The Origins of Human Ageing, Essay Example

A comprehensive comparison and contrast of age related changes in the interviewee revealed that the person is a 70 year old female. According to Erickson she is expressing wisdom whereby the ego integrity drive becomes dominant. At the same time there is a wrestle with despair. In contrast to younger age groups  where there is much expectation concerning the events of life. So there is no need to despair. This tendency to despair seems to be associated with the social construction of aging (Stevens, 2003).  For example, when she was asked by me, the person interviewing her, why she has not retired, her response pertained to maintaining activity as well as independence.

Society tends to link age with incapability, meaning that older people automatically become incompetent. This classification initiates despair, especially, when a person is aware of his/her capabilities. Except for an acute hearing loss this older adult has not yet manifested the age related changes applicable to her age group. This is remarkable in comparison to some people between 60-70.  She has no hypertensive disease or diabetes, which is affecting a great section of the world’s population.in

Three age related alterations could, however, be identified as her inability to hear perfectly, loss of companionship due to death of a husband, but now aging with a new husband of 40 years, sexuality could become challenged.  A third significant alteration pertains to some measure of alienation when children leave the home. A void is created when they become grown and the bounding created during childhood may be lost to spouses and grandchildren.

Three valuable interventions applicable to these alterations are first the hearing dysfunction being addressed by reconstructive surgery and subsequent implanting hearing devices. With respect to changes in sexuality regarding desire and function while ensuring privacy the issue could be discussed with a counselor. This is often a very confidential and the elderly do not want to face irregularities pertaining to their failing sexual desire or function at that age. However, because these issues are not confronted older adult couples tend to grow apart from each other. In some circumstances infidelity becomes apparent whereby males look outside of the marriage for sexual fulfillment in younger women.

Effective counseling could mend the broken pieces in a elder relationships, which seem to be growing apart. Here is where despair creeps in, especially, among women who tend to live longer than their spouses. The void which is created when children are grown and the affection goes to their children or spouses is often replaced by grandchildren in the home. However, everyone is not privileged to have grandchildren or husbands/wives might have died. The alternative is gaining companionship in other elderly persons. Some older adults build bounds with siblings and friends.

The genetic theory of aging could be referenced when thinking about my interviewee. This theory talks about the DNA factor in the aging process. It is sometimes referred to as the Planned Obsolescence Theory. The assumption advances that there is an encoding program in our DNA, which is responsible for initiation and progression of the aging process. Theorists further contend that our DNA has the blue print that determines how individuals will age. For example my grand m other does not look like a 70 year old when compared to many in her social setting. This DNA attribute is also responsible for sustenance of mental and physical functioning (Kirkwood, 2007).

References

Kirkwood. (2007). The origins of human ageing. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 352(1363): 1765–1772.

Stevens, R. (2003) Erik Erikson: An Introduction. New York: St. Martin’s.