/p>>an article of Lidia Portet VidalTeam Psychologist
There are different theories that help explain how it affects the aging process to the person. One of the most important is the Erickson’s psychosocial theory (1963), who states that of the eight stages of the individual’s social and emotional development, old age would be the last one, in which we confront the aspects of integrity and despair.
The integrity, or wisdom, is the ability to accept the facts of one’s life and face death without great fear. People who achieve this sense of wholeness have coped well with this stage, they look at their lives with satisfaction. For this to be the case, the elderly adult has to accept vital conflicts, failures and pain, and incorporate them into their self-image. According to Erickson, integrity is the acceptance of the life cycle as unique and singular, as something that already was.
On the other hand, the despair. People who fail to achieve wholeness view their lives as a series of missed opportunities and wrong directions. In recent years they realize that it is too late to return, and therefore, the result is a feeling of hopelessness for what they have not been able to do.
Other theories that explain how the stage of aging develops are the activity theory and the disengagement theory.
In the activity theory be part of the idea that only active people can be happy and satisfiedTherefore, the individual has to be productive and useful to others. According to Tarler (1961), defender of this theory, the loss of role after retirement signifies a loss of function. Along with that, there is an inactivity, a limitation in behavior, even in the family field. Some people feel lost without the structured hours and the family routine, others feel guilty about having free time, many lose goals and purpose in life, or consider it a waste of social life, and others take it as a well-deserved rest. work and family.
This period is not always easy, it is not exempt from changes and all these losses cause stress to the older person. In order for the person to overcome their losses, they have to continue acting in life, maintaining a constant and intense communication with other people and participating in activities have meaningful goals.
In the disengagement Theory, suggested by Comming and Henrry (1961) among others, it is defended that the older person desires certain forms of Social isolation, reduction of social contacts. This theory shows that if old age is provided with security, help and sufficient services, the desire is to disassociate. Well, the desire to be useful would correspond to the need for security and the fear of being rejected, defenseless and helpless.
It is also important to review the change in the family in society as a result of post-industrial society.
Now there is a predominance of the nuclear familymade up only of parents and children, since it seems to be better suited to the economic and social needs imposed by the consumer society, and this is the reason for the decline of the traditional family of three generations (grandparents, parents and children).
This fact has made it the old man the one who suffers the consequencesbecause it has lost the social role that developed within the family. Grandpa has been a charismatic, wise and conciliatory character for centuries. In the current family, reduced in size and installed in minimal living spaces, the traditional grandfather has no place and loses his role (Ramos, 1994).
Regardless of the acceptance of one theory or another, what is certain is that the aging process is complicatedand Each person ages at a different rate and in a different way., according to the circumstances that make up your life: health, income, family, personality, etc. with all these psychosocial changes Social skills are essential for older people.
In the institutionalized people a widespread social deterioration and interpersonal behavior is a problem area for many individuals. The loss of roles, the death of family members, partners and/or friends, and the empty nest effect lead to isolation and the deterioration of social relationships.
Also notable is psychophysical deterioration of multiple origins that becomes annoying and incapacitating to the older person, causing him to assume a withdrawn and fearful lifestylewith a decrease in communication, and in short, situations of loneliness.
He progressive isolation in which some older people are submerged, regardless of its causes, interferes with mental health and quality of life. As Gambrill (1986) states, social relationships have a significant relationship with health problems, such as cardiovascular accidents.
The negative effects of losing a partner, friends or relatives are less when there is greater social support, since it is considered that the development of new friends and social contacts will alleviate these effects.
References:
https://pixabay.com
Pelechano, V. (1991). Interpersonal skills in the elderly. Valencia: Alphaplus
Ramos, M. (1994). The elderly in residences. Madrid: Alliance