Self-perceptions of ability to adjust to retirement|Course hero helper

Posted: February 14th, 2023

 

Life Transitions

PNUR1165

“Caterpillar turning into a butterfly process. © Mathisa S/Getty”

Role: img

Late

Life

Transitions

Unit outcomes

Examine family relationships in later life.

Discuss the various transitions that the older adult will face in relation to role changes, phases of retirement, reduced income, grandparenting, widowhood, shrinking social world, declining function and awareness of mortality.

Discuss the social determinants of health (World Health Organization – WHO) in relation to life transitions.

Late Life Transitions

A process during which people redefine their sense of self and develop self-agency in response to disruptive life events.

May occur predictably or by unanticipated events.

The speed and intensity of a major change may make the difference between a transitional crisis and a gradual and comfortable adaptation.

Various changes during the aging process demand multiple adjustments that require stamina, ability, and flexibility

Frequently more simultaneous changes are experienced in old age than during any other period of life

Older adults face retirement, reduced income, possible housing changes, frequent losses through deaths of significant persons, and a declining ability to function

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Is Growing Old Easy? Various role and life changes in aging

Retirement

Reduced income

Possible housing changes

Personal losses – spouse, friends

Declining ability to function – slow response, easy fatigue, altered appearance and fear of losing independence

“Empty nest”: children grown and moved out

Grand-parenting

Loneliness

Sandwich effect/Caregiving

Adjustment to one or more chronic diseases

REFRESHER!!

Various changes during the aging process demand multiple adjustments that require stamina, ability, and flexibility

Frequently more simultaneous changes are experienced in old age than during any other period of life

Older adults face retirement, reduced income, possible housing changes, frequent losses through deaths of significant persons, and a declining ability to function

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Simultaneous changes during the aging process require:

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Stamina

Ability

Flexibility

What is Family?

Family members, however they are defined, form the nucleus of relationships for the majority of older adults and the support system if they become dependent.

The idea of family evokes strong impressions of whatever an individual believes the typical family should be.

As recently as 100 years ago a family was defined as parents, there grown children and their grand children. This has since changed with moving to larger cities.

Approximately 38% of todays families are couples with no children.

With divorce rates and remarriage, blended families, lone parent families we now have no typical Canadian family definition.

A long standing myth is that most families abandon their older members in institutions. While I won’t deny that this does happen for the most part older family members are able to maintain close relationships with other family members.

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Traditional Couple

The traditional couple in Canada is a husband and wife or common-law partnership.

Although this relationship is often the most binding if it extends into late life, the chance of a couple going through old age together is slim.

About 76% of Canadians aged 65 an older are living with a spouse.

Among those aged 65 and older 75% of men and 50% of women live with a spouse.

Older women are more likely to be widowed as 80% of older widowed people are women.

Often second partnerships will not marry do to economic and inheritance reasons.

In general being married has been paired with positive health benefits, life satisfaction and well being.

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Non-traditional couples

Difficult to determine an accurate number.

From studies conducted in 2014 just under 3% of 18-54 year old’s identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual. This is likely an underrepresentation as there is still fear about publicly self-identifying.

Currently less then 1% of Canadians aged 65 and older are identifying as having a same-sex partnership.

We expect these numbers to increase.

Although these couples may not be seen as often they are still there. They may hide the truth do to longstanding discrimination and fear. We must be cognizant of the fact that what the older generation experienced was most likely drastically different from what a younger person today will experience.

Some older gay/lesbian adults identify their experience as being invisible in senior organizations, health care and society.

Discrimination and prejudice are experienced.

Most research has centered around gay or lesbians we know even less about the experience of bisexuals and trangendered.

Pictures

Male couple who have been partners for 30 years

Women in their 90’s getting married when it was made legal in their state in the US.

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Divorce and the older adult

Older couples are becoming less likely to stay in an unsatisfactory marriage.

Single Cruise

Single and Mingle Groups at Church

Even as recently as 50 years ago divorce was very ostracizing and isolating. In todays world divorce is much more common.

In 2016 10% of older Canadians were divorced or separated.

People are less willing to stay in an unhappy relationship.

As nurses we need to acknowledge this fact and incorporate it into our assessments.

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Siblings

Siblings can become particularly important when they are part of the support system, especially among single or widowed older adults who are living alone.

Sibling relationship in the elderly is another poorly researched areas. What we do know is that about 80% of Canadian elderly have at least one sibling and that siblings can be a strong part of your support system. This is particularly true for the never-married, widowed and without children.

-long history of memories

-same generation

-similar backgrounds.

The strongest sibling bond is thought to be that between sisters.

About 6% of todays older people have never been married.

The loss of a sibling can be a huge impact and bring an awareness of ones own mortality.

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Retirement

May occupy 30 years of one’s life and involve many internal stages

Transitions are blurring because numerous pursuits and opportunities may occur after one has “retired.”

Numerous patterns and styles of retiring have produced more varied experiences in retirement.

Historically we had a compulsory retirement at the age of 65 years. Now Canada does not have a mandatory retirement age.

13% of Canadians age 65 and older are still employed.

The Canadian government estimates about 24% of people approaching retirement will not have enough money to sustain their current living standard.

Socialization needs

Energy levels

Health

Adequate income

Variety of interests

Amount of self-esteem derived from work

Presence of intimate relationships

Social support

General adaptability

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Effects of Retirement

Self-worth

Identity

Social position

LOSS of work role, first experience r/t impact of aging

IMPACT on EACH?

Worth is commonly judged by an individual’s productivity

Occupational identity is largely responsible for an individual’s social position

Individual’s identity is threatened with retirement

When one’s work is one’s primary interest, activity and source of social contacts, separation from work leaves a significant void in one’s life

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Retirement: Loss of Work Role

Adjusting to a reduced income

May be viewed as an undesirable state

Occupational identity and social position/role in society

Stereotypes of work roles

Potential void in one’s life related to loss of the work role

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What is one of the first questions many people ask when meeting someone new? “What do you do?”

Phases of Retirement

Remote: Future anticipation with little real planning

Near: Preparation and fantasizing regarding retirement

Honeymoon: Euphoria and testing of the fantasies

Disenchantment: Letdown, boredom, sometimes depression

Reorientation: Developing a realistic and satisfactory lifestyle

Stability: Personal investment in meaningful activities

Termination: Loss of retirement role resulting from illness, return to work or death

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Retirement Planning

Decisions to retire are often based on

Financial resources

Attitude toward work

Chronological age

Health

Self-perceptions of ability to adjust to retirement

Late Life Transitions

 

Adetutu Joan Omo Olaoye

Practical Nursing Student, Conestoga College

PNUR 1165: Adult Development and Aging

Hellen Jarman

Feb 12th 2023

Definition of Transition

Lived Experience

Types Of Transitions

Detailed Transitions of Interviewee

Nursing Strategies

Summary and Conclusion

References

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Definition Of Transition

In General, to transition means to change.

 

 

 

Lived Experience

My Interviewee is a 70-year-old female currently residing in Long Beach, California in the United States and the interview was conducted over the phone.

For the purpose of confidentiality, I would be using only her initials.

T.N., remembers her childhood days like they were yesterday. She

 

SOLUTION