The Psychology of Aging Well
What We Can Learn From the Emerging Field of Geropsychology
What is Geropsychology?
The result of research conducted largely over the past seventy years, the field of Geropsychology is relatively new, explains the American Psychological Association (APA). This specialization in professional psychology focuses on therapeutic principles of care, well-being, and maximization of potential for older adults, defined as those over the age of 65. Geropsychology also helps the families of older adults navigate care, health, and independence challenges.
Older adults currently comprise about 16% of the US population; however, projections put that number at 20% by 2030. And, according to the journal Translational Issues in Psychological Science, this demographic shift necessitates more research into the aging process.
Fully recognized as a specialization by the APA in 2010, Geropsychology has fewer than 700 licensed professional psychologists in the US, with a projected need for some 6,000 more in the next 15 years because of these anticipated demographic changes.
Why the Need for Specialists in the Psychology of Aging?
While many human struggles are common ones, each stage of life presents unique challenges and opportunities. For example, the life experiences and goals of a college student differ markedly from those of a new retiree. Psychiatrist Dr. Dilip Jeste, president of the American Psychiatric Association and Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Neurosciences at the Institute for Research on Aging at the University of California, notes that “Just as children are not small adults, elderly people are not merely older adults.”
The scholarly journal Psychology and Aging is dedicated exclusively to the research-based study of understanding both the psychology of aging and ways to promote the welfare of older adults through teaching and clinical best practices. This focus on improving the lives of older adults has practical implications for helping address the unique physical and mental challenges of aging and promote the concept of aging well.
Advocating for older adults and shaping public policy to attend to their needs are additional reasons for the emergence of the field of Geropsychology. In response to the specific needs and challenges of an aging population, the United Nations General Assembly declared the decade 2021-2030 “The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing.” Included among the specific challenges to be addressed is the combatting of ageism, noting:
Older people are often assumed to be frail or dependent and a burden to society. Public health professionals, and society as a whole, need to address these and other ageist attitudes, which can lead to discrimination, affect the way policies are developed and the opportunities older people have to experience healthy aging.
How Can Geropsychology Benefit Individual Older Adults?
The specialized attention to the needs of older adults enables practitioners in this field to help older adults age well. A deeper understanding of the physical and emotional changes experienced with aging allows for better interventions and more focused care.
The Association of Health Care Journalists puts the number of older adults with mental and behavioral health concerns at 15 million by 2030. Unaddressed, these concerns can affect the physical health, independence, and overall well-being of older adults.
The APA notes the following specific ways geriatric psychology can help both older adults and their families:
- Dementia and associated changes in behavior
- Difficulty making decisions
- Managing chronic illness
- Coping with loss and grief
- Stresses associated with caregiving
- Insomnia, chronic pain, and other aspects of behavioral health
- Age-related stressors, such as conflict resulting from marital, family, or changing roles issues
- End-of-life care
Reducing the Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety
Another way Geropsychology can help older adults is by addressing one of the greatest barriers to aging well: the high rate of depression and anxiety experienced by older adults. The World Health Organization (WHO) cites depression as second only to cardiovascular disease as a leading cause of disability worldwide. And, since depression is often linked to physical limitations, older adults are at greater risk.
According to the nonprofit National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), depression affects more than 6.5 million of the 35 million Americans over 65. But depression is not a “normal” part of aging: the National Institute on Aging (NIA) notes that, while clinical depression among older adults is common, it is not an inherent part of the aging process.
Identifying the underlying causes of and risk factors for depression is critical:
- Medical conditions
- Genetic predispositions
- Stress
- Challenges of caregiving
- Physical limitations/loss of independence
- Lack of physical activity
- Social isolation/loneliness
The Institute on Aging (IOA) characterizes depression as a shift in mood and behavior that can manifest in emotional, cognitive, and physical changes. The IOA notes that professional treatment can include talk therapy and medications as well as complementary therapies, such as music, art, companion animals, exercise, and social interaction.
Finding Wisdom and Aging Well: A Neurological Perspective
Psychiatrist and researcher Dr. Dilip Jeste finds that his studies into successful aging have led him to ask what helps older adults thrive, feel happy, and contribute to society. The concept of wisdom interests him because of its historical connection to aging well, and he welcomes the ability to apply modern investigative methods to this ancient concept. In an interview with NAMI, Dr. Jeste explains that wisdom encompasses the following cross-cultural components:
- Reasoned decision making
- Empathy
- Compassion/altruism
- Emotional stability
- Self-understanding
- Decisiveness
- Tolerance for divergent values
The ability to study the neurobiology of the brain suggests connections between the health of specific regions in the brain and the behaviors and mindsets associated with wisdom. Identifying and treating dementia and other brain disorders can help sufferers improve their mental health and overall well-being.
The scholarly journal Aging adds that a lower subjective age, or how old someone feels, is strongly associated with better mental and physical health, cognitive function, well-being, and life satisfaction. Research into the “clocks” of psychological aging may lead to the development of targeted medications and therapies to help ease aspects of the aging process.
The Importance of Psychological Richness
It can be argued that those who embody wisdom also experience a life of “psychological richness.” A 2021 study published in Psychological Review entitled “A Psychologically Rich Life: Beyond Happiness and Meaning,” differentiates between “happy and meaningful” and “psychologically rich.” The authors characterize the psychologically rich life as featuring novel and perspective-changing experiences, complex mental engagement, and intense emotions as opposed to “happy and meaningful” lives, which can sometimes be characterized by repetition and monotony.
A report by the nonprofit Mather Institute applies the concept of psychological richness to older Americans, noting that engaging in new and interesting activities adds to this sense of richness. In a study conducted in conjunction with the University of Chicago, Mather concludes that older adults with greater psychological richness tend to adopt healthier lifestyles, have better coping skills, and greater life engagement.
Why Choosing Community Living Matters
Research has established a definitive link between finding meaning and richness in living and aging well. The physical and psychological factors that contribute to the well-being of older adults are nurtured and supported in life plan communities that offer excellence in healthcare and opportunities for social engagement and physical activity. The best communities also offer the novel, engaging learning experiences that contribute to psychological richness, adding a new level of enhancement to the experience of aging well.
Come explore Plymouth Harbor and learn more about this extraordinary community where the health and well-being of residents is an everyday commitment. Call 941-361-7512 to schedule your private tour and discover why life truly is better on Sarasota Bay!