MIDDLE ADULTHOOD Studying middle adulthood is a relatively recent phenomenon. In fact, in 1900 the average life expectancy was 47 years. It has only been since more and more people lived longer and longer that professionals became interested in studying life during this age period. Between the ages of 35-60, we find vast changes in many areas of our lives. The most obvious changes related to our lifestyle include: physical development and health, career and finances, marraige, and leisure activities. For many, midlife is a time when they start to think about “how much time they have left”.
Individuals begin to reexamine their lives, their relationships, their work, and even to question the meaning of it all. This process has been referred to as a mid-life crisis. Clearly, middle adulthood is a time change and development. This page will address some of these areas and provide additional links for further information. In middle adulthood, an important challenge is to develop a genuine concern for the welfare of future generations and to contribute to the world through family and work. Erik Erikson refers to the problem posed at this stage as generativity vs. elf-absorption. Robert Havighurst lists seven major tasks in the middle years. • accepting and adjusting to physiological changes, such as menopause • reaching and maintaining satisfaction in one’s occupation • adjusting to and possibly caring for aging parents • helping teenage children to become responsible adults • achieving adult social and civic responsibility • relating to one’s spouse as a person • developing leisure-time activities Read more: http://www. cliffsnotes. com/study_guide/Development-in-Early-Middle-Adulthood. opicArticleId-25438,articleId-25385. html#ixzz0wF99j800 GENERATIVITY vs STAGNATION Physical Development and Health Issues One of the major aspects of middle adulthood are the physical and biological changes that occur in the body. Two of the most noticeable changes are seeing and hearing. Each of these begin to decline in the middle years. One of the physical changes that occur is in height. Most individuals get a little shorter through the years. Also, hair is graying, skin is wrinkling, bodies are sagging, and teeth are yellowing.
Some adults strive to make themselves look younger by having plastic surgery, dying their hair, wearing wigs, joining excercise programs, or taking heavy vitamin doses. While the adult years are generally a time of vitality and good health, their are health concerns. The main health problems of middle adulthood are cardiovascular disease, cancer, and menopause. Another major problem that effects health and behavior is stress. Overall this is a time of major change and development physically and mentally. Career and Finances
During the middle adult years there is a noticable change in how adults view their careers. By this time most individuals have settled into their careers and between the ages of 40-45 have ceased to advance up the career ladder. In general, job satisfaction and commitment tend to be high and continue to increase into our sixties. It is also at this time that adults adjust their idalistic hopes to realistic possibilities. This adjustment to attainable goals is dependent on how much time is left before retirement, with retirement planning being a major area of financial concern.
These reassesments may lead to stress and sadness over unaccomplished goals, which for a small few may lead to a midlife career change. Another financial adjustment that tends to take place for many midadults is the planning for college and setting aside the necessary funds for their children. In response to these growing financial needs and greater free time, due to their children getting older, many women enter or reenter the workforce. In short, this tends to be a time of career and financial readjustment and planning for both men and women. Marriage and Family
Adults demonstrate much variation in their intimate lifestyles. Nearly all of us are married at least some time during our adult lives. Many marriages either improve or deteriorate during middle age. If a couple form a relationship appropriate to this new period of life, their marriage will likely grow stronger. But if they cannot adapt to the new conditions of their lives, their marriage may develop problems. Regardless, intimacy, marriage, and family concerns are a priority during middle adulthood. Some specific issues include the empty nest syndrome, late parenting, divorce, sexuality, remarriage, and grandparenting.
