbers, messages, and zip codes.
Research does not show a noticeable
decline in short term memory with
normal ageing.

There are 3 types of long-term memory. Research has found decline in

explicit memory with ageing, but not of implicit or semantic memory:
Explicit or episodic memories are facts that you made a conscious effort to
learn and that you can remember at will, for example, the names of state
capitals; also includes memories of events and experiences.
Implicit or procedural memory is information you draw on automatically in
order to perform actions such as driving a car or riding a bicycle.
Semantic memories are facts that are so deeply ingrained they require no
effort to recall. An example would be the months of the year.
Lack of appropriate effort, interference or
distraction, inefficient memory strategies, and ????
health problems may decrease memory. To
improve or maintain memory you can…

Increase your sensory abilities (use of prescription

glasses or hearing aid)
Keep prescription and over-the-counter medications to
a minimum
Take care of your physical health
Eat a well-balanced diet
Get physical exercise to increase blood and oxygen
flow
Keep mentally fit by challenging your mind
Use external aids such as lists, calendars, timers, or
computers
Maintain an organized living environment
Use context cues to recall information
Avoid depression, as it can affect thinking and memory
Alcohol can affect your thinking and memory.
 More than 10 million elective
cosmetic surgery procedures were
performed in the United States in
2006, about 40% of which were
people entering middle age and
wanting to look younger.

Cosmetic surgery is performed to

improve appearance and self-esteem.
It involves reshaping parts of the
body that are otherwise functioning
properly. Costs of various procedures
range from a few hundred to tens of
thousands of dollars.
Procedures include: Botox (injections to temporarily smooth out wrinkles),
Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), Breast augmentation, Breast lift, Brow lift,
Buttock Augmentation, Chemical peel, Dermabrasion, Endoscopy (Keyhole
plastic surgery), Face lift, Facial implant, Facial scar revision, Forehead lift,
Gynecomastia (Male breast tissue) reduction, Hair replacement, Laser skin
resurfacing, Liposuction, Mentoplasty (chin surgery), Otoplasty (ear surgery),
Microdermabrasion (skin rejuvenation), Rhinoplasty (nosejob surgery),
Rhytidectomy (face surgery), Thighplasty (thigh lift), Thread lift, and Tummy
tuck.