Sunday, January 3, 2010

Chapter 13: Later Life: Cognitive and Socioemotional Development

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  1. Janet BelskyMarch 6, 2012 at 12:37 PM

    Setting the Context:

    * offers a vivid perspective on the looming age boom, providing examples illustrating what it is going to be like living in the most aged nations (such as Italy), as well as what its like now living in places in the U.S. such as Sarasota Fla, where one in three people is over 65.

    * Discusses a revealing poll of emerging adults showing young people around the world agree about the traits defining old age...but also that Western emerging adults are more apt to see older people as wise than their counterparts in China and Japan. (Again this research counters the stereotype that old age is especially revered in collectivist cultures.)

    Memory

    * makes the point that divided attention tasks impair memory at every age. (Here I strike a blow for teachers rights by using a photo of a student texting in class to highlight this message.)

    * showcases new brain imaging research making the (depressing) point that, as the memory situation or task becomes more difficult, the elderly brain shifts from a pattern of over to under--activation.

    Personality
    Making the case for old age as the best time of life: looks in depth at new research exploring the late life positivity effect.

    Making the case for old age as the worst time of life: As in chapter 12, offers data showing that old age happiness levels vary depending on whether a society is committed to caring for its elderly citizens (In Eastern Europe for instance, retirement anxieties are acute and poverty and few government supports make late life a relatively miserable life stage.)

    Decoding the keys to old age happiness: summarizes studies showing that having a sense of self efficacy and meaning predict well being in old age (and every age)

    Retirement:

    * scans the main retirement issue for U.S baby boomers:They haven't amassed the kind of income--especially in our current economy- allowing a retirement for 20 years. Therefore, many more people are deciding and planning to work past age 65.
    (Here I also take time to discuss the special retirement issues facing women as well as offering stats on working past age 65 among low wage workers.)

    * End of section: discusses policy issues relating to the future of retirement..
    ie...Given that the age of getting full Social Security benefits is now 66 and will increase to 67, can we expect more retrenchments in subsequent years?

    How can we best foster intergenerational equity--balancing the needs of the old and young?

    Widowhood: gives data on the widowhood mortality effect (The fact that losing a spouse is more devastating for men); and discusses economic concerns for widows.

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