The human development solely depends on the results of the diverse stages that occur in a human being. These stages start from the conception of a newborn until the day of death. Biological and sociological inheritance faced by an individual determines these stages of development. From the child’s conception to the death, the human being undergoes various stages to address and portray clear effects of the aging. The extended childhood, rapid maturity, gradually declining mental function and a post-productive period characterizes the development and growth in human. Various advancements occur that characterize these stages. For example, the proper use human bodies, development of relationships, ability to communicate and work, and possession of feelings to experience love. The unfolding about the development in human’s lifespan determines the problems that human experience in life. Therefore, an individual should not concentrate on possessing the knowledge about the human aging and the stereotypes associated with it. However, many different individuals have had diverse views on development stages and most particularly on the menopause and death. The development stages relate to journey from a point to another that involves various challenges (Oxford Handbook of Human Development and aging 424).
According to the theory of Gero transcendence, the process toward Gero transcendence characterizes the life of the human being living at old age. The process involves the development of on individual where gradual changes on their basic conceptions occur at a certain point through their life. These changes enhance a shift from their initial approach of defining reality. Normal the point at which these changes occur is during the middle age of a person. At this stage, there is an effective shift of the approaches of defining the reality. At middle age, the individuals base the definition on materialistic and rational vision. The aging people at this age have a more transcendent and a comic vision. The transcendent vision also involves the changes in the sense of perception of time. As such, there is creation of the boundaries between different times, for example, to distinguish the past, from the present and the future. The perception also extends to the boundaries between the individual and others may become indistinct. These boundaries at old age become insignificant. The old people do not have rational thinking hence do not clearly make distinctions between different situations such as the time, oneself, and others (Oxford Handbook of Human Development and aging, 425).
The individual with the transcendent perspective at middle age are likely to experiences a need to mediate at much times and concentrate less on material things and interaction at old age. To the old people, they concentrate more on the spiritual world. An old person experienced on the Gero transcendence pity with the middle-aged generations captured by the material conception about the world spending their time on trivial things. The new approach of life requires a change in the existing perception of life such as a change in meta-perspective. The new meta-perspective enhances the understanding about the declining interest in the superficial interaction and the material things. According to the writer of the theory, this shift of meta-perspective is a normal development to all individuals. However, the shift does not occur naturally but conditioned by the personal genetics. The result of the natural wisdom on the process of maturity is the theory of Gero transcendence. The natural process is a common phenomenon to all elderly people. Therefore, the meta-perspective shift enhances the satisfaction in life. The cultural characteristics obstruct the development towards the gerotranscendence. However, the degree of obstruction is high where the culture has an admiration of rationalism for example, in western culture.
Aging in the human development is the accumulation of different changes that occur in human cells and tissues with advanced age. These changes increase the risks of disease and death. Different major theories concerning aging specifically describe a particular cause of aging. They provide useful and insights information to the understanding of the age-related physiological changes. The perception of aging leads to discrimination based on age. In all stages of development, there exist the discrimination, but it is mostly in the stage with older people. Following the prejudice, many compel and force elders to retire regardless of their urge to work. Various stereotypes exist that associate ageism with the older people. However, there exist no reliable truth on the stereotypes and the ageism.
Biological scientists provide the proof on the aging. The human strength and endurance is at the peak when an individual attains twenties. Then the strength and endurance start declining at different rates depending on the lifestyle of an individual. At the late adulthood age, an individual experiences diverse physiological and mental alterations. Additionally, other body changes occur at old age such as ineffective circulatory, respiratory, and change in the gastrointestinal system. Equally, there is mass diminishing of the bone particularly on women. The effects of such bone diminish in bones leads to bodily complications such as osteoporosis.
Other theories and stereotypes on aging exist such as the belief that older people are senile. Such belief denotes that the human five senses repress during old age. As such, the older people lack the capacity and interest in several activities like sex. These people often faced by a feeling for miseries. In addition, the older people tend to be more religious but they are poor learners and illnesses increases. These changes in the composition of the body account for the large majority decline in metabolism. However, other claims suggest that the composition of the body does not account for the weight gain associated with the process of aging. The amount of energy, for example, used by the heart, liver, lungs, among others decreases with aging. Physical exercises affect the composition of the body and metabolism during the process of aging process. The lager number of individuals gradually reduces the physical activity with aging. The reduced level of the physical activities further reduces the amount of energy in calories that the body needs to maintain its weight. Therefore, these age-related changes correlate to the reasons that the average fifty-year-old woman needs less amount of energy than during the teenage.
Aging effects other metabolism processes of the body such as the respiratory system. As one ages, organs such as the lungs become elastically tired, and the chest wall becomes stiff. Equally, the expansion of the human trachea leads to a decreased surface area of the lungs. As such, old people cough forcefully, and this diminishes the ability to clear germs from lungs. The germs accumulate leading to respiratory infections, such as colds mostly to old people (Oxford Handbook of Human Development and aging 427).
Promotion of health and well living during late adulthood is helpful in decreasing the negative impacts of aging. The late adulthood, which starts at the age of sixty-five years. Experts argue that this stage of late adulthood can become lively if an individual gets lifestyle satisfaction. Similarly, people at this late adulthood need advice on developing a resolution between their integrity and despair.
The existence of declining fertility rates and increase in prolonged existence has led to the shifting of population distribution towards the old age groups. Various countries experience various shifts in the demographic aspect due to several factors. Population aging in developed countries has direct impacts on income, work composition, long-term care services, retirement policies, and health expenditure. Longevity may have direct impacts on the economy of a nation. Expenses relating to treatment of the elderly by medicines and pharmaceuticals tend to increase. There tends to be heavy reliance in the private-sector organizations that fund the retired people, as well as a higher rate of private long-term care bankrolling. Population aging arises due to declining birth rates and a rise in life expectancy. Studies suggest that the rate of population that is aging in the 21st century will surpass the rate recorded in previous centuries. Population aging normally reflects in the median and mean ages. A proportion of the population that declines incorporates children and a rise in the proportion is associated with the elderly people. A decline in fertility leads to a reduction in the number of infants. This effect progresses over the years, and the number of young people tends to reduce. Most of the developed countries have adopted sub-replacement potency levels and population growth argues to depend on immigration levels, and population momentum. This impetus usually arises from enjoyment of elongated life expectancy by the preceding generation. Studies suggest that out of the 150,000 people who die across the world each day, two-thirds of them die due to age-related problems. Older people also tend to have more accumulation of wealth and savings than the younger people do. These old people tend to spend less money on consumer goods and services and, therefore, have a direct impact in the economy (Oxford Handbook of Human Development and aging, pgs. 426).
Aging accelerates menopause starting in women. The menopause is the period when the last menstrual period occurs. The body during this period experiences changes across aging. The period begins with several years before the occurrence of the last menstrual period. The change in the level of estrogen and progesterone, are the symptoms of the showing the start of the menopause
The average age of the beginning of menopause in a woman is fifty-years. However, this age may reduce depending on the factors such as health, strength, and the lifestyle. Smoker’s women accelerate their start of menopause at early age. Other factors that may lead to earlier menopause are such as surgery operations (Oxford Handbook of Human Development and aging, 422).
Psychologists have presented various ways to eliminate the negative results of the aging. For example, there are theories associated with improving the effects of aging. The aged people require engagement into physical activities and involvement in various societal activities that creates reliefs from their aged difficulties. These activities create opportunities to the younger generation benefiting the community. The theory of disengagement, however contradicts the other theory of engaging people into constructive activities. The theory emphasizes on better adjustment to the aging. It then advocates the maintenance of the earlier activities of life. Moreover, the opponents of this theory argue that the involvement in active responsibilities ensures maintenance of the normal quality of life in the process of aging. In addition, maintaining the activity of an individual, physically, socially, and mentally prevents negative impacts of aging.
Death is the final stage of the human development. Many people with diverse views show interest associated with death and dying. Many views differently given by different people give diverse concept of the death and dying. However, the society plays an evident role in shaping the different perceptions of the people concerning the death and dying during the stages of human development. The attitude towards the death changes from time to time other than the usual attitude of fear towards the death. In addition, other different attitudes have emerged with change in time and generation. The idea on the death is a human development during the process of aging. At birth, the newborn lacks the idea on the existence of the death. The idea develops during the stages of human development and with different perspectives. Similarly, these views concerning the death vary because of the different stages of human development. For example, the decease of a child is very inappropriate as it leads to the loss of an unexploited human being. Similarly, the death Middle-aged individual is an intense loss of a resourceful human being and the resources used in the growth of a person.
The development of the human being is a process that requires the deep study. The biological processes are insufficient to explain the whole process of development. Theories adopted to explain and provide knowledge on the development may contain biases. In an attempt to explain the different, factor that leads to the existence of different stages of development, the psychologists give and clearly outline their arguments.
Work cited
Oxford Handbook of Human Development and aging pg. 422-433
