Midlife and Older CouplesChapter 13

Midlife and Older Couples

Chapter 13

Chapter OverviewI. Anonymous SurveyII. Introductory “Quiz”III. Thought for the WeekIV. The Middle YearsV. The Golden YearsVI. Critical Thinking

The Elderly1.2.3.

I. Anonymous Survey

II. Introductory “Quiz”

1. Empty nesting is a very stressful time for both parents.

Mostly false. (see p. 398)

2. Most married, middle-aged women report that sex has

gotten better.

True

3. Middle-aged men are more concerned with emotional

expression and companionship than younger men.

True

4. Empty nest couples are more isolated from neighbors, friends, and marital networks than are

parents with children in the home.

False

5. There are more young adults living with parents now than there

were in 1970.

True

6. Unmarried family members spend more time caring for an

elderly family member than married family members.

True

7. About 15% of persons over the age of 65 live in a nursing home.

False

8. For most people, retirement is difficult to adjust to.

False

9. Couples in the retirement stage usually have less money, more

health problems, a higher probability of death, and greater marital satisfaction than those in

the empty nesting stage.True

10. Of those over the age of 75, 66% of the women are widowed and 70% of the men are married.

True

III. Thought for the Week:

CommitmentThis strength is a commitment to the family.

It is a promise of time and energy. Commitment in strong families means that each member reaches his or her potential. It does not mean that the individuals suffer

so that others in the family can grow.

IV. The Middle YearsA. Define “Middle Age”B. StressorsC. Crisis or Opportunity? D. WorkE. SexF. MarriageG. Empty Nest, Spacious Nest, Cluttered NestH. The Sandwich GenerationI. Grandparenting

One middle-aged man described life as a rainbow: At the beginning are infancy, early childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood; around the very highest point of the rainbow are the middle years; and nearing the end of the rainbow are the later years of life. When one reaches the crest of the rainbow, the middle years, one can clearly see the remainder of life for the first time. “When I reached middle age,” the man explained, “I saw the rest of my life clearly. It looked like more of the same old stuff I had grown tired of over the past 10 years. Some People might call it a middle-aged crisis,” he continued. “I thought of it as a middle-aged opportunity, and I’ve been changing steadily ever since.”

III. The Middle YearsA. Define “Middle Age”B. Stressors (p. 390)C. Crisis or Opportunity? D. WorkE. SexF. MarriageG. Empty Nest, Spacious Nest, Cluttered NestH. The Sandwich GenerationI. Grandparenting

D. Work1. Men: Routinization

a. Making the old job fulfillingb. Career changec. Anger

2. Women: a Second Careera. Returning to college or the workplaceb. Applicable experience v. On-the-job experiencec. Discrimination and feelings of inferiority

III. The Middle YearsA. Define “Middle Age”B. Stressors (p. 390)C. Crisis or Opportunity? D. WorkE. SexF. Marriage (p 397-398)G. Empty Nest, Spacious Nest, Cluttered NestH. The Sandwich GenerationI. Grandparenting

V. The Golden YearsA. Define Old AgeB. Survey Cards and Conventional

Wisdom (p. 402)C. RetirementD. Family DynamicsE. Losing a Spouse

VI. Critical Thinking1. What good are the elderly?2. What benefits might come of having

them in the home?3. What would you like to happen to

your parents when they get old?