Males Age

1
Marital Status of Elders by Age and Sex, United
States, 1991
100
Never married
Divorced or separated
Married spouse present
Widowed
82.4
79.0
80
69.5
61.1
60
51.4
47.5
45.6
40
35.3
28.1
20.2
20
9.2
8.8
8.5
7.2
6.1
5.5
5.4
5.2
5.2
4.6
4.8
4.1
3.3
1.8
0
75-84
65-74
85
75-84
65-74
85
Males Age
Females Age
Source U.S. Bureau of the Census (1992)
2
Relationship Status of Self-Identified Lesbians
and Gay Men over Fifty Years Old
With person of same sex 36.6
Not in a relationship 21.3
30
Separated from same-sex relationship 13.8
Separated from heterosexual 13.8
Heterosexual marriage 5
Widowed from same-sex relationship 5
Widowed from heterosexual marriage 2.5
3
Health and Psychological Well-Being in 1991, by
1977 Importance of Being a Religious Person
1991 Mean Scores
Rating of Life in Retirement
1977 Importance of Being Religious
Self-Rated Health
Functional Health
Morale
Important Unimportant
4.1 4.0
4.5 4.4
32.9 32.8
84.4 80.2
Note Mean differences significant at the .05
level or better, using t-tests. Source Atchley
(1997).
4
Summary of Psychosocial Development in Late
Adulthood

• Retirement becomes a major decision with
  financial, social and psychological aspects.
• Older adults must cope with losses.
• Eriksons crisis of integrity vs despair
• Life review may take place at this time or
  earlier.
• Ageism may impair the progress of the older adult.