Middle age is generally considered to be between ages 40-60. This period is subdivided into early middle age (40-50) and advanced middle age (50-60). Middle age is a time of transition and stress as people adjust to physical, mental, and social changes. It can be a time of achievement or boredom depending on how individuals adapt to their new roles and stages of life. Developmental tasks include adjusting to changes in health, relationships as children leave home, and finding new interests and ways to contribute to their communities.

1. MIDDLE AGE-
CHARACTERISTICS AND
DEVELOPMENTAL TASK
Presented by A.Sakthivel pille
I-MSW

2. Middle age is generally considered to extend from age forty to
age sixty. The onset is marked by physical and mental changes.
Middle age is a long period in the life span.
The middle age is subdivided into early middle age (extends
from forty to fifty age) and advanced middle age ( extends from
age fifty to sixty).
During advanced middle age- many physical and psychological
changes takes place.
MIDDLE AGE

3. CHARACTERISTICS OF MIDDLE AGE
AGE OF DREADED PERIOD
MIDDLE AGE IS A TIME OF
TRANSITION
AGE OF STRESS
DANGEROUS AGE
AWKARD AGEAGE OF ACHIEVEMENT
AGE OF EVALUATION
AGE OF EMPTY NEST
AGE OF BOREDOM

4. AGE OF DREADED PERIOD
Middle age is the dreaded (fearful) period
It is recognized- next to old age
Men and women have many reasons to get fear.
Mentally and physically they get weaker than before.

5. MIDDLE AGE IS A TIME OF TRANSITION
 This is the age of transition: like childhood to
adolescence and then to adulthood.
 Middle aged men and women leaves the physical and
behaviour characteristics of adulthood and enter into
new behaviour pattern.
 Transition always means adjustment to new interests,
new values and new patterns of behaviour.
 Eg: men undergo change in virility(the quality of
having strength, energy, and a strong sex drive
(வ ீரியம்) and women a change in fertility.

6. AGE OF STRESS
Middle age is the time of stress.
Radical adjustments to changes roles and patterns of life
when accompanied by physical and psychological changes
leads to a period of stress.
Categories of stress in middle age:
a) Somatic stress-due to physical changes
b) Cultural stress-adapting new culture
c) Economic stress-financial burden
d) Psychological stress –death of spouse, boredom, lost
youth.

7. DANGEROUS AGE
 Middle age is commonly regarded as “Dangerous age”.
 It is the time when an individual break down physically due to
overwork, over worry or careless living.
 Mental illness rises rapidly among both men and women.
 It is also regarded as a peak for suicides.
 No proper adjustment between both the sex-leads to separation or
divorce, which leads to physical and mental illness, alcoholism, drug
addiction, and suicide.

8. AWKARD AGE
 Middle age is also known as an “ Awkward age”.
 Middle aged persons are no longer “younger” nor
are they yet “old”.
 Middle aged people stands between younger
generation and senior citizen generation.
 Due to that they have to suffer from the
discomforts and embarrassments associated with
both the age groups.
 Conservatism(பழமைவாதம்)- dress and
behaviour patterns

9. AGE OF ACHIEVEMENT
 Middle age is also considered as the age of
achievement.
 Acc. To Erikson, during middle age people either
become more and more successful or they stand
still and accomplish nothing more.
 If the middle age people have a strong desire to
succeed they will reach the peak.
 Example: men who have worked throughout the
years of early adulthood generally reach their
peak. Likewise women who spent as a
homemaker in early adulthood used to run
vocational training classes.

10. AGE OF EVALUATION
 Middle age is a time of Evaluation.
 This age is mainly a time of self-evaluation.
 In middle age mostly the people reach their
peaks of achievement- under that they would
evaluate their achievement with expectations of
others, especially family members and friends.

11. AGE OF EMPTY NEST
 Middle age is the time of the empty nest.
 The time children no longer want to live under the parental
roof.
 Expect in cases where men and women marry late or
postpone having children.
 But nowadays the empty nest stage begins in the forties.
 Women suffer more than men due the effects of empty
nest

12. AGE OF BOREDOM
 Middle age is that it is often a time of
boredom.
 Men and women experience boredom during the late thirties and
forties.
 Men become bored with the daily routine of work and
etc.
 Women, who spent most of their
adulthood caring for home and
children-get bored after raising the
children.
 Working women faces the same
situation as of men.

13. Developmental tasks of middle age
 Tasks related to physical changes-
changes in appearance, sensory abilities, health,
physiological functioning, sexual changes.
 Adjustments to mental changes
 Religion-involvement in religious activities
 Community affairs-leadership qualities-serve in
professional boards or clubs.
 Adjustments to changed interests
clothes, money, status and more.

14. Hazards of middle age
 The most important personal hazards, middle aged
people encounter in their adjustments to their new
roles and new lifestyles.
 Social hazards:
“Rocking chair” philosophy- inactive
Unattractive appearance
financial problems
family pleasures
social mobility

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