Theory Of Aging

It is not easy to pin down what is considered “aging well.” Some would claim that having a lot of money and a secure retirement would qualify as an aging success. Others would stand convinced that being surrounded by family is the indicator of thriving in old age. Another opinion would declare that good mental and physical health are the signs of noble aging. Psychologists have presented their research, theories, and thoughts on what it is to age with grace, health, and dignity. Three theories that attempt to explain concepts of aging are the generativity theory, the career construction theory, and the five-factor model of personality. Mrs. A. was born on March 30th, 1940 in Denver Colorado. She spent all of her childhood and adolescence in …show more content…
A’s life is the career construction theory. She has had many jobs throughout her life. As a teen she began waitressing to earn spending money, and went on to use waitressing as a means to pay for higher education. She completed bookkeeping school and spent a year keeping the books for a car dealership. After that she went on to get a teaching degree. After years of experience in education she returned to school a final time to get a master’s degree and become a school counselor. In the career construction theory, the skills and passions of the individual are examined to determine which career will bring the most -satisfaction to them (Gibson, 2004) Mrs. A went through some trial and error to determine what career she would like to have. After spending some time as a waitress and a bookkeeper she found her calling. It was clear to Mrs. A that she enjoyed teaching children and helping them reach their greatest potential. Therefore, the career field that has been the best choice for her has been education. She has been able to serve students with a passion and that has brought a great deal of satisfaction to her life. She speaks fondly of the time she spent in education, especially of the years she worked with high school students. The career construction theory gives attention to workers’ ability to adapt over time (Del Corso, Rehfuss, & Galvin, 2011). It is obvious that Mrs. A has made many adaptations throughout her life. In every …show more content…
A’s life can be described by the theory of generativity, the career construct theory, and the five-factor model of personality. The theory of generativity describes Mrs. A’s desire to leave a legacy for the next generation. She wants to teach them to love and honor God. The career construct theory pronounces the great versatility she has shown in her progression of careers. The trait theory, known as the five-factor model of personality supports Mrs. A’s belief that she and her friends have changed little with age. Each of these theories can play into the idea of aging well. As discussed earlier, it is difficult to define what constitutes aging well. It is not necessarily marked by any specific life component, like wealth, family, or health. The word “well” itself could be used to justify any of these terms. One definition of well is “in good health,” which gives merit to the idea that aging well is defined by being in good health (Well, 2015). Another definition gives a nod to having a stable retirement and adequate financial resources by defining well as “in a prosperous or affluent manner” (Well, 2015). Well extends a nod to being known and well-loved by one’s family in its definition “being in good standing or favor” (Well 2015). The definition of well that most accurately describes aging nobly, is “being a cause for thankfulness” (Well 2015). Life is short, so each person should find reasons every day to be thankful. Aging can bring frustrations, health problems,