Ageism

Ageing in a universal phenomena. The changes that ageing brings are also universal. We have many theories regarding the different stages in lifespan psychology. “Ageing is accumulation of changes in individual over time.”

According to Wikipedia, At the time of conception, when an individual comes into being the ageing process start.

Because with each new day coming in, he/she is ageing. It should be differentiated with the misconception where the word ageing is misunderstood with old age. Ageing means growing across time, quality and quantity.

The changes in ageing process can be discussed in physical, cognitive, social, cultural, moral and emotional perspectives. Different theories explain the ageing process and they also discuss what changes ageing brings in what way. Let us clear these changes according to different theories.

According to Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory, there are four stages – Sensorimotor stage, preoperational stage, concrete operational stage, Formal operational stage. All these stages tell us how physical, cognitive, social, cultural and emotional changes occur when the individual is ageing from conception till last stage.

Then there is a beautiful theory by Erik Erikson – Theory of Psychosocial Changes which describes Eight Crisis situations which exist throughout lifespan. These are as follows:

1. Trust vs mistrust

2. Autonomy vs Shame

3. Initiative vs Guilt

4. Industry vs Inferiority

5. Identity vs Role Confusion

6. Intimacy vs Isolation

7. Generativity vs Stagnation

8. Ego integrity vs Despair.

These crisis situations tell us how an individual through the process of ageing changes in psychosocial terms.

Lawrence Kohlberg gave theory of moral reasoning. According to this theory, a child goes through morality stages during the process of ageing. These stages are as follows:

Level 1 Pre-conventional Morality

Stage 1 Punishment orientation

Stage 2 Reward orientation

Level 2 Conventional Morality

Stage 1 God boy/good girl orientation

Stage 2 Authority orientation

Level 3 Post Conventional Morality

Stage 1 Social contract orientation

Stage 2 Ethical principle orientation.

These stages also serves universal phenomena of moral development during ageing process.

Above theories discuss ageing process in terms of cognitive changes, psychosocial changes and moral development.

Let us now disucss what physical changes an individual goes through during ageing process.

Physical Changes During Ageing Process

Physical changes during ageing process are much evident. When an infant is born, he is so small. It grows daily and gains height, weight. He shed dead cells daily and gains vitality. Slowly we see the infant growing into a child, then a teenager, then early adult, then middle adults and then finally older adult. In the early adult period, the teenager achieves puberty and such physical changes are constant and keep adding value to vitality of an individual . Such physical changes are in positive direction until the maximum possible height is gained.

After a certain limit, when full growth of an individual is complete, there comes a time when the physical growth starts deteriorating and decline starts with middle age and late adulthood. Then decrease in height and weight starts. There are some disease which starts developing in late adulthood. Therefore proper health and lifestyle changes are required for physical well being. When these physical changes take place, they do not take place alone, relative cognitive, social, emotional, cultural changes take place as well.

Women are generally obsessed with their physical image. They are seen worrying about loss of elasticity of skin, wrinkles, increased weight, vision problems etc. while men are distressed with loss of function physically and cognitively. They lack in decisiveness with age.

Ageing can cause some decline in cell multiplication and also cause cells to work less efficiently and leads to variety of immune system disorders in late adulthood.

There are few things which can help handle ageing issues. These are:

1. Exercise

2. Healthy diet

3. Lifestyle changes

4. Regular check-ups

5. Proper treatment

6. Spirituality

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