Tyrone is just 40 years of age, just into the period of middle adulthood. He has had a hard time finding someone to be with him as a life partner, but he has recently started to date a woman who he met through a mutual friend. The two enjoy one another's company and have similar interests.
Tyrone still enjoys spending time with his father, and the two have remained close. Tyrone is worried as his dad has started to develop some signs of Alzheimer's disease; Tyrone knows that it has been in the family in various ways. That fact seems to have sharpened Tyrone's sense of urgency regarding his love interest. Tyrone has begun to think about what life might be like without his father, and he can't bear the thought.
* Describe the developmental period of middle adulthood and what changes one might expect at this time.
* Describe some effects of the onset of Alzheimer's on immediate family members of the individual affected.
* What resources are available in the community for Tyrone should he need to find care for his father as Alzheimer's progresses?
Questions from Group 6-
ReplyDelete1. How did Tyrone and his father cope with the death of Tyrone's mother?
2. Although Tyrone is starting to become involved with a woman, does he spend time with any friends to form a sense of loving relationships?
3. Is the woman who he is seeing interested in as serious as a relationship as Tyrone at this point in her life?
1.) Middle Adulthood is a life stage that is categorized between the ages of 35-64. Attitudes are of main concern during the stage.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to physical changes:
- visible signs are apparent: gray/thinning hair, wrinkles, need for glasses, hearing loss, etc.
-internal changes: decline in the major organs (heart, lungs, digestive system, etc.)
- secondary changes begin to occur during this stage ( changes that are the result of unhealthy behavior that includes: smoking, drug use, unhealthy eating, etc.)
- Doctors say that exercise is the key to staying healthy while aging.
In regards to cognitive changes:
- psychological researchers say that some parts of intelligence (like vocabulary) actually increase throughout the years up until age 60.
- there are two different kinds of intelligence:
- crystallized: which is stored knowledge gained from experience and education and increases with age.
- fluid: which is the ability to process new concepts and facts quickly and creatively and peaks during adolescence while starting to decline between the ages of 30-4-.
- Middle adulthood is a time when many have obtained a occupational expertise that makes them exceptionally more qualified and competent then younger adults, which means that most are at the peak of their careers .
- Middle Adulthood is also a time where people are forced to manage a variety family issues (like having several kids in different ages, financial issues, ill parents, etc.) along with new and growing responsibilities at work.
- However, most people during this age group have figured out how to manage their stress because of their vast amount of experience as well as complex thinking, higher levels of instinct and adaptability.
In regards to emotional changes:
- most people think of middle adulthood and immediately think of people having “midlife crisis’s” and having all of these fluctuating emotions and feelings about life, however most researchers say differently.
- Most individuals in this stage have acquired meaningful relationships, have fewer problems with their children and have better relationships with their own parents.
- Researchers say that those who do experience a “midlife crisis” have actually stemmed from a personality trait where one might have difficulty coping with change.
(2011). Middle adulthood developmental psychology. All Psychology Careers. Retrieved on December 1, 2011, from http://www.allpsychologycareers.com/topics/middle-adulthood-development.html.
2.) Alzheimer’s is a very progressive disease that affects not only the person afflicted but also the family members and people who are involved with this person’s life. Those who are involved may feel angry, frustrated, depressed or sad when their loved one’s personality as well as their behavior changes. Communicating becomes harder and they aren’t able to remember meaningful occurrences from the past that mean a lot to everyone. Loved ones may experience grief and think that they’re loved one has been replaced by a stranger. If the family is providing care then that is even more demanding and an even harder situation. The caregiver often feels anger, guilt, frustration and discouragement as well as worry and often experiences social isolation. They have also been seen to be overwhelmed and tired the majority of the time and are often have a fluctuating weight and are more likely to experience depression, anxiety and other stress-related physical conditions. Conflicts are very common among family. As Alzheimer’s is a disease that is very hard to read sometimes it can be hard to make a distinction if their acting on their own term’s or the disease’s which can be a problem when dealing with financial things. Since Tyrone is ultimately the only family his father has then this will definitely be a huge responsibility for Tyrone and may be very hard for him to handle.
ReplyDeleteBrinkley, M. (2011). Effects of Alzheimer’s disease on the family. Livestrong. Retrieved on December 1, 2011, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/109140-effects-alzheimers-disease-family/.
3.) There are many places in the community where Tyrone could seek help and care for his father’s Alzheimer’s. There are over 95 Alzheimer communities in Virginia. There is one retirement home in Harrisonburg, called SunnySide that has a relatively large Alzheimer’s care unit. There are several local companies that can either help with care giving regarding individuals with Alzheimer’s or lead you to a place that can help. Those companies include: White Birch Estates, Dutch Haven Adult Care Residence, Harrisonburg Health &Rehab Center, RMH Home Health Care, First Choice Hm Services Inc., Continuing Care Hh Services, and Rockingham Memorial Hospital Hospice. The Loyalton of Harrisonburg and Emeritus Senior Living are two more facilities in Harrisonburg that provide Alzheimer’s care. Considering the vast amount of responsibility that caring for an individual with Alzheimer’s requires and the goals that Tyrone still has for his life, we would strongly urge him to consider getting some help so that he doesn’t have to deal with this on his own and won’t have as much added stress.
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