University Essay: Health and Wellbeing Across the Lifespan - HSW2220

This essay delves into the critical aspects of health and wellbeing across the lifespan, with a specific focus on Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development. It examines how environmental factors, such as culture, poverty, and early life experiences, significantly influence cognitive development and overall health. The essay also explores the impact of work and stress on individual wellbeing. Furthermore, it outlines community programs designed to enhance developmental stages and addresses professional practice implications for diverse populations in Australian communities. The conclusion emphasizes the crucial role of the environment in promoting both health and cognitive development, advocating for supportive and enriching environments for individuals of all ages.

Running head: HEALTH AND WELLBEING ACROSS THE LIFESPAN
HEALTH AND WELLBEING ACROSS THE LIFESPAN
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1HEALTH AND WELLBEING ACROSS THE LIFESPAN
It is very important to understand the importance of health and even the well-being which
tends to take place across the period of the life span. For the assignment, Jean Piaget’s theory of
cognitive development has been taken into account (Barac, 2014) According to the theory,
Piaget explains the fact that the mental model or a standard is being constructed by the child. He
did not agree with the idea that intelligence is something that is being fixed. He even took the
cognitive development as a procedure which tends to occur as a result of the natural maturation
and even through the interaction or engagement with the environment (Olson, 2013). It can be
said that the environment or the circumstances in which the child tends to grow have a huge
impact or influence over the development of the human brain.
Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is considered to be the inclusive theory about
the environment and improvement of the intelligence of humans. The theory tends to deal with
the nature of the knowledge and even how the humans tend to accept, establish and even utilize
it. On the other hand, Piaget divided the developmental stage of Piaget into four stages which he
categorized as per four different ages. The four developmental stages are the stage of
sensorimotor which is the stage of 0 to that of the 2 years (Overton, 2013). It is in this stage
when the child tends to learn to use its senses. The second stage is considered to be the
preoperational stage which is categorized as the age group of two to seven years of age. Here the
child tends to learn to speak and symbolic thinking tends to take place. The third stage is
considered to be the concrete operational stage which is categorized under the age group of
seven to eleven years. Here the child is able to converse and even apply logic. Lastly, the stage
which is being considered is his formal operational stage the children belonging to the age group
of eleven are being taken into account. It is in this stage, the child tends to think abstractly and is
able to explore various forms of ethics, politics and the issues of morality.

2HEALTH AND WELLBEING ACROSS THE LIFESPAN
Culture tends to have a great impact on the development of the intelligence of the
humankind. The studies that are being done in this filed tend to examine that when people meet
challenges in which people have to utilize their brain have greater measured intelligence. On the
other hand, people who tend to suffer from great tension because of their circumstances tend to
have very less measure of intelligence. Poverty or economy tends to have a great impact on the
development of the intelligence of humans. Studies indicate that people belonging to the poverty
level tends to less intelligent and even old before their time. It should also be noted that the stress
caused in the brain of the child due to living in poverty is similar to the stress that is caused
because of the effects of the abused. Various studies and researches that are being done in this
field tend to imply that images of the brain of the children belonging to the state of poverty tend
to have greater levels of cortisol which is very much same with the children who are being
abused physically.
The experiences that one tends to face in early life are the significant factors that tend to
affect mental and physical health. The bad experiences that one experiences in the early stage of
their lives are reflected back in their adult stage of time. On the other hand, if there I any person
who cares for the child and even look after his or her education, then it is possible to have a great
impact on the future of the child as well. Work also tends to have a great impact on the health of
the individual. Studies denote employees who are paid lower are more likely to take absences
and even get out of work because of their ill-health. The stress which is one of the significant
psychological factors tends to be associated with the physical health of an individual as well.
Stress tends to exert various number of physical stress as well. It is often created among the
individuals who are unfit as per the expectations. This leads to physical illness as well.

3HEALTH AND WELLBEING ACROSS THE LIFESPAN
The programs that can be initiated in different communities for the purpose of enhancing
the developmental stages across the lifespan are as follows. More music programs should be
initiated. The music will help the child in hearing and interpreting words. It will even develop
his or her hearing organs. Programs of physical exercise must be initiated. It will help the child
to improve upon his or her physical organs. More activities with blocks must be initiated among
the child so that the intelligence among the child gets improved. In order to increase the level of
intelligence among the children, the children must be asked to play with various shapes and
figures. This will help the child in establishing his intelligence (Wellman, 2014). The child
should even be asked to play in which offers must be presented to the child. The child belonging
to the different communities must even visit various other places in order to enhance their
curiosity. This will even help the child to know about the various culture belonging to various
organizations. Though various cultures tend to have various types of culture, the child must be
initiated to play with household items. This will be very much educational as well as cost-
effective. Apart from this, running programs and fitness programs must also be initiated.
People who stay in a state of poverty suffer from various health-related issues. It makes
them suffer. Initiation should be taken by the government to make the environment a much safer
place to stay for such individuals. Initiation should also be taken to provide them with clean
water. Sufficient amount of sanitation must also be provided to the people who tend to live in a
state of poverty. Free education must also be given to the children whose parents cannot take the
initiative to send their children to the school.
The professional practice implication of working with the diverse population in
Australian communities are discussed as followed. In order to help individuals with their
cognitive development belonging to the varying diversities, it is very important to acknowledge

4HEALTH AND WELLBEING ACROSS THE LIFESPAN
the differences that tend to lie among the various communities. After knowing the differences,
the necessary steps can be implemented. Personal enhancement must also be initiated and
encouraged. The value must be given to all the diversities possible. Professional steps must be
taken in order to reach out to various people to help them for their maintenance of their health
and of their cognitive development.
The conclusion that can be made from the analysis is that the environment tends to play a
great role in the health and wellbeing of the individuals. Therefore, the environment must be
maintained for the progress of the health and of the cognitive development of the child and the
individuals.

5HEALTH AND WELLBEING ACROSS THE LIFESPAN
References
Barac, R., Bialystok, E., Castro, D. C., & Sanchez, M. (2014). The cognitive development of
young dual language learners: A critical review. Early childhood research
quarterly, 29(4), 699-714.
Olson, D. R. (2013). Cognitive development: The child's acquisition of diagonality. Psychology
Press.
Overton, W. F. (2013). The relationship between social and cognitive development. Psychology
Press.
Wellman, H. M. (2014). Making minds: How theory of mind develops. Oxford University Press.