Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Adulthood

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Today, many 50-year-olds are in better shape, more alert, and more productive than 40year-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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Middle adulthood -- developmental period beginning about 40 and extending to 60–65 years
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 period of declining physical skills and increasing responsibility shrinking time left in life reach and maintain satisfaction in career individuals make choices

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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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Some of the visible signs
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Skin begins to wrinkle and sag
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Areas of pigmentation in skin produce age spots
Thinning 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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Individuals lose height in middle age
Many gain weight
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 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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Accommodation of the eye -- ability to focus and maintain image on the retina declines between 40 and 59 years
 more need for glasses and/or bifocals
Hearing also declines after age 40
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 sensitivity to pitches decreases men lose sensitivity earlier than women
 resulting from exposure to occupational noise

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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 problem
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Characterized by hypertension, obesity, and insulin resistance

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Little change in lung capacity through most of middle adulthood
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In late 50s, proteins in lung tissue become less elastic, decreasing lung capacity
Smokers experience most significant changes
 lung capacity improves with quitting smoking

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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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What are health habits that can contribute to lower vitality? How is it lowering vitality?
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Think of a bad health habit that you or someone you know exhibits and think of ways to change or manage the habit to become healthier.

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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 are rare in early adulthood
Chronic disorders -- slow onset and long duration
Stress is found to be a factor in disease
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Culture affects cardiovascular disease
(Hertz, Unger, & Ferrano, 2006)

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In middle age, many deaths are caused by a single, readily identifiable cause
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Leading causes
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 heart disease cancer
 cardiovascular disease
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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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Climacteric -- midlife transition in which fertility declines
Osteoporosis
Menopause
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 women’s menstrual periods completely cease side effects of menopause vary
 cross-cultural studies reveal wide variations

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Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) -augments declining levels of reproductive hormone production by the ovaries
 usually estrogen and progestin
 negative 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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 father children
Modest decline in sexual hormone level and activity
“Male menopause” probably has less
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 decline
Testosterone levels decline and can reduce sexual drive
Most erectile dysfunctions stem from physiological problems
 treatment has focused on drug therapy

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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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Controversy about whether memory declines in the middle years -- most experts agree there is some decline, at least in late middle age
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More time is needed to learn new information
The 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 shows up more in middle adulthood
Expertise involves having extensive, highly organized knowledge and understanding of a particular domain
 result of many years of experience, learning, and effort

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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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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 -- pleasant times after work when individuals are free to pursue activities and interests of their own choosing
 midlife changes may produce more time for leisure
Adults in midlife need to begin preparing for retirement
 leisure can be a part of this preparation

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Majority of middle-aged adults profess religious beliefs and consider spirituality a major part of their lives
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For some, religion is a major influence to some adults but may play little or no role in others’ lives
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Females show stronger interest and participate more

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Researchers have found that religious attendance is linked to
 a reduction of blood pressure and hypertension
 increased longevity
Religion promotes health
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 lifestyle issues social networks coping with stress

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