November 2, 2014 - 19:01
(Sorry this is late. I thought I responded to this earlier in the week but my post is nowhere to be found so I am writing it again.)
"Why I Hope to Die at 75" by Ezekiel Emanuel highlighted common thoughts and feelings associated with the process of moving from middle to older adulthood. I could not help but be reminded of Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development. The crisis of middle adulthood is generativity vs stagnation and the crisis of older adulthood is integrity vs despair. Both of these crises were evident in Emanuel’s explanation for why he hopes to die at 75. One of Emanuel’s main reasons for wanting to die at 75 is that research indicates that the productivity of people with high creative potential significantly decreases after 60. For Emanuel, being able to produce and create things is integral to his identity and personal happiness so it is not surprising that he would feel despair if he lost his ability to partake in such activities. This feeling is commonly associated with older adults because their physicality and mentality often keep them from being able to participate in the things that make them happy.
I do agree with Emanuel’s notion that we as a society are caught up in the notion of the “American immortal.” We are constantly bombarded by messages (via television, computer, billboards, etc.) about how critical it is for us to remain as youthful as possible so it is no wonder that older adults feel cast aside by society. As Barbara Silverstone pointed out in her article “Social Work with the Older People of Tomorrow: Restoring the Person-in-Situation,” even the social work profession has strayed from accurately assessing and managing the needs of the older generation. Silverstone pointed out numerous aspects of a person’s life that must be addressed differently when working with the older population; included were normal aging changes, life view, health, adaptive behaviors, loss, and control. I also agree with her notion that practice skills must be developed and refined to address both the older adult as an individual with their own experiences and the psychosocial and environmental challenges they face simply by existing.
With the increasing number of older adults in society, new trends in social work are emerging to help alleviate some of the common stressors of the older population. Silverstone also pointed out that the real challenge is going to be whether or not the social work profession can restore a balance in the person-in-situation framework in order to effectively practice with older adults. I believe that society as a whole needs to move away from the idea of the “American immortal.” I think this notion truly perpetuates the anxieties in every age group because we are all supposed to be striving towards something we cannot ever attain. There needs to be more positive portrayals of aging in our society in order for older adults to truly feel active and involved in the human experience. Emanuel’s article seems to be in response to ageism that is inflicted by society and supported by research. As a future social worker, it hurts my heart to know that there are people out there who question their existence/importance solely because society doesn’t like the fact that they move slower and sag in numerous places. We need to start meeting these people where they are at and helping them at a pace that is convenient for them, not for us.