Emotional Processing In Older Adults

Aging and being old was dominated by negative characteristics and conditions such as illness, depression, and isolation for a long time (Eibach, Mock, & Courtney, 2010). At first glance the terms “success” and “aging” seem to be in conflict to each other. When asking people about aging, their answers have many facets that are also found in psychological definitions: successful aging is seen as health, maturity and personal growth, self-acceptance, happiness, generativity, coping, and acceptance of age-related limitations. In the psychological sense successful aging is also often seen as the absence of age-associated characteristics (Strawbridge, Wallhagen, & Cohen, 2002). It seems that successful aging means is not aging.

There are a lot of books and studies which tell us that as a person grows older certain personality disorders develop. These Personality disorders are reflected in their interpersonal skills also that older people tend to give unexpected responses to clinical treatment. Patients with such personality disorders are often described in as "difficult." (Committee, 2005)

With an older adult it can be a difficult time of their life as they are going through the aging process. They physical appearance include hair turning grey, bones becoming fragile, skin wrinkles, sight and hearing deteriorates and sense of taste and smell is reduced. Their intellectual development has declined as they find it difficult to remember, they are too confused to manage affairs but

The test subjects in the treatment group were then asked to write essays about why they thought the older college students' experiences changed. The researchers asked them to illustrate their essays with stories of their own lives, and then rewrite their essays into speeches that would be videotaped and could be shown to future students. The point was to have the test subjects internalize and personalize the idea that adjustments are tough for

In our later years, it appears that emotions are processed in a more positive way. For example,

Obviously, there are some inevitable biological and psychological changes that occur with aging, and because of those changes, older adult may face some

So how do we cope with change: Coping with change is difficult, no matter how old you are. The particular challenge for older adults is the sheer number of changes and transitions – including loss of friends, family, your career, your health, and your independence. It is natural to feel those losses, but if that sense of loss is balanced with positive ingredients you have a formula for aging well. Unfortunately, for many, aging brings anxiety and fear instead like, How can I take care of myself? What if I lose my spouse? What is going to happen to my mind? However, many of these fears stem from myths about aging that are exaggerated or simply untrue. The truth is that you are stronger and more resilient than you may think. As you age, there will be periods of both joy and stress. It is important to build your resilience and find healthy ways to cope with challenges. This ability will help you make the most of the good times and keep your perspective when times are tough. (Saisan, Smith, Segal & White, 2010)

aging recognizes that many people can age quite well in spite of frailties or adverse

Life span is the limitations of a client by age and psychodynamic focused on strengths and possibly out for depression in the older adult population at MOW. In my opinion, Sigmund Freud’s theory on psychodynamic helps to understand the human process of the unconscious mindset in the elderly population. As people develop as they tend to develop mental, physical, and social issues in human process. As the old saying says, “If you don’t use it, you lose it”. Researchers should continue their effort to help alleviate their gray areas for elderly who suffer from depression, lack of social support in homebound seniors and find other interventions to meet their need as long as they are willing. Keeping older homebound adults in some sort of activity, will lessen the deterioration of the brain. Introducing homebound older adults to modern technology can be

Our bodies experience many changes as we age. The body can develop depending on a person’s genetic pattern of aging. Also, the choices you make in life can have a more deeper impact on your bodily changes as well. These changes can also be mental or physical. Because of the aging body, older adults may use medication to maintain the liability of their functions and abilities due to aging. Many elderly adults may be unaware of the physical changes caused by drug usage and their bodies may become tolerant to the medications. There can be ways to monitor medication with older adults. Our cognition changes as we age. We tend to react differently to certain life situations and the information that we input in our brains are in a more complex process.

I think aging is a special way to earn the truth knowledge of life. Like in the class, I was really happy that I can study with older people who have more wisdom of life than students who just dipped their feet into the water of the world. I like to be around people who are old. Even though I just sit and listen to what they are saying to something, every word that they speak is so deep. I mean, it holds a power of wisdom. So I think that’s why people ask their parents or grandparents when they face a hardship which they cannot break themselves.

As our age moves up in years and we become senior citizens we slowdown in productivity and begin to re-explore life as

Coping can be very difficult. In some cases, counseling can be helpful but first a person must acknowledge their problems. Most people are in fact too embarrassed to admit they are afraid of aging. Without positive attitude, their confidence level rapidly goes down and this is only the beginning. Unless the individual has a supporting environment, they will not adjust to their new stage of life. They will give up more easily and forget about the beneficial things like exercise and proper diet. No new inspiration will come up on their horizons simply because they will stop looking for it. Depression will slowly make its way into their lives and take over whatever was left of their confidence. At this point, only a determined individual could make a change, everyone also will need professional help. Getting back confidence can be quick but it can also take time depending on the person.

The belief that people cope with life better by applying familiar strategies based on their past experiences is the continuity theory of aging. This paper will review this theory, as well as discuss an interview done with an elderly individual, and how the interview relates to the continuity theory.

The physiological abilities change with increasing age, older adults often have few physical resources to deal with stressful situation .The situation that was appraised as less stressful in middle aged may be appraised as stressful later in life