Continuing Erikson’s work was Robert Peck, a psychologist who theorized on the second half of life. He suggested that personality development in older adults faces three challenges.

The first challenge focuses on the definition of self versus a preoccupation with work roles. People who mainly defined themselves through their career must now redefine themselves in other ways. After retirement, older adults can struggle to find new meaning and structure while exploring other interests outside of work.

The second challenge is body transcendence versus body preoccupation. As we age, physical abilities decline. That period of adjustment can be difficult in which people must learn to cope and move beyond physical challenges. If one reaches body transcendence, a person has accepted the limitations of aging and found happiness by focusing on mental and social activities. In turn, a senior’s preoccupation with their body will cause them unhappiness and hinder personality development.

The third challenge is similar to Erikson’s last stage of life. The elderly must come to terms with their approaching death. A person reaches “ego transcendence” if he or she believes their life has worth and their legacy will live on after death. By changing the focus to the well-being of others, one can avoid feeling like he or she lived a useless life (“ego preoccupation”).

Peck’s underlying theme is self-examination. Age and maturity brings change. The ability to adjust to life’s changes determines one’s happiness and development. While Peck’s theory focuses on older adults, people of all ages will reach full development if they can learn to accept the many twists and turns of life.

Psychology has many theories of personality development with the Erikson model proving to be most popular. Eric Erikson proposed eight stages through which a healthy developing human should pass from infancy to late adulthood. With each stage, a person meets and completes new challenges. The psychoanalyst theorized that personal development was directly impacted by social experiences.

The last stage of life, or Integrity vs. Despair, involves reflection on a life lived. This stage encompasses ages 65 and up as a time to contemplate accomplishments and failures, aging, the end of life, and loss. Those who feel proud of their accomplishments feel a sense of integrity. They have few regrets and feel they will leave a legacy of contributing to the world. If a person thinks there were wasted opportunities or wishes to turn back the clock, despair and bitterness can develop.

Individuals with integrity attain wisdom, even when confronting death. Even though this is a positive reaction to aging, there is danger in being too wise. Maladaptation can result when a person avoids reality by acting young without acknowledging the difficulties of aging. The opposite effect called malignancy can happen when a person is preoccupied with regrets and past mistakes. In this state, one loses interest in life’s activities and appears to not care about life anymore. Neither one of these reactions are ideal. Finding a balance between maladaptation and malignancy leads to wisdom, the understanding of your life’s actions, and the acceptance of the outcome.

“The questions as to who is bigger and who can do or not do this or that, and to whom—these questions fill the adult's inner life far beyond the necessities and the desirabilities which he understands and for which he plans."
- Erik H. Erikson (1902–1994)

Along with arthritis awareness, May serves as National Stroke Awareness month. A stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery or a blood vessel, interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain. When this happens, brain cells begin to die and brain damage occurs. Speech, movement, and memory may be affected.

The National Stroke Association provides a wealth of information about statistics, symptoms, prevention, controllable and uncontrollable risk factors, recovery, and more topics related to strokes. Anyone can have a stroke no matter their age, race, or gender. Fortunately, up to 80% of strokes can be prevented by educating yourself about the risks and what to do if you notice symptoms in yourself or someone else.

To know if someone is having a stroke, act F.A.S.T.

FACE = Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
ARMS = Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
SPEECH = Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? Can he/she repeat the sentence correctly?
TIME = If the person shows any of these symptoms, time is important. Call 911, or get to the hospital fast.

Controllable Medical and Lifestyle Risk Factors
High Blood Pressure
Atrial Fibrillation
High Cholesterol
Diabetes
Tobacco Use and Smoking
Alcohol Use
Physical Inactivity
Obesity

While no one can predict who will fall victim to a stroke, being prepared to act and having hope for recovery can benefit you and those around you.

*Information from the National Stroke Association

With the arrival of May, National Arthritis Month sheds light on the more than 46 million Americans afflicted by arthritis. The term is universal for over 100 different conditions. Certain remedies exist to lessen the pain and keep it from greatly affecting your daily life.

Exercise aerobically. Daily exercise can help reduce stiffness and pain, which can preserve and improve the health of your bones and joints.
• If you’re just beginning a routine, try a 30 minute walk three times a week.
• Swimming or water aerobics are low-impact exercises that will strengthen the muscles around your spine to relieve back pain and improve mobility.
• Start slow, and be careful to not overexert yourself. Cut back if your exercises cause you pain more than 30 minutes after your workout.

Eat a well-balanced diet. Keep your weight down by eating a diet of moderation. Taking a multi-vitamin will ensure that you get daily requirements of essential minerals like calcium.

Use a capsaicin cream. Capsaicin is the active component of hot peppers. Putting capsaicin cream on your joints blocks your nerve cells from transmitting pain impulses.

Gear up with ginger. Studies show that ginger can block inflammation. Easily add to your diet by steeping a few slivers of fresh ginger in a tea ball in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. Let it cool and serve.

Straighten up. Your mother was right. Bad posture puts pressure on your joints, causing wear and tear on your bones and cartilage. It can cause extra pain for those with arthritis, so stand up straight to save your knees and hips.

Increase your fiber. Eating high-fiber foods can prevent and minimize osteoarthritis in two ways. Fiber fills you up, so you’re less likely to overeat and gain weight. Fiber picks up inflammatory toxins and hormones and carries them out. This reduces the chance of experiencing osteoarthritis pain.

Choose hot or cold. If you feel arthritis pain flaring, use ice for sudden flare-ups, chronic pain, or when joints are inflamed. Use heat when you feel sore and achy.

Use acetaminophen. A daily dose of acetaminophen can help with minor arthritis pain. While it doesn’t work for everyone, it can be a safe way to deal with pain because it will not cause stomach problems.

*Prevention Magazine, Jan. 2010