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Chapter 13

Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Adulthood

PowerPoints developed by Nicholas Greco IV, College of Lake County, Grayslake, IL

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Changing Midlife

Today, many 50-year-olds are in better shape, more alert, and more productive than 40-year-olds a generation or two ago

Middle age is starting later and lasting longer

Jung -- “Midlife is the afternoon of life” Increasing percentage of population is

made up of middle-aged and older adults Best-educated and most affluent cohort

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Defining Middle Adulthood

Middle adulthood -- developmental period beginning about 40 and extending to 60–65 yearsperiod of declining physical skills and

increasing responsibilityshrinking time left in lifereach and maintain satisfaction in careerindividuals make choices

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Gains and Losses

Late midlife may be characterized by the loss of a parent, the last child leaving the home, becoming a grandparent, preparation for retirement, and actual retirement

Overall, gains and losses may balance each other in midlife losses may begin to dominate gains for many

individuals in late midlife

Midlife is characterized by individual variations

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Physical Changes

Some of the visible signsSkin begins to wrinkle and sagAreas of pigmentation in skin produce age

spotsThinning and graying hair

Interest in plastic surgery, Botox, weight control, and vitamins may reflect the desire to take control of the aging process

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Height and Weight

Individuals lose height in middle age Many gain weight

body fat makes up 20 percent or more of weight in midlife as compared to 10 percent in adolescence

almost 1/3 of adults 40–59 years are classified as obese

obesity increases probability of other health issues

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006)

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Strength, Joints, Bones Sarcopenia -- age-related loss of muscle

mass and strengthexercise can reduce the decline

Cartilage and connective tissue becomes less efficientjoint stiffness and difficulty in movement

Women experience twice the rate of bone lossBones break more easily and heal more

slowly

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Vision and Hearing

Accommodation of the eye -- ability to focus and maintain image on the retina declines between 40 and 59 yearsmore need for glasses and/or bifocals

Hearing also declines after age 40sensitivity to pitches decreasesmen lose sensitivity earlier than women

resulting from exposure to occupational noise

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Cardiovascular System

High blood pressure and cholesterol issues become problematic

Women’s blood pressure rises at menopause and typically remains higher than men’s

Exercise, weight control, proper dietary patterns can help decrease problems

Metabolic syndrome is an increasing problemCharacterized by hypertension, obesity, and insulin

resistance

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Lungs

Little change in lung capacity through most of middle adulthoodIn late 50s, proteins in lung tissue become

less elastic, decreasing lung capacity

Smokers experience most significant changeslung capacity improves with quitting smoking

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Sleep

Beginning in 40s, more wakeful periods are more frequent, and there is less of the deepest sleep

More time lying awake results in feeling less rested

Sleep problems are more common for those who use a higher number of prescription and nonprescription medications, are obese, are depressed, or have cardiovascular disease

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Health and Disease

Frequency of accidents declines Individuals are less susceptible to colds

and allergies Stress is found to be a factor in disease

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Chronic Disorders

Chronic disorders are rare in early adulthood

Chronic disorders -- slow onset and long duration

Stress is found to be a factor in disease Culture affects cardiovascular disease(Hertz, Unger, & Ferrano, 2006)

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Mortality Rates

In middle age, many deaths are caused by a single, readily identifiable cause

Leading causesheart diseasecancercardiovascular disease

Men have higher mortality rates than women for all of the leading causes of death

(National Center for Health Statistics, 2008)

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Sexuality

Climacteric -- midlife transition in which fertility declines

Menopausewomen’s menstrual periods completely ceaseside effects of menopause varycross-cultural studies reveal wide variations

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Treating Effects of Menopause

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) -- augments declining levels of reproductive hormone production by the ovaries usually estrogen and progestinnegative side effects for HRT

increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease

Decreased use of HRT has shown a related decline in the incidence of breast cancer

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Hormonal Changes in Middle-Aged Men

Most men do not lose capacity to father children Modest decline in sexual hormone level and

activity “Male menopause” probably has less to do with

hormonal change than with psychological adjustment to overall decline

Testosterone levels decline and can reduce sexual drive

Most erectile dysfunctions stem from physiological problemstreatment has focused on drug therapy

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Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence

Crystallized intelligence -- individual’s accumulated information and verbal skills

Fluid intelligence -- ability to reason abstractly; begins to decline in middle adulthood

When studying intelligence, whether data is collected cross-sectionally or longitudinally makes a difference in results

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Speed of Information Processing

Perceptual speed begins declining in early adulthood and continues declining in middle age

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Memory Controversy about whether memory declines in

the middle years -- most experts agree there is some decline, at least in late middle ageMore time is needed to learn new informationThe slowdown has been linked to working

memory -- the mental “workbench” where individuals manipulate and assemble information when making decisions, solving problems, and comprehending written and spoken language

Memory decline is more likely to occur when individuals do not use effective memory strategies

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Expertise

Expertise shows up more in middle adulthood

Expertise involves having extensive, highly organized knowledge and understanding of a particular domainresult of many years of experience, learning,

and effort

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Work in Midlife

Central during the middle years Reach peak of position and earnings Middle-aged adults may experience age

discrimination May have multiple financial burdens Time of evaluation, assessment,

rebalance, and reflection

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Career Challenges and Changes

Globalization of work Developments in information technologies Downsizing of organizations Early retirement Concerns about pensions and health care Some career changes are self-motivated;

others are the result of job loss

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Leisure

Leisure -- pleasant times after work when individuals are free to pursue activities and interests of their own choosingmidlife changes may produce more time for

leisure

Adults in midlife need to begin preparing for retirementleisure can be a part of this preparation

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Religion and Adult Lives

Majority of middle-aged adults profess religious beliefs and consider spirituality a major part of their lives

For some, religion is a major influence to some adults but may play little or no role in others’ lives

Females show stronger interest and participate more

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Religion and Health

Researchers have found that religious attendance is linked toa reduction of blood pressure and

hypertensionincreased longevity

Religion promotes healthlifestyle issuessocial networkscoping with stress

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Level of Spirituality in Four Adult Age Periods

INSERT FIGURE 13.5 HERE

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Meaning in Life

Frankl said that the three most distinct human qualities are:SpiritualityFreedom Responsibility