Definition of Successful Aging - Book Report/Review Example

Section A Question 2: Usual and Successful Aging Definition of Successful Aging Successful aging is not a foreign concept to most people. As a matter of fact, everyone in this century, both young and old people are looking for ways to promote successful aging. This is through regular exercises, diets that are improved and healthy or by decreasing their stress levels. People are not only doing all this to increase longevity, but to remain healthy and more active. So what is successful aging? In chapter 1 of the classroom text, page 4, Hooyman and Kiyak define the term aging in similar terms that Gerontologists use when referring to the four distinct processes of aging. These processes include chronological aging, biological aging, sociological aging and psychological aging. Therefore, aging refers to those processes that occur throughout the life span of organism (Hooyman and Kiyak 6). The process is highly versatile. So successful aging means that there is physical, social and mental well being of an organism. Differences: Usual and Successful Aging There is a difference between the usual aging and successful aging. In usual aging process, the extrinsic factors are usually heightened by the effects of aging. For example, in normal aging, the width of a person’s shoulders decrease as a result of weakened muscles and the loss of bones (Hooyman and Kiyak 83). In successful aging process, these extrinsic factors normally play a positive role. Most people who are old usually wonder if they are experiencing successful aging or the usual aging. However, to be more specific most of the elderly wonder if what they are experiencing is normal or abnormal. The way that people age is quite different because some of the aging internal processes in a person may come as a result of aging itself. In such cases, the changes are undesired though there are those people who believe these are normal changes. It is in such cases, that the person is believed to have lived long enough as part of pure aging processes. In successful aging a person may postpone, or in other instances reduce the effects which are undesired while aging. It is fundamental to note that the main goal of postponing these effects is to promote and maintain a physical and healthy stature, reduce disorders, become independent and promote activeness. In both processes of aging, that it the usual and successful aging, maintaining good health is not as easy as when the person was young. It requires a lot of effort as the person grows old. A person cannot have the usual or successful aging process when he or she does not maintain healthy eating habits, exercises on a regular basis and tries to stay mentally active. The earlier the person adopts healthy eating and exercise habits, the better. This is necessary even when the person is young, since it is one of the best ways of gaining control of what happens as the person grows old. Component of Successful Aging Recent studies carried out to determine the risks associated with the normal aging are likely to help more people who want to age successfully to modify the risks and transition to successful aging. From the lecture notes in class, we read that the manifestations of aging occur based on the cultural, psychological, behavioral and ecological practices. When the focus is on structures or models of aging successfully, it becomes easier for researchers to focus on how development may be regulated across the human life-span. The first step towards gaining a successful aging structure is to determine and allocate the best resources that will contribute to development paths that promote a person’s social cultural and genetic opportunities. An excellent illustration on how to allocate resources appropriately is evident in chapter 3, page 70 of Hooyman and Kiyak’s book. According to Hooyman and Kiyak, all it takes is to use wellness and health promotion programs that improve the old people’s health (70). Secondly, a person should aim at compensating and learn to cope with the failures that life presents. An active aging framework is vital because a person develops resilience and thrives despite the many adversities that are in life (Hooyman and Kiyak 8). Therefore, as described in figure 6.1 of Hooyman and Kiyak’s book there must be three components of successful aging. The first component is that there should be an avoidance of disability and diseases. The second component is that the person should be actively involved in the society. Lastly, a person should ensure that the person engages in high cognitive or the physical functions. Model showing the Components of Successful Aging Source: (Hooyman and Kiyak 178) Section B Question 4: Personality and Development Change In class we learnt that the way people view themselves is extremely critical to their well-being and how their quality of life when they grow old. We also learnt that the education and income of people also determines their development of personalities during their peak adult years and as they age. The modernization theory and biological theory mentioned by Hooyman and Kiyak in chapter 2 and chapter 3 also shows that even when the world is lucky to have the modern ay technology at its disposal, personality and development change factors always play a vital role to how a person ages. For example, in class notes, we learn that the current directions in personality development include the ways in which people can cope with stress, how goals are projected and the quality of a person’s life. Change vs. Stability and Traits vs. Development Change versus stability according to Hooyman and Kiyak are biological models that they share similar assumptions. The assumption is that they are personality phenomena which means these two biological models are products of contingencies in the environment. Nonetheless, the two also differ when it comes to the level in which each of them incorporates the influences that are there in the surrounding environment. This is because it influences the way individual interpretations are made in regard to stability and change. The genetic influences or individual traits are also addressed in Hooyman and Kiyak’s book. Individual genetics or traits play a key role in personality development because it becomes easier o rule out certain inherited diseases such as cancers and diabetes and hypertension. In class notes, we learnt that such personality factors play a major role because research shows a link between life course development and a person’s psychological well-being Quality of Life, Patterns of Change for Positive Psychological Qualities According to the Federal Interagency Forum on aging, Americans are now living longer than before despite the fact that the life expectancy of Americans is still lagging behind (29). Even though older age is accompanied with an increased risk of certain diseases and disorders most of the people above the age of 65 years in America report that their health is still excellent (Federal Interagency Forum 29). This indicates that the well-being and lifestyles of most Americans is now improving as compared to 20 decades ago. 11% of the people who are over the age of 65 years also seem to report more on their leisure time activities and activities such as muscle-strengthening activities (Federal Interagency Forum 30). Patterns of change for the positive psychological qualities also seem to be more prevalent when the Americans are between the ages or 55-65 (Federal Interagency Forum 33). Question 6: Marital Satisfaction in Middle Aged and Older Couples Definition Marital satisfaction refers to the degree in which both partners in a marriage can assess their marriage and show their satisfaction with each other’s positives or negatives. Hooyman and Kiyak argue that the marital status of a couple is likely to affect their living arrangements and socioeconomic status (347). Most Americans complain of less marital satisfaction as noted in Hooyman and Kiyak’s book. This is the case particularly those who are about get divorced or the single and older parents. The highest levels of marital satisfaction are noted in long-term married and older couples who both express high levels of marital satisfaction (Hooyman and Kiyak 342). Factors that influence Marital Satisfaction There are many stereotypes particularly regarding the old couples. However, one thing that most young people forget is that they envy those old couples that we see on news or in our neighborhoods who have been together for decades. Marriage in the old age may be a topic that is not widely studied, but shows that it is different from all the stereotypes propagated by the media. Even the unhappily married old couples, they also state that they are usually happier than they were when they were young. In old age, the factors that influence marital satisfaction are not the same as those that young people point out. In old age most people are more satisfied with each other’s company, rather than the sexual satisfaction that young married people always cites as part of their marital dissatisfaction. For old couples, generativity and stagnation is part of their lives but most indicate it does not bother them as much. Factors such as the number of children, years of marriage, economic and health status all influence the marital satisfaction of older couples. Sexuality in later years and Myths and Patterns of Performance We learnt in class that defining the term old age as a desecrating state of human existence is misconceived and a concept that is extremely degenerating. This is part of the many myths that are not true. There is also a common stereotype that old couples are not exciting when it comes to being emotionally and romantically intimate is wrong. Current studies show that after children grow up, the couple becomes closer as it was before there were children. This proves that older couples are also likely to have more intimate sessions than some young couples with children. The only difference is that the older couples will trivialize erotic bonds as more important than socializing and friendship. Works Cited Federal Interagency Forum. "Older Americans 2012: Key Indicators of Well being." Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics. (2012): 10-98. Hooyma, Nancy, and Asuman Kiyak. Social Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Perspective. 9th. New Jersey: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2011. Read More