Aging is a fact that faces every person. The aspects of aging effect each person differently, but the many aspects of aging such as the changes in role and social position, living accommodations, the transition from to retirement, marriage, family and other relationships. Though everyone ages, each individual age at different degrees, depending on his or her genetic makeup or the way the person lived his or her life.
As a person develops and changes, so does their role within the family and within the community in which they live. Where once families lived together and raised their children around the grandparents and other family members, people have become more mobile and live further away. Improvements to the health system and economic levels of the average person have led to better health in most people and an ability to live independently longer. Children are not facing the demand of providing support for the older family member. “Older people are erroneously thought to be senile, resistant to change, inflexible, incompetent workers, and a burden on the young” (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010, p.642). Individuals entering later adulthood were once young, energetic, and thriving in the work field and are now viewed negatively by society. The older an individual becomes, the less energy they may have because their bodies may not be as physically fit as they once were. This may cause them to not be able to participate in activities that they may have once enjoyed doing. For example, a person may drive a car to where they need to be every single day of their life, but then lose their ability to drive a car during their later adulthood stage. Getting used to being without a car and depending on others or public transportation can be a huge change in life. Role changes like these can cause an individual to develop low self-esteem. Zastrow and Kirst-Ashman suggest