PHYSICAL CHANGES IN MIDDLE AND ADULTHOOD DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE

 Physical development in mid life stage

Physical development in midlife is a continuation of gradual changes underway in early adulthood.

Physical changes

Under this stage,an adult experiences some physical changes such as vision,hearing, taste,appearance etc.

An adult should be aware of these changes to avoid frustration in late adulthood stage.

1.vision

Around age 60,the lens loses its capacity to adjust to objects at varying distances entirely,a condition known as presbyopia. Symptoms include getting headache or tired eyes while doing close work. More people are likely to find they need contacts, bifocals or half glasses to read newspaper,computer screens, restaurant menu or small printed numbers. 

If this is not corrected people tend to read materials by holding them farther and farther away from their eyes until  eventually they cannot see to read even at arm's length.

After age 40,adults are at increased risk of glaucoma a disease in which pressure builds up within the eye due to poor fluid drainage,  damaging the optic nerve and lead to blindness if left un treated.

Cataracts or clouding of the lense,typically occur in 30-50% of people over age of 65. But in some instances appear in individual at late 50s and early 60s. This can be corrected by eye glasses, acontact lens or an artificial lens placed in the eye at the time of the operation. 

Floaters are annoying particles suspended in the gel-like fluid that fill the eye ball and generally, they do not impare vision. However a severe floating problem accompanied by flashes of light could indicate the more serious problem of retinal detachment which if detected early enough can be treated with laser surgery. 

Dry eye steming from diminished tear production can be uncomfortable and can ussually be eased with drops.

Muscular degeneration is the thinning of the layers of the retina and/ or rupturing of tiny blood vessels. The first sign is fade, distortion or blurred central vision. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and reducing fats in the diet can promote clarity of vision and overall  health of the eyes.

2.Hearing

Changes in hearing ussually begins at about age 30. Presbycusis,typically the ability to hear high- pitched sounds such as speech declines but the magnitude of the changes varies appreciably among individuals. By age of 50,about 1 in every 3 men and 1 in every 4 women have difficulty  understanding of whisper. 

Causes

• Cochlear damage due to prolonged exposure to loud noise. 
• Lack of good muscle tone in the middle ear caused by stress or poor diet
• Over growth of the cochlear bone which results in the stapes(stirrup)bone becoming fixed.

The treatment include cleaning your years,using amplification device /hearing aid or surgical intervention. 

3. Taste and smell 

Taste buds which detect salty,sweet, sour and bitter tastes are normally replaced nearly every 10 days.

At the age of 40 taste buds are replaced at slower rate and smell receptors begin to deteroriate,affecting the sense of taste.

Women have better sense of taste than men do because they have more taste buds and estrogen increases women's taste sensitivity. 

From age 50s the sense of smell typically start to decline.

4. Skin / Appearance

As the age goes the epidermis  , the outer layer of the skin becomes less firmly attached to the dermis, the middle layer of skin and fibres in the dermis thin and fat in the hypodermis  diminishes. These changes leads the skin to wrinkle and loosen.

In the 30s ,lines develop on the forehead as a result of smiling,furrowing the brow and other facial expressions .

In the 40s crow-feet appear around the eyes. Gradually skin loses elasticity and begin to sag especially on faces, arms and legs.

After age 50,collection of pigments under the skin increase. Blood vessels in the skin become more visible as the fatty layers thin.

5. Body composition 

Sex differences in fat distribution also appear. Men accumulate more on the back and upper abdomen. Women around the waist  and the upper arms.

The muscle mass declines very gradually in the age of 40s and 50s.

6. Skeleton 

As new cells accumulate on their outer layers the bones broaden,but their mineral content declines and become more porous.This leads to a gradual loss in bone mass that begins in the late 30s and accelerates in the 50s especially among women. 

7. Reproductive system 

The mid life transition in which fertility declines is called the climacteric. 

It differs  markedly between the two sexes because it brings an end to reproductive capacity in women whereas fertility in men diminishes but is retained. 

In women changes occur gradually over a period of 10 years during which the production of oestrogen drops. The number of days in a women's monthly period shortens ,from about 28 in her twenties and thirties to perhaps 23 by her late 40s. Their cycles become more irregular. In some, ova are not released and when they are released more are defective.

The climacteric ends with a menopause,the end of menstruation and reproductive capacity. The age range from 42- 58 and the level of estrogen declines further 

This causes the reproductive organs to shrink in size,the genitals to be less stimulated and the vagina to lubricate more slowly during arousal.

In men the change is limited to a decrease in quantity of semen  and sperms  after age 40. However sperms continue to be produced throughout life and men in their 90 have fathered children. 

Testosterone production declines gradually with age but the change is minimal  in healthy men who continue to engage in sexual activity which stimulates cells that release Testosterone. 

8. Illness and disability 

Cancer and cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death in middle Age.

Un intentional injuries continue to be a major health threat, although they occur at a lower late than young adult hood.

Middle-aged men are equally prone to cardiovascular diseases than women to most healthy problems.