Aging, Death,

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Aging, Death, End of Life Issues
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Allports Characteristics of a Healthy Adult

• Extension of sense of self
• Warm human interaction
• Emotional security and self acceptance
• Realistic perceptions
• Self objectification
• Demonstrate a unifying philosophy of life

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Theories of Aging

• Cellular Clock Theory (Hayflick limit)
• Cells have an absolute limit on the number of
  times they can divide. As they stop aging
  increases.
• Free Radical Theory
• Chemicals produced by cell division and by the
  environment (pollution, smoking, etc.) cause cell
  damage and aging
• Hormonal Stress Theory
• Aging of bodies hormonal system can lower
  resilience to stress and cause aging

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Theories of Aging

• Cellular Garbage Theory
• Garbage builds in cells due to aging cells
  difficulty in disposing of waste which creates
  slower functioning due to crowding.
• Wear and Tear Theory
• Bodies accumulated damage over time makes it
  impossible to repair

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Successful Aging

• Theories
• Continuity theory
• Must maintain continuity of past and change
• Disengagement theory
• Must have mutual disengagement between individual
  and society
• Activity theory
• Must remain as active as possible

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Pecks Three Developmental Tasks of Late Adulthood

• Differentiation vs. Role Pre-occupation
• Must redefine worth in terms other than career
• Body Transcendence vs. Body Pre-occupation
• Must learn to cope with declining physical health
• Ego Transcendence vs. Ego Pre-occupation
• Must recognize death is inevitable and come to
  terms with ones life

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Dealing with the End of Life

• Spirituality
• Advanced Directives
• Will
• Living Will
• Durable Power of Attorney
• Funeral arrangements

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Dealing With Death

• Experience
• Bereavement
• The state or condition of loss
• Grief
• The emotional response to loss
• Mourning
• Outward display of grief (culturally prescribed)

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Models of Grieving
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Models of Grieving

• Grief Work
• Individual process
• Cannot underestimate the time needed
• Involves
• Acknowledging the reality of the loss
• Working through the emotional turmoil
• Adjusting to the environment where the deceased
  is absent
• Loosening the ties to the deceased

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Dual Process Model of Coping w/ LossStroebe
Schut
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Why Grieving is Important

• Loss involves more than death of a loved one.
• The problem of compounded grief.