Late adulthood (65+years)

• Physical development 


  Decline in strength, loss of muscle, loss of stamina

  Less mobility in large muscles in the arms, legs and torso - more likely to have accidents and falls due to lack of muscular strength and problems with balance.

  Less mobility in the small muscles of the hands and fingers

  Reduction in vision and hearing can lead to a loss of independence

  thinning of hair on head and pubic area

  Decline in performance of organs - disease and infection

  loss or shrinkage of nerve cells, slower of movement and response

  Loss of height - compression of spinal discs + joints
• Intellectual development


  Involve a loss of nerve cells in brain and a reduction in the ability of nerve to transmit electrical signals. However brain can produce new brain cells if kept active.

  Older people experience cognitive impairment and have problems with memory recall. May take longer to do things. Normal part of ageing and doesn't mean its dementia.

  Reaction time may be slower but older people may compensate for these changes by driving slower + more careful.
• Emotional development 


  Older people need secure sense of self to enable them to cope with physical changes associated with ageing + death. If they don't they may experience emotional despair.

  Retirement may have positive effects on self esteem as they now may have time to focus on themselves + do things that they enjoy or take up a new hobby is their self esteem will be high. Retirement may make a person feel not needed and no longer important or valued. Which will negatively affect self esteem and self image.

  May be loosing partners and friends who have died.
• Social development 


  Following retirement, older adults have more free time to develop friendships through taking up new hobbies, pastimes and travel.

  Spend more quality time with family.

  On negative side retirement can cause isolation and loneliness if a persons only social activity was with work colleagues.