 When the sperm penetrates the egg, the egg immediately releases a chemical creating a hard

“shell” around it to keep all other sperm out

The zygote begins to develop

 2 cell zygote
 4 cell zygote
 8 cell zygote
 16 cell morula
 Blastocyst : when zygote divides to 32 cells
 The Blastocyst embeds into the uterine lining, and begins to develop the placenta
 The placenta is the lining of the uterus that the umbilical cord will attach to
 While nutrients and oxygen move across the placental wall, the embryo’s blood and the
mother’s blood never mix

Day 15
 The primitive streak can be seen on the left side of this embryo
Day 17
 The primitive streak can still be seen, and the opposite end of the embryo is starting to
fold up
Day 19

 The neural tube is seen along with somites on either side of it

 Somites : zipper-like motion of the neural tube closing together, three pairs of small
bumps form on either side of the closure. they will form the skeleton and the major
muscles of the body. Thirty-eight pairs of somites will line the neural tube within 2
weeks
 Day 22

Day 24

Day 26

Day 28
5 Week Embryo

5 Week, 4 day Embryo

At the end of four weeks:

 Embryo is 1/4 inch in length
 Heart, digestive system, backbone and spinal cord begin to form
 Placenta (sometimes called "afterbirth") begins developing
 The single fertilized egg is now 10,000 times larger than size at conception

 Now one month old, the embryo is 10,000 times larger than the original fertilized egg and is
developing rapidly
At the end of 8 weeks:
 Embryo is 1 1/8 inches in length
 Eyes, nose, lips, tongue, ears and teeth are forming
 Penis begins to appear in boys
 Embryo is moving, although the mother cannot yet feel movement
 Heart is functioning

 By the 8th Week the now-called fetus is a little more than an inch long; the fetus has now
everything found in a fully developed adult

 The heart has been beating for more than a month, the kidneys are functioning; the stomach is
producing digestive juices; and it responds to touch.

 At Week 9 the tiny one has fingerprints and will curve its hand around an object placed in its
palm
 By Week 10 the fetus can squint, swallow, and wrinkle its forehead
 At the 11th week, the fetus is now about 2 inches long
 Urination occurs
 Muscle movements are becoming more coordinated…
At the end of 12 weeks:
 Fetus is 2 1/2 to 3 inches long
 Weight is about 1/2 to 1 ounce
 Nails start to develop and earlobes are formed
 Fetus develops recognizable form Arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet and toes are fully formed
 Eyes are almost fully developed
 By this stage, a fetus has developed most of his/her organs and tissues
 Fetal heart rate can be heard at 10 weeks with a special Doppler instrument

Now 3 months old, the unborn sleeps, awakens, and exercises its muscles
 It “breathes” amniotic fluid to help develop its respiratory system
Fine hair is growing on the head

At the end of 4 months:

 Fetus is 6 1/2 to 7 inches long
 Weight is about 6 to 7 ounces
 Fetus is developing reflexes suchas sucking and swallowing.
 Fetus may begin sucking his/her thumb
 Tooth buds are developing
 Sweat glands are forming on palms and soles
 Fingers and toes are well defined
 Sex is identifiable
 Skin is bright pink, transparent and covered with soft, downy hair
 Although recognizably human in appearance, the baby would not be able to survive outside the
mother's body
At the end of 5 months:
 Fetus is 8 to 10 inches long
 Weight is about 1 pound
 Hair begins to grow on his/her head
 Soft woolly hair called lanugo will cover its body (and some may remain until a week after birth
when it is shed)
 Mother begins to feel fetal movement
 Internal organs are maturing
 Eyebrows, eyelids and eyelashes appear

 The fetus at 5 months is now about 12 inches long

 There is definite movement felt by the mother
 The unborn may jump in reactions to startling or loud noises

At the end of 6 months:

 Fetus is 11 to 14 inches long
 Weight is about 1 3/4 to 2 pounds
 Eyelids begin to part and eyes open occasionally for short periods of time
 Skin is covered with protective coating called vernix
 Fetus is able to hiccup

At the 6th month oil and sweat glands are now functioning
 The delicate skin is protected from the fetal waters by a special ointment called “vernix”
 Born now and given proper care,
the baby would survive…
At the end of 7 months:
 Fetus is 14 to 16 inches long
 Weight is about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds
 Taste buds have developed
 Fat layers are forming
 Organs are maturing
 Skin is still wrinkled and redIf born at this time, he/she will be considered a premature baby and
require special care

 This is about the time that a premature baby can survive outside the womb, given proper medical
treatment
 This little boy, here 7 weeks after birth, was born when his mother was only 25 weeks pregnant

At Month 7 the baby now uses the four senses of hearing, vision, taste, and touch
 The child can respond to his or her mother’s voice

At the end of 8 months:

Fetus is 16 1/2 to 18 inches long
Weight is about 4 to 6 pounds
Overall growth is rapid this month
Tremendous brain growth occurs at this time
Most body organs are now developed with the exception of the lungs
Movements or "kicks" are strong enough to be visible from the outside
Kidneys are mature
Skin is less wrinkled
Fingernails now extend beyond fingertips
  In the 8th month the skin begins to thicken with a layer of fat stored underneath for insulation
and nourishment
 Antibodies increasingly build up

 Most body organs are now developed

 With the exception of the lungs
 Movements or "kicks" are
 Strong enough to be visible from the outside

34 Weeks

 The fetus is about 12 inches long and weighs about 4½ pounds

 Ears begin to hold shape
 Eyes open during alert times and close during sleep
 Almost all babies born at this age will survive
 36 Weeks

 The fetus is about 12 to 13 inches long and weighs about 5½ to 6 pounds

 Scalp hair is silky and lies against the head
 Muscle tone has developed and the fetus can turn and lift its head
 Almost all babies born at this age will survive

38 Weeks

 The fetus is about 13½ to 14 inches long and weighs about 6½ pounds
 Lungs are usually mature
 The fetus can grasp firmly
 The fetus turns toward light sources
 Almost all babies born at this age will survive

 Baby is now fully developed and can survive outside the mother's body
 Skin is pink and smooth
 He/she settles down lower in the abdomen in preparation for birth and may seem less
active

40 Weeks

 The fetus is about 18 to 20 inches long and may weigh about 7½ pounds
 At the time of birth, a baby has more than 70 reflex behaviors, which are automatic behaviors
necessary for survival
 The baby is full-term and ready to be born
 toward the end of this month the baby is ready for birth
 by this time the infant normally weighs 6 to 9 pounds, and his or her heart is pumping 300 gallons
of blood per day.
Prenatal Development
 Important to understand the growth of a human fetus
 Follow the development from conception to birth
 Introduction to the birth process

THE MIRACLE OF LIFE

 Hazards to Prenatal Development
Teratogen: any agent that can cause a birth defect or negatively alter cognitive and behavioral outcomes

• Drugs (prescription, nonprescription)

• Incompatible blood types
• Environmental pollutants
• Infectious diseases
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Maternal stress
• Advanced age of parent
• Severity of damage to the unborn depends on:
• Dose
• Genetic susceptibility
• Time of exposure
• Critical period: a fixed time period during which certain experiences or events
can have a long-lasting effect on development
• Prescription and Non-prescription Drugs:
– Many women are given drugs while pregnant
• Some are safe; some can cause devastating birth defects
– Known prescription teratogens
Include antibiotics, some antidepressants, some hormones, and Accutane
– Non-prescription teratogens
Include aspirin and diet pills
 Psychoactive Drugs: drugs that act on the nervous system to alter states of consciousness,
modify perceptions, and change moods
– Includes caffeine, alcohol, nicotine
 Caffeine:
– small risk of miscarriage and low birth weight for those consuming more than 150 mg.
daily
– Increased risk of fetal death for those consuming more than 300 mg. daily
– FDA recommends not consuming caffeine or consuming it sparingly
 Alcohol:
– Fetal alcohol syndrome: abnormalities in newborn due to mother’s heavy use of alcohol
in pregnancy
 Facial deformities
 Defective limbs, face, heart
 Most have below-average intelligence; some are mentally retarded
– Even light to moderate drinking during pregnancy has been associated with negative
effects on the fetus
FDA recommends no alcohol consumption during pregnancy
• Nicotine:
– Maternal smoking can negatively influence prenatal development, birth, and postnatal
development
– Associated with:
• Preterm births and low birth weight
• Fetal and neonatal death
• Respiratory problems
• SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)
• ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
• Illegal drugs that harm during pregnancy:
– Cocaine
– Methamphetamine( crystalline hydrochloride)
– Marijuana
 – Heroin
• Incompatible blood types (Rh factor)
– Can cause mother’s immune system to produce antibodies that will attack the fetus
• Environmental hazards:
– Radiation
– Environmental pollutants and toxic wastes
• Maternal Diseases:
– Sexually transmitted diseases (syphilis(very serious disease spread through sexual
intercourse), genital herpes(affecting genitalia), AIDS(a serious of the immune system
that is caused by infection with a virus)(acquired immune deficiency syndrom)
– Rubella( German measles)
– Diabetes
• Maternal factors:
– Maternal diet and nutrition
– Maternal age
– Emotional states and stress
• Paternal factors:
– Exposure to teratogens
– Paternal age
Prenatal Care
• Prenatal care typically includes:
– Screening for manageable conditions and treatable diseases
– Medical care
– Educational, social, and nutritional services
• Centering Pregnancy: relationship-centered program
• Importance of prenatal care
The Birth Process
• Childbirth Setting and Attendants:
– 99% of deliveries take place in hospitals
– Home delivery or freestanding birth center
– Compared to doctors, midwives:
• Typically spend more time than doctors counseling and educating patients
• Provide more emotional support
• Are typically present during the entire labor and delivery process
– Doulas provide continuous physical, emotional, and educational support for mother
before, during, and after childbirth
Methods of Childbirth
• Key choices involve use of medication and when to have a cesarean delivery
• Typical pain medication:
– Analgesia: pain relief
– Anesthesia: blocks sensation in an area of the body (can also block consciousness)
• Epidural block
– Oxytocics: synthetic hormones used to stimulate contractions
• Other natural techniques used to reduce pain:
– Waterbirth: giving birth in a tub of warm water
– Massage
– Acupuncture: insertion of very fine needles into specific locations in the body
– Hypnosis: the induction of a psychological state of altered attention and awareness
– Music therapy: utilizes music to reduce stress and manage pain
• Cesarean Delivery: the baby is removed from the mother’s uterus through an incision made in the
abdomen
– Often used if baby is in breech position or other complications arise
– Cesareans involve a higher infection rate, longer hospital stays, and a longer recovery
time
 – Rate of cesarean births has increased dramatically in recent years
• Better identification of complications
• Increase in overweight and obese mothers
• Extra caution by doctors to avoid lawsuits
Transition from Fetus to Newborn
• Birth process is stressful for baby
– Anoxia: a condition in which the fetus has an insufficient supply of oxygen
– Baby secretes adrenaline and noradrenalin, hormones that are secreted in stressful
circumstances
• Measuring neonatal health and responsiveness:
– Apgar Scale: assessed at 1 minute and 5 minutes after birth
• evaluates heart rate, body color, muscle tone, respiratory effort, and reflex
irritability
• 10 is highest, 3 or below indicates an emergency

• Measuring neonatal health and responsiveness:

– Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS):
• Typically performed within 24–36 hours after birth
• Assesses newborn’s neurological development, reflexes, and reactions to people
and objects
– Low scores can indicate brain damage or other difficulties
– Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS):
• Provides a more comprehensive analysis of newborn’s behavior, neurological
and stress responses, and regulatory capacities
• Assesses the “at-risk” infant
Preterm and Low Birth Weight Infants
• Preterm and Small-for-Date Infants:
– Low birth weight infants weigh less than 5 ½ lbs. at birth
– Preterm infants are those born three weeks or more before full term
– Small-for-date infants are those whose birth weight is below normal when the length of
the pregnancy is considered
• Rate of preterm births has increased
– Number of births to mothers 35 years and older
– Rates of multiple births
– Management of maternal and fetal conditions
– Substance abuse
– Stress
• Causes of low birth weight:
– Poor health and nutrition
– Cigarette smoking
 – Adolescent births
– Use of drugs
– Multiple births/reproductive technology
– Improved technology and prenatal care
• Possible consequences:
– Language development delays
– Lower IQ scores
– Brain injury
– Lung or liver diseases
– More behavioral problems
– Learning disabilities
– ADHD(attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
– Breathing problems (asthma)
– Approximately 50% are enrolled in special education programs
• Some effects can be improved with:
– Early speech therapy
– Intensive enrichment programs
– Kangaroo care, massage therapy, and breast feeding
• Kangaroo Care: treatment for preterm infants that involves skin to skin contact
• Massage: research conducted by Tiffany Field
The Postpartum Period
• Postpartum period lasts about six weeks or until the mother’s body has completed its adjustment
and has returned to a nearly pre-pregnant state
• Physical Adjustments:
– Fatigue
– Hormone changes
– Return to menstruation
– Involution: process by which the uterus returns to its pre-pregnant size 5–6 weeks after
birth
– Weight loss/return to exercise
• Emotional and Psychological Adjustments:
– Emotional fluctuations are common
– “Baby Blues” experienced by 70% of new mothers in the U.S.
• Typically resolves in 1–2 weeks, without treatment
– Postpartum Depression
• Excessive sadness, anxiety, and despair that lasts for two weeks or longer
• Experienced by 10% of new mothers
• Hormonal changes after birth may play a role
• May affect mother–child interactions
• A Father’s Adjustment:
– many fathers feel that the baby gets all of the mother’s attention
– parents should set aside time to be together
– father’s reaction is improved if he has taken childbirth classes and is an active participant
in the baby’s care
• Bonding: the formation of a connection, especially a physical bond, between parents and the
newborn in the period shortly after birth
– Isolation of premature babies and use of drugs in birth process may harm bonding
process
– Bonding may be a critical component in the child’s development
• However, close contact in the first few days may not be necessary
– Most hospitals offer a rooming-in arrangement while mother and child are in the hospital
From INFANCY until ADULTHOOD

 INFANCY

- Birth to 1 year old

- From Latin, infans:
‘nonspeaking being’
- Crying: language of the infant

INFANCY24-25
2 stages:
Partunate: birth to 15-30 minutes after birth
Neonate: from cutting and tying of the umbilical cord to approximately the end of the 2nd week of
postnatal life.

Characteristics of INFANCY

 Shortest of all developmental periods

 time of radical adjustment
 a plateau in development
 preview of latter period of development
 hazardous period

Maturational Crisis

 Separation at birth
 Separation from symbiotic relationship

Accident prevention: 21-23

accidents are the second leading cause of death in this age group

Aspiration/Suffocation:

 Avoid propping bottles

 Keep small objects out of reach
 check toys for small parts or share edges
 close pins when changing diapers
 keep plastic bags away

Falls: never leave child on elevated surface unattended; keep crib rails up

Burns: check water temperatures before washing/bathing; keep hot substances away from infant
(cigarette ashes, coffee, etc)

BABYHOOD

2nd week to the first 2 years

Toddler: (1-3 years)

- A baby who has achieved enough body control to be relatively independent the most trying time
for parents

Freud: 3 years old is the most “critical” period of growth and development
Characteristics:

 Learns to walk with varying degrees of proficiency

 Learns to take solid foods and have achieved a responsible physiological stability
 Learns to control elimination of body wastes
 can pronounce words the words they use
 can comprehend the meaning of simple statements or commands
 there is a rapid development of the nervous system, the ossification of the bones and the
strengthening of the muscles

Socialization:

15 months
- Resistant in sitting in laps
- Wants to move independently
18 months
- Imitates parent behavior
- Dawdling and ritualistic behavior
- Temper tantrums may be used to control and manipulate others especially when desired is thwarted
18-24 months
- Learns to undress self may be attached to transitional
objects, such as favorite blanket or stuffed animals possessive of own toys

Accident Prevention

Falls
- Climbs over side rails
- Change to regular bed
- Climb stairs; use safety gates
- Supervise at playgrounds
- Keep poison and sharp objects out of reach; lock up
- Supervise when near cars, use care safety seats

Burns

- Cover electrical outlets

- Don’t leave unattended in bath tub, near hot stove, fireplace, etc
- Teach child what “hot” means

Common Emotional Patterns

- Fear
- Anger
- Curiosity
- Joy
- Affection

CHILDHOOD
- Begins when the relative dependency of babyhood is over at approximately the age of two years
and extends to the time when the child becomes sexually mature

CHILDREN

- become ‘different people’ from what they were earlier

- It is the difference in their psychological make-up rather than the difference in their physical make-
up; this justifies dividing this long span of years into two subdivisions: early and late
EARLY CHILDHOOD

2-6 year old

Preschool period: preschooler
Characteristics
Problem age or troublesome age - young children are developing distinctive personalities and
demanding an independence which in most cases is incapable of handling successfully.

Toy age
- They spend much of their waking time playing with toys
- Studies showed that toy play reaches its peak during early childhood and decreases when they
reach school age.

Educators: preschool age

even when they go to nursery or kindergarten, they are labelled preschooler rather than school
children; the pressure and expectations are very different they will enter formal school.

Pregang age: this is the time when the child is learning the foundations of social behavior as a
preparation for a more highly organized social life.
Exploratory age: children want to know what their environment is, how it works, and how they can
be part of it.
Questioning age: one common way of exploring in through questions
Imitative age: they like to imitate speeches and actions of others
Creative age: they show more creativity in their play during early childhood

Socialization
- Capable of sharing
- Dresses self completely
- Maybe physically aggressive
- Boasts and tattles
- Learn appropriate social manners

Sexuality
- Knows sex differences by 3 years
- Imitates masculine or feminine behaviors, gender identity well-established by 6 years
- Sexual curiosity and exploration; masturbation is normal; curios about anatomical differences and
seeks to “investigate” them.

Guidelines to caregivers:
- Assess what the child already knows when she asks a question
- Answer questions simply, honesty and matter-of-factly (avoid detailed explanations)
- Use correct terminology

Accident Prevention
- Motor vehicle accidents: teach stress safety measures
- Drowning: teach child to swim; supervise if near pools, lakes and other bodies of water
- Burns: teach child not play with matches or lights; supervise if near fireplace; teach child how to
escape from burning home
- Strangers: teach the child not to talk to strangers

Maturational Crisis Stressors:

- Giving up certain pleasures

- Conforming to social demands
- Separation and autonomy
-Gender and sexual identity
LATE CHILDHOOD : School Age

6-12 years: or by the time the child becomes sexually mature)

SCHOOL: the institution in society specifically designed as the formal instrument for educating
children

Purpose: to help each child develops his/her potential to the fullest, including helping him/her
develop his/her sense of industry

CHARACTERISTICS

Elementary school age: they are expected to acquire the rudiments of knowledge and learn certain
skills both curricular and extra curricular

Gang age: the time when the children’s major concern is acceptance by their age mates, and
membership in the gang, especially the gang with prestige in the eyes of their age mates

Play age: it is the breadth of the play interests and activities rather than the time spent in play that is
responsible in giving the name play age to late childhood

Elementary school age: they are expected to acquire the rudiments of knowledge and learn certain
skills both curricular and extra curricular

Gang age: the time when the children’s major concern is acceptance by their age mates, and
membership in the gang, especially the gang with prestige in the eyes of their age mates

Play age: it is the breadth of the play interests and activities rather than the time spent in play that is
responsible in giving the name play age to late childhood

Quarrelsome age: both sexes are more apt to name callings and physical attacks

Critical period in the achievement drive: time when a child forms the habit of being achiever,
under achiever or below achiever; the formed habits tend to persist in the adulthood

Play: Cooperative, Team

Purpose: to learn to bargain, cooperate; compromise; to increase social skills; to develop logical
reasoning abilities

Types of Toys:
Entertainment: play figures, trains, models, kits, games, jigsaw puzzles, magic tricks

Books: joke and comic books; storybooks, adventure, mystery

TV, video games, records, radio, riding a bicycle

Organized activities: sports, scouts, camping

Socialization
- Prefers friends to family; life is centered around school and friends
- Relationships with adults other than parents in increasing importance
- Has increasing social sensitivity: learns to empathize and sympathize
- More cooperative, improve manners

Maturational Crisis Stressors:

- Separation from the nurturing person

- Interaction with new authority figures
- Formation of peer relationships
- Group cooperation
 PUBERTY
Latin: pubertas = ‘age of manhood/womanhood’
- Stage of development during which maturation of the sexual apparatus occurs and reproductive
capacity is attained
- It is attained by changes in somatic growth and psychological perspective

3 stages of Puberty

Prepubescent stage (immature stage): one who is no longer a child but not yet an adolescent

Pubescent stage (mature stage): occurs at the dividing line between childhood and adolescence

Post pubescent stage: the secondary sex characteristics become well developed and the sex
organs begin to function in a mature manner

Characteristics

- Puberty is an overlapping period: it encompasses the changing years of childhood and the beginning
years of adolescence (pubescent children; young adults)
- Puberty is a short period
- Puberty is a negative phase
- Puberty is a variable age

Determinant Criteria

Male

 Nocturnal emission; production of spermatozoa

 Increase of the size of genitalia
 Swelling of breast
 Growth of pubic, auxiliary, facial and chest hair
 Voice changes
 Increase in shoulder breadth

Female

 Menarche (1st menstrual period)

 Increase is transverse diameter of pelvic
 Development of breasts
 Growth of public and auxiliary hair

A’s of Happiness in Puberty

Acceptance

Affection

Achievement

Common Effects of Puberty Changes on Attitudes and Behavior

 Desires for the isolation

 Boredom
 In coordination
 Social antagonism
 Heightened emotionality
  Loss of self-confidence
 Excessive modesty

ADOLESCENCE

12-19 years old

Latin, adolescere: ‘to grow or to grow to maturity’

- The age when the individual becomes integrated into the society of adults

- The age when the child no longer feels that he/she is below the level of his/her elders but equal at least
in rights

ADOLESCENCE

2 periods:

Early adolescence:
13-16 or years old ‘teens’ or even as the ‘terrible teens’

Late adolescence:
From then until 18 years old ‘young men or young women’

CHARACTERISTICS

- Transitional period

- Period of change

- Heightened emotionally

- Accompanied by sexual maturity

- Change in behavior and interests

- Dreaded age(fearful age)

- Time of unrealism

- Threshold of adulthood

Socialization with adults

- May resent authority
- Wishes to be different from parents; may ridicule them
- Develops crushes on adults outside the family

with Peers
- Over identifies with group; same dress, same ethical codes
- has close friendships with members of the same sex
- Develops heterosexual relationships
- May engage in sexual experimentation
- May be sexually active

Common Reasons for Dating

Recreation
Socialization
Status
Courtship
Mate selection
Recreation, Leisure Activity: Expanding Variety
Parties, dances
Movies, day dreaming
Video games
Telephone convention
Sports, games
Jigsaw or crossword puzzle

Accident Prevention
Motor vehicle accident (enroll in diver-training programs)
Drowning: teach water safety
Sports injuries: educate for prevention
Alcohol and drug abuse: education
Suicide: be alert for signs of depression

Maturation Crisis:
Change in body image
Consolidation of psychosexual identity
Heterosexual relationships
Educational demands
Parent-child separation
Independence from parental support

ADULTHOOD

Latin, adults: ‘grown to full size and strength or mature’

- Longest period in the total life span

Subdivisions
Early adulthood: 18 - approximately age 40 years old
Middle adulthood: 40 and extends to age 60
Late adulthood or old age or senescence: 60 – death

EARLY ADULTHOOD 18-40 years old

CHARACTERISTICS

 ‘Reproductive’ age
 ‘Settling down’ age
 ‘Problem’ age
 Period of emotional tension
 period of social isolation
 Time of value changes
 Creative age

Maturation Crisis

 Preparation for work and career

 Pursuit of career goals
 Psychological maturity
 Commitment of intimate relationships or parenthood
 Marital or other intimate relationships
 Sexual relationships
 Childbearing and child rearing
 Independence and interdependence

MIDDLE AGE 40-60 years old

2 subdivisions
 Early middle age : 40-50 years old
  Advanced middle age : 50-60 years old

CHARACTERISTICS

 Dreaded period
 Time of transition
 Dangerous age
 Awkward age
 Time of achievement
 Time of evaluation
 Time of boredom

Maturation Crisis

 Launching of children or ‘empty-nest syndrome’

 Work stressors: promotion, end of the line, loss of job, retirement
 Illness or death of a person
 Physical changes
 Changes in marital status

LATE ADULTHOOD: OLD AGE

 Closing period of the life span

 60 years old : dividing line between middle and old age

Subdivisions

Early old age : 60-70 years old

Advanced old age : 70 - extends to the end of life

CHARACTERISTICS

 Period of decline
 There are individual differences in the effects of aging
 Aging requires role changes
 There are many stereotypes of the aged(unfairly all people)
 The aged has minority group status
 The desire for rejuvenation is widespread in old age

Maturational Crisis

 Unproductive, less valued role of the retiree

 Declining physical health
 Adaptation to chronic health problems
 Loss of spouse and peers
 Economic problems
 Loss of independence