SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Middle age is a period of family changes. Children can leave home to start college or a new life. This can cause financial and emotional concentrations in the lives of middle-aged individuals. Also; Taking care of aging parents and overcoming the problems they create are also important responsibilities of middle-aged individuals.
Retirement is approaching and the individual tries to prepare himself for this situation. It tries to adjust itself in such a way that it will not have financial difficulties. The more interests an individual has in middle age and earlier, the more comfortable retirement will be. Because the individual will have a large number of occupations to distract himself.
This makes them less likely to become depressed (Mayo Clinic vol 1 p. 238-240).
The social relations of middle-aged people are also the expression of their socialization abilities. Activities related to society are related to socio-economic level. It is seen that those with a high income level are more active in the society. In this period, friendship relations also gain importance.
The main developmental tasks in middle age are:
- Ability to take on adult social and national responsibilities
- Establishing and maintaining economic living conditions
- Giving your children the necessary guidance
- Ability to develop appropriate leisure pursuits
- Ability to relate to one’s spouse as a unique person
- Adaptation to physiological changes seen in middle age
- Ability to adapt to aging parents (Baymur, 1994:63)
