Critical Analysis of Midlife Changes: A Life Course Viewpoint

This essay critically examines the multifaceted changes that individuals experience during midlife, typically spanning the ages of 40 to 65, placing these transformations within a life course perspective. The essay meticulously explores the physical changes, such as the decline in skin elasticity, loss of lung expansion, hair changes, and vision alterations, and cognitive changes, encompassing issues like mild cognitive impairment and memory challenges. It also delves into the psychosocial shifts, focusing on how adults seek meaning and identity in their lives. The analysis integrates the life course theory to understand how these physical, cognitive, and psychosocial aspects interact with the timing of life events, psychological, biological, social, and spiritual ages. The essay highlights preventive measures for managing the challenges associated with each type of change, emphasizing the importance of healthy habits, mental stimulation, and social engagement to mitigate the impact of midlife transitions. The essay underscores the need for proactive health management to navigate midlife successfully, promoting a comprehensive understanding of this significant life stage.

Essay
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Table of Contents
Topic - Critically discuss and analyse the key physical, cognitive and psychosocial changes
which occur during midlife, placing this within a life course perspective......................................3
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
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Topic - Critically discuss and analyse the key physical, cognitive and
psychosocial changes which occur during midlife, placing this within a life
course perspective
INTRODUCTION
Midlife is considered period of an individual life who are spanning near by age of 40 to
age of 65. The respective time is considered as stressful time because several people come to feel
discontented as well as restless as they are troubling with their ageing, mortality and holding
senses of purpose (Mishra and et.al., 2020). The respective age is considered as situation where
people experienced psychosocial as well as physical challenges. Moreover life course
perspective is also known as life course theory (LCT) which is considered as multidisciplinary
approach in order to understand the mental, social and physical health of a person. This will
incorporates or related to both life stage as well as life span which evaluate health trajectory. The
respective report is based on analyse the key physical cognitive and psychosocial changes which
occur during midlife placing this within a life course perspective.
MAIN BODY
Midlife is considered as life between the age of 40 to 60 in this time an individual go
through numbers of changes in their body due to which they experienced several physical,
emotional and cognitive issues. At this age a person required special care so that they can leave
their life in effective and appropriate manner. There are several symptoms through which a
person can experienced during respective age such as feeling unfulfilled in life, feel of boredom,
meaninglessness and emptiness, dramatic change take place in appearance and behaviour, feeling
weak, taking many medications and many more (Hope, 2020). In addition to this the issues or
challenges which are experienced by a person during midlife are mainly related to the physical,
cognitive as well as psychosocial change. These changes are directly or indirectly relate with the
life course perspective, which is considered as multidisciplinary factors which help in evaluating
and understanding the physical, social and mental health of a person. Along with this, it is
incorporated with the concepts of life stages as well as life span which determined health
trajectory. It a person's life, life course perspective is very essential as it not only help in
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recognizing importance of timing of lives in term of chronological age. But it also consider terms
related to psychological age, biological age, social age as well as spiritual age.
The main physical changes which are experienced by a person during their mid age as
well as it is also essential for them to understand these changes and try to mould their body
accordingly (Clouston and et.al., 2020). It is so because through that an individual will not
experienced too many midlife issues as their body try to cope up with the physical changes. The
first physical change when a person is experiencing midlife is decreasing the elasticity of skin, it
is one of the most common sign of midlife. In this a person skin lose their elasticity which is also
known as wrinkles, it is generally occur because in mid age a person body can not produce
adequate collagen in order to replenish what has been lost (Physical Changes in Middle
Adulthood, 2020). Due to which skin started to lose its elasticity as well as strengths over a time.
In addition to this, when a person get old their skin dries as well as loses the underlying layer of
fat due to which their face no longer look smooth. In order to avoid this physical change of
midlife a person may adopt different ways such as protect skin from sun, use a retionid, regular
moisturiser, stay hydrated, sleep properly, don't smoke, eat vitamin rich food, relax face by doing
message. In addition to this there are several food which help a midlife person in avoiding
wrinkles such as nuts, avocado, blueberries, papaya, watercress, red bell pepper and so on. In
addition to this, another physical change which take place during the midlife is loss of lung
expansion (Jafari, Kolb and Mohajerani, 2020). The main functions of lung is supply oxygen and
remove carbon dioxide. But when a person come to its midlife their bones get thinner which
leads to changing the shape of rib cage. Moreover when a person get older their lung function
capacity get decrease which is considered as major physical change which take place due to
midlife. This physical change also leads several other disease which are related with the
breathing, stamina and many more. There are numbers of preventive measures which a mid age
person may adopt in order to avoid respective physical change in body such as do proper yoga or
exercise, eat healthy food, avoid too much oily food, wash hand regularly and properly, stop
smoking and alcohol consumption, proper clean of house, regular consult with doctor and many
more (Fiori, Windsor and Huxhold, 2020). The next physical change which is experienced at the
mid age is change and loss of hair. The hair is coloured due to pigment named as melanin that
generally produced through the hair follicles. But along with the increasing age when a person go
to mid age the hair follicles generates less melanin due to which hair start becoming gray. This is
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generally occur because hair colour becoming lighter at temples which leads to situation where
whole hair become white. In addition to this when a person's midlife starts hair loss also get
increase, it is so because there are several hair follicles which stop producing new hairs as well
as hair strands get smaller. Men of mid age becoming bald by 30 as well as some of them bald by
the age of 60. on the other hand women didn't get bald their hair become less dense as well as
scalp get visible (Carbone, 2020). There are several steps or factors which can be adopted by a
midlife person in order to avoid hair fall in respective age such as they need to consume balance
diet, getting proper and enough sleep, managing stress in healthy way, avoid traumatic hair care
and many others. In addition to this, another mid age physical change is related with the vision.
The normal change occur in eye is due to age which is named as presbyopia that meaning is old
vision. It is considered as situation when as person loss the elasticity in lens of eyes which makes
hard for eye to focus on things far at this time lens flattens out. On the other hand when a person
of mid age loo to near by objects tiny or small fibers of muscles around the lens enable eye to
bend the lens. It is so because according to the age muscles of eye become weak as well as they
no longer accommodate the lens to focus light. There are several symptoms which is experienced
by mid age people in their day to day due to physical change in eyes such as headaches, eye
strain, hard time in reading small print, need to hold reading material farther than distance of
arms, issues in seeing objective which are very close to eyes and many more. There are several
steps which a person of midlife ma adopt in order to avoid respective physical change such as
they need to conduct regular experience, get good sleep at night, wear sunglasses in day, quit
smoking, minimize use of computer or other digital device, do regular check up with eye doctor
and many more (Kemp and Montez,2020). These are some of the most common physical
changes which are experienced by a person when they get old or come in mid age duration which
is of 40 to 65. So it is essential for a person to take care of themselves in special manner so that
they can cope up with physical changes in best manner. In respect it of this, it is essential to east
healthy as well as do regular exercise or yoga.
Along with this, another type of change which is experienced by a person during their
mid age is based on cognitive change that is also known as situation of MCI (Mid cognitive
impairment). It is considered as stage among the expected cognitive decline of the normal
ageing as well as more sincere decrement of dementia. This is generally characterized by the
problem or issues with the memory, thinking, language or judgement. Moreover if a person who
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belongs to mid age who experienced respective change they need to aware that their memory or
mental function can be slipped. This change is mainly noticed by the close family or friend who
interact with out properly (Kwak and Ahn, 2020). But types of little or miner changes impact on
the person life course perspective on daily basis or usual activities. Mid cognitive impairment
can enhance risk of later creating dementia cause through Alzheimer's disease or any other
neurological status. On the other hand there are several person who are experiencing mid
cognitive impairment never get worse as well as few sooner or later get amended (Mild cognitive
impairment (MCI), 2020). There are several symptoms of the (Mid cognitive impairment which
are experienced by a person of mid age such as forget things more often. In addition to this, it
will also leads to forgetting all-important event such as appointment, family function, important
dates or social engagement as well as it also leads to lose of train of thought or thread of books,
movies or conversation. Along with this, another major symptom of Mid cognitive impairment is
feel progressively overwhelmed by developing decision, planning stages in order to accomplish
task or understand instructions properly. Moreover, when a person of mid age have Mid
cognitive impairment then they may experienced issues related to depression, anxiety, apathy,
aggression as well as irritability. The main reason of Mid cognitive impairment in midlife is
related to shrinkage of hippocampus which is a brain region essential for memory. It may also
occur due to enlargement of brain surface which is filled with fluid named as ventricles as well
as it may also leads to reduction in usage of glucose, sugar which is the primary source of energy
for cell of human body in region of key brain. Moreover there are several other medical
condition as well as lifestyle aspects which are linked to a high risk of cognitive change such as
diabetes patients, person who do regular smoking, high blood pressure, obesity at midlife,
elevated cholesterol, depression, lack of physical exercises, low educational level, improper
participation in any mental or social stimulating activities (CuiSmith and Zhao2020). In addition
to this there are several preventive measures which can be taken by midlife person who is
experiencing cognitive change in life course perspective such as that person must avoid excess
intake of alcohol, try to have limited exposure to air pollution, didn't smoke, reduce risk of
injuries at head, engage socially with the others. Along with this, there are several factors need to
considered by midlife person such as wearing hearing if they loss hearing sense, stimulate mind
with game, memory training or puzzles as well as it is also essential manage health condition like
high blood pressure , diabetes, depression and obesity. It is also essential to eat healthy and do
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proper exercises so that they can protect themselves from cognitive change at the midlife which
impact on their life course perspective.
During midlife, there are various psychosocial changes that place wherein adults seek
sense of meaning in their life as well as the identity of the life that they have lived. Some
biological changes that occur during midlife include changes in vision, more joint pain, weight
gain etc. Living with a chronic disease in midlife can prove to be very challenging as there are
various side effects of the same (Reischer and et.al., 2020). A condition that occurs in all middle-
aged people naturally, is known as presbyopia. This occurs due to the ageing of the eye wherein
the lens inside the eye becomes less flexible with age. This acts as a barrier and hinders the
ability of the eye to focus properly. Other changes that take place in the eye include glaucoma,
dry eyes and cataracts. Dry eyes generally occurs in females during their midlife especially
during the menopause as well as post-menopause stage. The changes in the eyes can be reduced
by consulting a doctor and using eye drops that are prescribed by them. Besides this, intake
vitamins should be included in the daily dietary intake and eyes should be blinked more
frequently. This helps in keeping the eyes functioning properly. In addition to this, another major
psychosocial change which is experienced by a person who are from midlife is change in eating
disorder in respect of this a person not take proper food on time to time basis (Silverman and
et.al., 2020). Due to which midlife people experienced huge weaknesses as well as they also
experienced several other diseases due to it that leads to feint situation or some major accident
due to it. In addition to this, due to improper eating habit mid age person also not able to conduct
day to day activities in proper way. In respect of this, it is essential for a person to take proper
food including fresh and healthy fruit as well as vegetables so that they able to cope up with
changes in their body due to increasing age. Along with this, another psychosocial change that a
person experienced during their midlife is depression and panic disorder due to which they feel
to leave alone as well as feel be disconnected with the society (Sekowski, 2020). There are
several symptoms through which other can determine whether specific midlife person is
experiencing depression or not such as lost interest, hopeless outlook, sleep issue, anxiety and
many more. In addition to this, there are several preventive measures which can be adopt by a
person in order to overcome respective psychosocial change of midlife such as do proper yoga,
try to interact with others, take proper sleep, proper medication according to doctor and many
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more. These all changes of physical, cognitive as well as psychosocial which is experienced by
midlife person during their life course perspective.
CONCLUSION
By conducting evaluation of above mentioned topics it can be summarised that when a
person is art their midlife they experienced several changes that are mainly based on the
physical, psychosocial and cognitive aspects. In addition to this at the respective age a person
need to have special take care so that they can manage their work properly as well as at this stage
of life people also taking more medication in order to function their body in best manner. There
are several physical change experienced by midlife age people such as feeling weak, get tired
soon, improper sleep, body and joint pain and many more. In addition to this cognitive symptoms
include poor motor coordination, confusion, impaired judgement, loss of short term or long term
memory and many more. Moreover there are also several psychosocial symptoms of midlife such
as such as feeling of guilty, helplessness, restlessness, irritability, anxiety, hopelessness, fatigues
and many more.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Mishra, A.A. and et.al., 2020. Childhood maltreatment exposure and physical functional
limitations in late adulthood: examining subjective sleep quality in midlife as a
mediator. Psychology & health, 35(5), pp.573-592.
Hope, K., 2020. Role of nurses in addressing modifiable risk factors for early Alzheimer's
disease and mild cognitive impairment. British Journal of Nursing, 29(8), pp.460-469.
Clouston, S.A., and et.al., 2020. Education and cognitive decline: An integrative analysis of
global longitudinal studies of cognitive aging. The Journals of Gerontology: Series
B, 75(7), pp.e151-e160.
Jafari, Z., Kolb, B.E. and Mohajerani, M.H., 2020. Life-course contribution of prenatal stress in
regulating the neural modulation network underlying the prepulse inhibition of the
acoustic startle reflex in male Alzheimer’s disease mice. Cerebral Cortex, 30(1),
pp.311-325.
Fiori, K.L., Windsor, T.D. and Huxhold, O., 2020. The increasing importance of friendship in
late life: Understanding the role of sociohistorical context in social
development. Gerontology, 66(3), pp.286-294.
Carbone, J.T., 2020. Neighborhood perceptions and allostatic load: Evidence from Midlife in the
United States study. Health & place, 61, p.102263.
Kemp, B.R. and Montez, J.K., 2020. Why does the importance of education for health differ
across the United States?. Socius, 6, p.2378023119899545.
Kwak, M. and Ahn, S., 2020. Childhood adversity predicted suicidal ideation in older age:
Results from a National Survey in Korea. Aging & mental health, 24(7), pp.1141-1148.
Cui, H., Smith, J.P. and Zhao, Y., 2020. Early-life deprivation and health outcomes in adulthood:
Evidence from childhood hunger episodes of middle-aged and elderly Chinese. Journal
of Development Economics, 143, p.102417.
Reischer, H.N., and et.al., 2020. Self‐transcendence and life stories of humanistic growth among
late‐midlife adults. Journal of Personality, p.e12583.
Sekowski, M., 2020. Attitude Toward Death From the Perspective of Erik Erikson’s Theory of
Psychosocial Ego Development: An Unused Potential. OMEGA-Journal of Death and
Dying, p.0030222820921604.
Silverman, M., and et.al., 2020. “I’ve always been the one who drops everything”: the lived
experiences and life-course impacts of young adult women carers. International Journal
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Online
Physical Changes in Middle Adulthood. 2020. [Online]. Available
through:<https://www.tutor2u.net/hsc/reference/physical-changes-in-middle-
adulthood>.
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI). 2020. [Online]. Available
through:<https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mild-cognitive-impairment/
symptoms-causes/syc-20354578>.
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