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Neutral Effects of Aging - Falling into Despair, or Adapting to Change

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Neutral Effects of Aging - Falling into Despair, or Adapting to Change

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As we age, those of us who have led a life filled with fear, regret, or unfulfillment may fall into despair. However, studies show that as we age, we learn to adapt to our current conditions, whether they are positive or negative.

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It's a Stage She's Going Through

My mother used to shake her head about me and remark, "It's a stage she's going through." I suppose it was. My mother's position was that the cure for each stage was the next one; I guess that worked for both of us. But what would she say if she knew that I'm almost 90 years old and I'm still going through stages? Well, it's what she predicted, isn't it?

Many of us who are aged, while we appreciate psychoanalyst Erik Erikson's pioneering work on identifying developmental stages, need help beyond "integrity versus despair," because 50 is no longer old and the concept of aging has changed. People who are old and their younger family members may find the family journey easier if they have some guidelines on the developmental stages and old age.

Here we will consider the four stages identified by Gene Cohen, a student of Erikson, in his 2006 book, The Mature Mind: The Positive Power of the Aging Brain. While there are many helpful descriptions of aging, I chose Cohen's because his stages are easy to grasp and easy to teach. Current research continues to support his theories and it is easy to add new research, especially about the brain. Also, I am old enough to have experienced all four stages and they fit my experience and my observation of aging in others.

Old Age

Erikson's old age, the age of wisdom, started at 50. In his 1950 book, Childhood and Society, Erikson called the eighth stage of development, old age, a crisis of integrity versus despair, a stage of generalization of sensual modes with the basic strength of wisdom.

When I turned 50, I didn't experience even small spots of wisdom. While I continue to be grateful for the groundbreaking work of Erikson, I needed more.

My old dictionary says something about aging as the gradual change in an organism that increases the risk of death.

Really! The "risk" of death? I thought death was a given. Part of our natural life process.

Currently we have the geriatric position that aging is not about birthdays, but is a developmental and maintenance process, and that successful aging is associated with all aspects of well-being and a high level of life satisfaction.

Gene Cohen picked up Erikson's challenge to his students to continue the work on aging. His book, The Mature Mind, is the outcome. Cohen begins by debunking the prevailing stubborn myth that aging is negative, an illness, a stagnation, a falling apart, and is dominated by the inevitable decline of body and mind. He urges us to expect positive growth with age and to embrace the scientific findings that the aging brain can form new memories and grow new brain cells. He says,

We've also learned that older brains can process information in a dramatically different way than younger brains. Older people can use both sides of their brains for tasks that younger people use only one side to accomplish. A great deal of scientific work has also confirmed the old "use it or lose it" adage.

Developmental Intelligence

Quotient and the Inner Push

Cohen posits that we are all endowed with an Inner Push that urges us on with our development at every age. He notes that, throughout their lives, people are always at some level in the development of their intelligence. That level is their Developmental Intelligence Quotient. It is

... the degree to which a person has manifested his or her unique neurological, emotional, intellectual, and psychological capacities. ... More specifically, developmental intelligence reflects the maturing synergy of cognition, emotional intelligence, judgment, social skills, life experience, and consciousness.

Cohen sees developmental intelligence as the greatest benefit of the aging brain/mind. Call it wisdom. Although the process of aging is associated with some memory loss and some slower thinking, Cohen reminds us to consider that many declines in mental abilities are caused not by birthdays but by disease, mental illness, depression, stress, unhealthy lifestyles, and injuries.

Not by birthdays? When I recently lost almost a year of robust health, I was repeatedly told that I had to expect it because I was in my 70s. When I lost much of my fourth-grade year to an undiagnosed illness, no one told me to expect that because I was 9! Let's beware of labeling memory lapses as "senior moments." They may not be about birthdays.

Cohen's Four Stages of Maturity

Cohen's phases (stages) are more fluid than Erikson's; he notes that people may experience them in a different order from the one presented here, or they may overlap.

Phase I-Midlife Reevaluation (ages mid-30s to mid-60s)

Phase I is a period of quest more than crisis. It involves searching for truth and meaning.

People in this phase commonly confront their mortality. Although for some this produces anxiety, the Inner Push usually results in an exciting new look at what we want to do with our lives. This may mean doing something differently or something entirely new. Midlife people often become less impulsive, more thoughtful about their work, more open to life's complexities, and more aware of their intuitive feelings. Meanwhile, the brain is aiding the Inner Push by expanding the corpus callosum. This increasing integration of both sides of the brain produces more balance between the analytical and the intuitive, resulting in greater productivity and a stronger sense of self. It's a great time to start a new project or direction.
On my 50th birthday I decided to write my first book. I always thought of myself as a slow starter, but according to Cohen, I was right on time.
Phase II-Liberation (ages late 50s into the 70s)

Phase II is a time of experimentation and innovation. In the busy brain, new neurons are growing in the hippocampi where dendrites reach their greatest density from the early 50s to late 70s. The Inner Push is toward liberation, not compliance, toward innovation and willingness to take risks. For many, retirement means time to do the things they always wanted to do. The questions are: If not now, when? Why not? What can they do to me?
For me this was a delicious career time of inventing new ways to teach and to think about theories.
Phase III-Summing Up (ages late 60s through 80s)

Phase III is a time of review and resolution and heralds a desire to give back. The review is of one's life with recognition of its meaning. It is a time of putting photos in albums, of writing memoirs. It may be that the richness of the autobiographical activities is aided by the ability to use the left and the right sides of the brain simultaneously. The left side is mostly used by young adults. Cohen speculates that the brain "relishes" the summing-up activities.
In his early 70s my husband Dick realized that his grandchildren had no way of knowing their immigrant grandfather's history. Dick started with a few pages and several years later had 3 inches of facts, stories, and pictures.
Cohen's research indicates that 80% of those in the summing-up phase do some sort of volunteer work. Common questions are: What is the meaning of my life? How do I give back, make the world a better place? Are there unresolved conflicts I can make right?

Phase IV-Final Phase, Encore (ages the late 70s until the end of life)

Cohen remarks,

This need to remain vital can lead to new manifestations of creativity and social engagement that make this period full of surprises.

Drawing on his extensive research and that of others, and on interviews and experiences working with people in Phase IV, Cohen sees the Inner Push fostering reflection and celebration. He notes that this phase continues aspects of the three previous phases: reexamination, liberation, and summing up. Hence the name encore is used in the French sense of "continuing." Although some qualities of intellectual functioning decline, new dendrites, synapses, and neurons are continually being created, especially if there is adequate physical and mental stimulation. Not only is learning always possible, but the depth of experience gives an added dimension of wisdom to the quality of one's thinking. Cohen cites research indicating that the oldest-old can cope well and have high levels of satisfaction and psychological resilience. Positive emotions and morale are supported by further changes in the amygdala. Cohen states:

Several other studies have confirmed these findings-even among unhealthy adults. The bottom line: people become better at adapting to their conditions as they get older.

Regardless of their health status, older people typically are better prepared-in terms of both satisfaction with life and coping capacities-to face the vicissitudes of aging.

For me this book is a yes! It is so freeing. Yes, personal perceptions and ways of thinking change. They get broader and deeper. Yes, those old societal myths about aging program us to fear old age. Yes, we need to move beyond them and expect positive growth.

Invitation

If you think Cohen's four-phase concept can be helpful in a class setting or in coaching an individual or a family, I have two ideas to share. First, I find Cohen's phase designations cumbersome, so I nickname them Quest, Zest, Meaning, and Mellowing. Second, if the Four Phases of Adult Development handout (attached below) looks useful, feel free to use it. I create short activities, depending on the interests of the group or individual, to help people examine their thoughts and beliefs about each stage.
May all of us who are older be thoughtful as we journey through our stages and create our own successful aging.

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Four phases of aging: Beyond Erikson's integrity versus despair | National Council on Family Relations

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My mother used to shake her head about me and remark, "It's a stage she's going through." I suppose it was. My mother's position was that the cure for each stage was the next one; I guess that worked for both of us.

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Positive Effects of Aging - More Technology Means More Resources

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Positive Effects of Aging - More Technology Means More Resources

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Thanks to revolutionary bounds in technology, more resources aimed at making life simpler for our increasing number of seniors have presented themselves in recent years. These include: bionic joints and bones, health retreats, stem cell driven therapies, and community programs aimed at keeping seniors active within their homes and their respective communities.

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Though aging can be a scary and confusion process, it is important to remember that it is a natural part of life and that there are pros among the cons.

Life is precious, remember to appreciate the people you're surrounded with, make memories with the time that you have, and dance - no matter how old you are - like nobody is watching.

Although society may treat you poorly but just remember, everyone who is less than respectful to you will go through the same process one day, and hopefully with a couple more wrinkles as a form of punishment.

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Negative Effects of Aging - Media Representation

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Negative Effects of Aging - Media Representation

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The Media's View - Many of the iconic representations we see in the media today involve making the elderly seem weak, hopeless, helpless, mean, grumpy, sensitive, and burdensome. The media portrays the elderly in a typically negative light, making them seem as though they are unable to function on their own and need help with the simplest of facts.

Elderly who have accepted their old age and make light of the way the media portrays them may mitigate the situation, while older adults may exacerbate the situation by getting offended by how the media makes them appear.

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Negative Effects of Aging - The Changing of Times 

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Negative Effects of Aging - The Changing of Times 

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Unfamiliarity With The New Thing - Older adults tend to have a more difficult time dealing with new technological advances that they did not have in their years. Advances can or may include...
> Computers
> Cell Phones
> Televisions
> Car Advancements
> Gaming Consoles
> And more

Elderly who comes to terms with the changing times may try to learn how to use these devices to learn new things and mitigate the situation, while other aging adults may shy away from these new advancements to avoid confusion, embarrassment, and believing that they are not going to need them since they will not be alive and exacerbate the situation.

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Anderson, J. (2017, August 01). 10 Best Things About Growing Old. Retrieved March 01, 2018, from https://www.aplaceformom.com/blog/best-things-about-growing-old-9-4-13/

Vann, M. R. (2016, August 01). The 15 Most Common Health Concerns for Seniors. Retrieved March 01, 2018, from https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/most-common-health-concerns-seniors/

How ageism can negatively affect the health of older adults. (2016, June 07). Retrieved March 01, 2018, from https://healthjournalism.org/blog/2016/06/how-ageism-can-negatively-affect-the-health-of-older-adults/

Pictures/GIFs received from Google.com

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Negative Effect of Aging - Nearing Death 

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Negative Effect of Aging - Nearing Death 

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Fear of Death - While its true that you can die at any point in your life or live to be over 100, the truth is that when you enter into old age, you are getting closer to your death. It may be more apparent to the elderly because they can physically see their body being to shut down, which can be a difficult, scary, and sad reality for any person or any people around the older adult.

Elderly are content with death and are settled with whatever their afterlife might be may mitigate this situation, while elderly who are avoidant of their coming reality and avoid medical treatment when necessary because they fear it means they are dying may exacerbating the situation.

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Negative Effect of Aging - Societal Outlook

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Negative Effect of Aging - Societal Outlook

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Society's View - Unfortunately for the elderly, the common message from society is to tell them that they are useless, burdensome, unwanted, aged-out, and gives the messages that getting old is bad. A natural and normal process that is involuntary, yet we make those who have hit old age feel guilty for it.

Elderly who take it with a grain of salt and may remember what it was like to be younger amongst older people may mitigate this situation, while adults of older age who take it to heart may be more prone to exacerbating the situation.

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Negative Effect of Aging - Powering Down 

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Negative Effect of Aging - Powering Down 

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The Sad Reality - As adults age, they are more prone to health predicaments and problems.  While 41% of people over 65 say that their health is in good or excellent condition, many others can not say the same. Loss of hearing, loss of sight, falling, development of diseases such as Alzheimers, Dementia, Arthritis, Heart Disease, Respiratory Diseases, Diabetes, Cancer, Osteoporosis, Influenza, Pneumonia, Depression, Obesity, Substance Abuse, and more can all be symptoms of growing old.

Elderly who have accepted the changes in their bodies and seek medical treatment when necessary may mitigate the situation and extend their time left on this earth, while older adults who avoid their medical symptoms may shorten their life and exacerbate the situation overall.

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Negative Effects of Aging - What Happened To My Body? 

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Negative Effects of Aging - What Happened To My Body? 

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The Aging Body - One negative impact of aging is the process of watching your body deteriorate. Not only does your body change in appearance as wrinkles and grey hairs appear and teeth fall out, but the older adult is no longer as resilient, flexible, strong, fast moving, or pain free like they used to be.

Elderly who have understand and have accepted that their bodies change due to aging may mitigate the situation, while older adults who have not accepted this process and may be avoidant by working out, anti aging creams, and more may exacerbate the situation.

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Negative Effects of Aging - Where Has The Time Gone? 

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Negative Effects of Aging - Where Has The Time Gone? 

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Time - Time is one of those things that you miss when its gone. As people age, they watch the clock tick by around them and discover that their time is beginning to run out. Perhaps that is why they tend to appear happier and sweet, because they are appreciative of the time that they have left.

Elderly who have accepted that you only get one life and only have so much time may mitigate the situation, while older adults who feel unfulfilled and unfinished in life may exacerberate this situation by feeling pressured to finish with a successful life.

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Positive Effects of Aging - Knowledge Comes From Learning, Wisdom Comes From Living

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Positive Effects of Aging - Knowledge Comes From Learning, Wisdom Comes From Living

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Wisdom - Cliche as it may be, the elderly are regarded for the wisdom that they possess that they have acquired through their many years of trial and error, learning, living, and adapting. Word to the wise, seek advice and guidance from an older person who has the experience in life that you do not.

Elderly who value the experience they have to offer because of their old age may mitigate the situation, while older people may exacerbate the situation by disregarding their older age and therefore disregarding their wisdom.

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Positive Effects of Aging - "Can I Get My Senior Discount?" 

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Positive Effects of Aging - "Can I Get My Senior Discount?" 

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Senior Discount - Though it may seem like a small win, senior discounts can help the elderly save money for the things that they may still have to pay for or what to spend their money on. There are even websites such as SeniorDiscounts.com which can be a tool for the elderly to discover local business that provide discounts to seniors. Cha-ching!

Elderly who have accepted the benefits of their aging may mitigate the situation, while older people who have ignored their aging process may refuse using senior discounts and exacerbate the situation.

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Positive Effects of Aging - A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

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Positive Effects of Aging - A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

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Opportunity To Pursue Dreams - Older aged people tend to have more time than they used to because of retirement and being done raising kids. This means that they now have time opened up to learn a new language, join a club, take that trip they've always wanted to, write a novel, and more. As Victorian novelist George Elliot once said, "It's never too late to be what you might have become."

Elderly who have accepted their old age may use the time they have left to explore new dreams and concepts and may mitigate the situation of them getting older, while other elderly who feel like they still have all the time in the world to fullfill their dreams when in reality they may not may exacerbate the situation.

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Positive Effects of Aging - It's Time To Give Back

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Positive Effects of Aging - It's Time To Give Back

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Volunteering - Due to the fact that older adults are typically retired and they are done raising children, they have time to give back to the community and participate in civics and volunteering. For example, according to research, people over 65 vote more than any other age group.

Elderly who have recognized how society has taken care of them may give back to their community and therefore mitigate the situation, while older adults who feel that society has done nothing for them and that they are not going to waste their last good years giving back to society may exacerbate the situation.

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Positive Effects of Aging - Don't Worry, Be Happy

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Positive Effects of Aging - Don't Worry, Be Happy

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A Happier Outlook - Studies have shown that seniors are among the happiest age group of people, even happier than the average middle-aged individual.

Elderly who are happy with the life they have lived so far and are trying to make the most of whatever time that they have left may mitigate the situation, while older folk who feel they have not completed what they need to in life and are worried about the time that they have left may exacerbating the situation.

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Positive Effects of Aging - Show Me The Money 

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Positive Effects of Aging - Show Me The Money 

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Financial Stability - People who are of an older age typically have financial stability. They may be able to afford...
> Retirement home fees
> Vacations/travelling
> Activities outside of the house (going out to eat, going to the movies, etc.)
> Luxury items (new cars, hot tubs, nicer homes, etc.)
> And more

Elderly who have been responsible with their money may mitigate this situation, while elderly who have not spent their money well or saved well may exacerbating the situation.