Adult Development and Aging - Essay Example

Adult Development and Aging Adult Development and Aging The study of gerontology has flourished for the past few decades. Scholarshave decided to study what is typical and not typical about aging. These myths result to negative stereotypes for the ageing people. Moreover, they lead to discrimination against the older people and ageism. Aging is a life cycle that everybody has to pass through. Human development is a continuous process that never ends. For some people, aging turns out to a peaceful life while others regret why they grew old.

Many old people face discrimination not only from the family members but also from the society. Aging people are termed as incapable of carry any important task. Scholarly research portrays them as not able to make their own decisions and firm stands (Perlmutter & Hall, 1992). As people become old, they are bond to face a wide range of misfortunes that include illnesses, social misunderstandings, retirement from work, and loneliness. An interview conducted on Terry a 66-year-old woman who lives with her son at New York City portrayed an example of life experienced by aging people.

This paper discusses in depth about Terry’s perception of aging according to the stereotypes, her physical, mental, and social wellbeing. Many assumptions about old people have brought controversies over the past centuries. People view as people with poor physical abilities, people who lack teeth, people who have poor memories and even lack the desire for sex (Perlmutter & Hall, 1992). According to Terry, her life is quite different from these misconceptions in that she has all her teeth, and goes ahead to make reasonable decisions in the family that enable them strive forward.

Although her life is quite different from the myths portrayed about old people, in one way or the other, she finds herself in the trap since her desire for sex died long before when she was at her mid forties. This explains that although some stereotypes are odd about old people, some tend to be true. The interview depicted some predicament in Terry’s physical well-being. Terry suffers from high blood pressure and diabetes. These diseases make her incapable of performing some of the house chores although she manages to do some of the house duties.

It is evident that as many people age, they experience physical problems. Some complain of back aces, others poor eyesight and others body pains. However, these diseases may arise due to lack of proper care and maintenance of the old people. Lack of the necessary diet may result to health problems to the old people (Perlmutter & Hall, 1992). Researchers portray that as people age, their memory tends to decrease or lower down. In some cases, this does not happen. As in Terry’s case, her mental functioning has not changed for the past 65 years.

She is able to support the family in matters that require critical thinking. This is very unusual since most of the old people find themselves with slight mental problems, as they grow old. This shows that as people grow old, they experience different changes in the chronological life (Cavanaugh & Blanchard-Fields, 2009). As people age in their lives, their relationships with the society face challenges. Many old people always need people to act according to their decisions. This creates a misunderstanding and causes hatred.

In most cases, old people reprimand their grandchildren or even other youth for their misconduct advocating them to live a life they used to live in the past (Perlmutter & Hall, 1992). This creates misapprehensions between the youth and the old. According to Terry, her life has been full of love with understanding to the youth. She understands of the changing world and therefore maintains a stable relationship with not only the family but also the society. Success is what Terry has believed in for the past 65 years.

She believes that anything done has to be successful. The retirement of an individual is approximately 55 years of age. Although Terry is a retired doctor, her passion to look after the sick still thrives. She often finds herself visiting the sick and offering medical assistance to them this is very remarkable since only few old people work at old age. Many people in their old age tend to work in their old age (Cavanaugh & Blanchard-Fields, 2009). Not only does she offer medical assistance to the sick, but she also helps much in the household chores.

In conclusion, according to Terry, her life has been successful. She acknowledges the sweet moments as a doctor when she was at her mid thirties. Her support and well-being to the society is her greatest achievements. Although life has changed with technology, she accepts and appreciates the change. She poses a good example to all the aging people in the society. They should maintain a good social-relationship with everybody and live to accept change. All individual should also accept the aging people, show love unto them and care (Perlmutter & Hall, 1992).

This will reduce cases of depression and loneliness experienced by most aging people. References Cavanaugh, C. J. & Blanchard-Fields, F. (2009). Adult Development and Aging. New York: Cengage Learning. Perlmutter, M. & Hall, E. (1992). Adult development and aging. New York: Wiley.