Question

An older adult with a chronic degenerative disease progresses to the stage at which self-care is no longer possible, and admission to a long-term care facility becomes necessary. What is the major developmental conflict for this client, according to Erikson?

Answer 1

Answer:

Ego integrity vs. despair

Explanation:

Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development are a psychological theory that states that, as we grow old, we transition through eight different stages where we are faced with a major psychosocial crisis, with the outcome of this crisis having a major effect on our lives. Erikson states that succesfully resolving the crisis will lead to a subsequent healthier and happier life, since getting a positive outcome leads to personal growth in the form of acquired virtues that will help us face the next crisis.

The eighth and last psychosocial stage is the ego integrity vs. despair crisis. We generally face this crisis during the latter stage of our life, past the age of 65. During this stage, we tend to reflect and look back on our lives to appreciate what we have accomplished so far, and asking ourselves if our lives were meaningful. Ego integrity refers to accepting our life as we have lived it, and feeling that our lives were worth living. On the other hand, if we feel that we have led unfulfilling lives, or that we didn't accomplish what we wanted, we fall into despair. The crisis during this stage is the clash between integrity and despair. Succesfully solving this crisis means feeling proud of what we have accomplished, and accepting the things that come with old age, such as having a frail body and needing outside assistance.

In our case, the older adult with the chronic degenerative disease is at this eighth stage. Facing the reality that self-care is no longer possible. In order to solve the integrity-despair crisis, the older adult will have to face and accept the reality that at this point of life, admission to a long-term care facility is a necessity. Accepting it as an inevitable part of life will lead to an increased ego integrity, while despairing over how old and helpess they have become will lead to increased despair.