Women and men go through significant changes mid way through their life. This paper is going to focus on when women reach the age of fifty. This age seems to bring some questions and curiosities for women. There are many characteristics, experiences, and abilities that a fifty-year-old woman will have.
The average fifty-year-old woman starts menopause at this time. The most significant change for women at this time is the significant drop in the production of the female hormones (particularly estrogen) by the ovaries. The close of menstruation typically takes two to four years, with sporadic missing periods and extension of the intervals between periods. This time period is referred to as perimenopause. When a woman no longer menstruates, she is now in the postmenopause stage. A lot of women try to have kids before it is too late. There are other changes that can accompany the hormonal changes of menopause.
One change that can accompany the hormonal changes of menopause is the involuntary leaking of urine (incontinence). Heart disease and osteoporosis are two other changes that can accompany the hormonal changes of menopause. These changes are just normal reactions to the body's reduced production of sex hormones. Most women have minimal symptoms and continue to function rather well. A large amount of these effects can be reduced by regular exercise and diet modifications; they may even disappear with treatment or diminish over time. Menopause is a reminder to women to continue with a good health program as she progresses through midlife.
A common belief that woman are distressed when they can no longer bear children is actually found to be untrue. Less than five percent of all menopausal women report that they feel distressed that they cannot have children any longer. Many women are relieved that they no longer have to worry about pregnancy, and some report an improvement in their sex lives. Another common myth is the thought of woman being depressed during menopause. In fact, research has revealed that more women are depressed in their twenties and thirties. Women usually tend to feel depressed if they feel that menopause is a signal of the end of their attractiveness, usefulness, and sexuality.
In the early 1900’s, women who were married main jobs were to care for her family, manage their houses, and do housework. That is where the word housewife was come from. During the 1940's, women's roles and expectations in society were changing quickly and a lot. Before, women had very limited say in society. Since unemployment was so high during the Great Depression, most people were against women working because they saw it as women taking jobs from men that needed to work. Women were often stereotyped to stay home, have babies, and to be a good wife and mother. Advertisements often targeted women, showing them in the kitchen, talking with children, serving dinner, cleaning, and them with the joy of a clean house or the latest kitchen appliance.
After the success of antislavery movement in the early nineteenth century, activist women in the United States took another step toward claiming themselves a voice in politics. They were known as the suffragists. It took those women a lot of efforts and some decades to seek for the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment. In her essay “The Next Generation of Suffragists: Harriot Stanton Blatch and Grassroots Politics,” Ellen Carol Dubois notes some hardships American suffragists faced in order to achieve the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. Along with that essay, the film Iron-Jawed Angels somehow helps to paint a vivid image of the obstacles in the fight for women’s suffrage. In the essay “Gender at Work: The Sexual Division of Labor during World War II,” Ruth Milkman highlights the segregation between men and women at works during wartime some decades after the success of women suffrage movement. Similarly, women in the Glamour Girls of 1943 were segregated by men that they could only do the jobs temporarily and would not able to go back to work once the war over. In other words, many American women did help to claim themselves a voice by voting and giving hands in World War II but they were not fully great enough to change the public eyes about women.
Each bone is made up of a thick outer shell known as cortical bone and a strong inner mesh of trabecular bone which looks like a honeycomb, with blood and bone marrow between the struts of bone. Throughout each bone, older, worn-out bone tissue is broken down by specialist cells called osteoclasts and rebuilt by bone-building cells called osteoblasts. This process of renewal is called bone remodelling, when the bone tissues are not balanced after remodelling it can lead to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis occurs when the struts that make up this structure become thin causing bones to become fragile and break easily. Osteoporosis is commonly linked with women; this is because the oestrogen hormone in women is vital for maintaining healthy bones. When a woman reaches menopause and the monthly periods stops, it leads to a fall in the oestrogen levels, this can result to a quick reduction in bone density. Women are said to be at greater risk if they have an early menopause, if they have had a hysterectomy before the age of 45 or if they have had an absent period within 6 months as a result of over exercising or dieting. In men, the cause of osteoporosis is not yet known however, the reduction of the testosterone hormone which helps keep the bone healthy has a link with the disease. As men age, there is a reduced production of this hormone and this may increase the risk of osteoporosis. The reason for a reduction
It is hard to believe that women only 60 years ago were still viewed and inferior to males and had little to no rights to protect themselves. When men returned from World War II some men resulted to domestically violate as a way of punishing his wife for something she did and to affirm dominance that he previously lost. Assaults that were inflicted on to women during the 1950s were seen being a part of male aggression and something that is normal. Women who did report the crime were viewed as being the actually perpetrators and the assault was actually their fault because they were unable to defend themselves. Domestic abuse during the 1950s was not considered as a crime but as a family matter, and law enforcement would not get involved. Since women were unable to defend themselves from abuse and assaults during the 1950s, the excuse that it was the woman’s fault was an excuse that was popularly used.
Havighurst, R. J., Neugarten, B. L., & Tobin, S. S. (1968). Disengagement and patterns of aging. Middle age and aging, 161-172.
This reflection paper is based on the life history interview conducted on me and a 78-year-old woman who is soon going to celebrate her 79th birthday on Sep 21st. I would call her with a fictitious name “Smita” in the entire paper to maintain and protect her privacy. The interview was about our life. It was divided into six major life categories: childhood, adulthood, identity, the present, aging, and life lessons. Having an opportunity to interview a 78-year-old woman and writing this reflective paper about the life history and experiences had made me realize that I have a lot to learn about the stages of human life. Every individual lives are different and it varies tremendously. As an interviewee my goal was to collect the details of life, different stories, and experiences that makes our life unique from the rest of the people.
The 1950s was a time when American life seemed to be in an ideal model for what family should be. People were portrayed as being happy and content with their lives by the meadia. Women and children were seen as being kind and courteous to the other members of society while when the day ended they were all there to support the man of the house. All of this was just a mirage for what was happening under the surface in the minds of everyone during that time as seen through the women, children, and men of this time struggled to fit into the mold that society had made for them.
Nelson (2014) defines menstruation as the shedding of tissue and blood from the lining of uterus through a woman’s vagina. The author also states that menstruation acts as an important sign of puberty among females whereby they normally start having menstrual periods between the ages of 11 to 14 years old, around three to five days per cycle. Marshall (2014) studies that when periods come regularly, it is called the menstrual cycle which also implies the changes that occur in a woman’s body to prepare for fertilization and pregnancy. The cycle usually starts on the first day of the menstrual period and ends the day before the next period starts (Nelson, 2014). Ganong (2003) says the average cycle is 28 days but the length of the cycle is variable
Depression is the most common mental health disorder; it affects over 17 million American adults each year. Depression is a mood disorder characterized by at least four symptoms such as changes in sleep, appetite, weight, and psychomotor activity; decreased energy, feelings of worthlessness or guilt; difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions; or recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation, thoughts or attempts. “Women are approximately two times more likely than men to suffer from major depression” (Research Agenda for Psychosocial and Behavioral Factors in Women’s Health, 1996) and it has been called the most significant mental health risk for women. Women are more likely to suffer from depression during marriage than if single, unlike men who are more likely to suffer depression when single than married, and increases with the number of children in the house (American Psychiatric Association, 1994, p.317). There are many contributing factors to depression in women including but not limited to: hormonal, genetic, infertility, menopause, family responsibilities, gender roles, sexual abuse, work related issues, and financial problems. (National Institute of Mental Health, June 1999). Depression in women is mentally and physically painful but has treatment options available.
Women are at a higher threat of developing osteoporosis when their ovaries discontinue producing estrogen. This is due to the fact that estrogen supports maintaining proper calcium levels in bones. “A collapse of bony vertebrae of the spinal column results in loss of height and stooped posture. Hip fractures are a common occurrence.”
In the 1960’s women were still seen as trophies and were beginning to be accepted into the work industry. They were still homemakers, raised the family, and made sure their husbands were happy. That was the social norms for women during that time period. They were not held to high work expectations like men were. But something amazing happened that would change women 's lives for centuries; it was the 1970’s. The 60’s put the equality movement in motion but 70’s was a time of reform where women were finally able to control their own paths. Not only was the 70’s a historical marker for the fiftieth anniversary for women suffrage, it was also a marker for the drastic change of different social norms, the changes of the American Dream, and the
also managed to prove that they could do the jobs just as well as men
Depression is most common in women. The rates are twice as high as they are in men. According to the National Mental Health Association, about one in every eight women will develop depression at some point during her lifetime. Women’s symptoms are similar to major depression. Some of them include being in a depressed mood, loss of interest in activities you used to like, feelings of guilt and hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts or recurrent thought of death. Women tend to blame themselves, feel anxious and scared, and avoid conflicts at all costs. They also use food, friends, and love to self-medicate. Some causes of depression in women are premenstrual problems, pregnancy and inf...
It can be concluded that, the estrous cycle is a cycle where the females recur the changes physiologically induced by the reproductive hormones. The cycle begins after the female mature sexually and it is interrupted by the pregnancies. Estrous cycle will continue until the death of the female.
The retirement stage in the family life cycle experiences a lot of changes. At this stage the family begins to grown as a result of their children getting married and having families of their own. You are still exploring and cruising the seas and having adventures as a retired couple. Some couple experience illness, financial setbacks, and even death. The chances of having illness, chronic or mental increases with age. However, normal aging will bring about its changes of wrinkles, grey hair, and aches and pains, and maybe loss of bone density and a few grandchildren.