Emerging Elderhood: Transitions from Midlife

As the number of older adults grows exponentially, social work and psychology practice must embrace a more nuanced appreciation of the aging process. Family life is evolving in unprecedented ways, leaving adults with new challenges and choices for how best to live out their lives. Adults may face difficult decisions and increased anxieties regarding their own health, concern for loved ones, and uncertainties about the future. The noteworthy trends associated with the “new adulthood” holds clinical significance and raises important questions for contemporary practice. Our collective clinical and research experience with older adults suggests a re-envisioning of the threshold from midlife to older adulthood as well as an expansion of clinical sensitivity to issues raised by clients. We conceptualize this transition period as Emerging Elderhood (EE) and propose key tasks, developmental opportunities, and suggestions for clinicians to guide clients toward adaptation and change.