Developmental Tasks of Later Maturity Robert Havighurst’s Developmental Tasks

Developmental Tasks

Description Passed or Failed

Justification

1. Adjusting to decreasing physical strength and health

Older adults also have to adjust to decreasing physical strength and health. The prevalence of chronic and acute diseases increase in old age. Thus, older adults may be confronted with life situations that are characterized by not being in perfect health,serious illness and dependency on people.

Passed Our patient is aware about his health and is very cooperative on the student nurses who provide care to him. He is cooperative in a way that he follows the student nurses in procedures like removing the catheter. Also, when giving meds, he does not refuse in taking the due meds given to him.

2. Adjusting to retirement and reduced income

A central developmental task that characterized the transition into old age is adjustment to retirement. The period after retirement has to be filled with new projects, but is characterized by few valid cultural guidelines. The achievement of this task may be obstructed by the management of another task, living in a reduced income after retirement.

Passed Our patient is not receiving pension but gets his income from his farm (banana plantation) and his photo studio. He is a photographer by experience according to his grandchildren. His annual income at his photo studio is 200,000 pesos.

3. Adjusting to death of a spouse

Older adults may become caregivers to their spouses. Some older adults have to adjust to the death of their

Passed When asked, the patient stated that his wife is already dead. He accepts that he is now a widow. His deceased wife's name is Susanna. She died on

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spouses. After they have lived with a spouse for many decades, widowhood may force older people to adjust to loneliness, moving to a smaller place,and learning about business matters.

November 7, 2005 due to cancer (not specified). They had 9 children.

4. Establishing an explicit affiliation with one's aged group

The development of a large part of the population into old age is historically recent phenomenon to modern cities. Thus, advancements understanding of the aging process may lead to identifying further developmental tasks associated with gains and purposeful lives for adults.

Passed Our patient is a member of PHIC and a congregation of Jehovah's witnesses in Panabo City. According to him, they have 7 congregations in Panabo and it is composed of 100 members per congregation. In their congregation, their focus is on teaching the good news of Jehovah. He also mentioned that he has friends of the same age group namely Helson Daclan who delivers meds and Oscar Emier.

5. Meeting social and civil obligations

Older people might accumulate knowledge about life, and thus may contribute to the development of younger people and the society.

Passed Our patient tells stories about his childhood life to his grandchildren. He shares experiences to them which served as a guide and lesson.

6. Establishing satisfactory physical living arrangements

Oder adults are generally challenged to create positive sense of their lives as a whole. The feeling that life has order and meaning results in happiness.

Passed Our patient lives in a subdivision in a Panabo City together with his daughter. According to him, his daughter is the only one who is not married among his children. All eight had their own families nonetheless he sometimes would visit them.

 

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Eric Erikson’s Developmental Task

Integrity vs. Despair                   Erikson felt that much of life is preparing for the middle adulthood stage and

the last stage recovering from it. Perhaps that is because as older adults we can often

look back on our lives with happiness and are contented, feeling fulfilled with a deep

sense that life has meaning and we've made contribution to life, a feeling Erikson called

integrity. On the other hand, some adults may reach this stage and despair at their

experiences and perceived failure.

                  Our patient achieved happiness and contentment in his life based on his

actions and speeches. He is faithful and devoted to his religion. When asked what his

principle in life he said is, “Mamatay man kun buhi, mapabilin kay Jehovah”. He is ready

to accept death completely and he has shared his experiences to his beloved

grandchildren. Even though he accepted death fully but his faith and love for his

worshipped God never changed.

 

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