Old age is, in many respects, the vital stage in which, although many capacities are diminished, full psychological maturity is consolidated.

On the other hand, the lack of understanding on the part of the majority of adults who do not belong to this age range has meant that to a certain extent all human beings who are going through old age are seen as belonging to the same category, as if it were the same thing to be 70 as to be 92.

Below we will see what are the 3 phases of old age, and what are their psychological and physical effects .

The 3 phases of old age

The third age is a vital stage that, partly because of the increase in life expectancy, covers a process of evolution that can be very long, with many variations and many variables to take into account.

That is why it is useful to talk about the stages of old age, as they provide an approximate categorisation about special needs, the most common behavioural patterns and the biological characteristics of these stages.

In summary, the stages of old age are as follows.

Age: 55 to 65 years

Aging is the prelude to the stage in life when several of the body’s functions are more or less drastically reduced in their ability to continue working as they have been doing before.

Physical changes

In this stage it is frequent that sleep patterns are altered , significantly decreasing the number of hours that one needs to sleep each night. It is also frequent that alterations in fat retention and a slower and heavier type of digestion appear. Muscle mass, on the other hand, tends to atrophy significantly.

In women, aging comes approximately with the end of menopause , which generates a series of hormonal alterations that affect both physical and emotional symptoms linked to how this event is experienced.

Psychological changes

In this phase of old age, contrary to what is believed, one neither gets used to suffering a crisis nor does the level of happiness decrease. However, it does change the way of thinking.

In particular, a melancholic thought pattern often appears in which life begins to be seen through memories, what was lived in the past. Comparisons between what happened years ago and the here and now are very frequent.

On the other hand, those with an active family life may be exposed to empty-nest syndrome, where children leave home and loneliness and sometimes boredom sets in.

Age: 65 to 79 years

Pure” old age is the stage of life in which both the weakening of biological functions and a psychological style based on reviewing the past and experimenting with memories are consolidated.

Physical changes

Postural problems and weakening of bones appear, which may cause pain or even make it impossible to exert oneself. Digestion problems, in many cases, are accentuated, as well as the risk of experiencing various types of cancer.

In addition, both vision and hearing often suffer, which in turn entails a risk of a psychological nature: isolation , since it costs more effort to relate to others or even to participate in conversations.

From the age of 75, on the other hand, people already meet the profile of geriatric patients whenever there is a significant problem in their quality of life such as mental deterioration or the inability to live independently.

Psychological changes

This stage consolidates the decline of an important aspect of mental processes: the level of intelligence. More specifically, it is fluid intelligence, which has to do with mental agility and the generation of new knowledge from scratch, that is most affected, while crystallised intelligence is much better preserved in the majority of healthy adults of this age.

Age: 80 years and older

Old age is the last stage of old age, and represents a qualitative change in both physical and psychological evolution.

Physical changes

In this phase the postural alterations and the fragility of bones and joints s are accentuated, which can lead to a significant reduction in people’s autonomy. The rest of the health problems also follow its progression, becoming significantly more frequent in this phase.

Psychological changes

In this phase, the danger of social isolation is accentuated, given that, on the one hand, the number of friendships declines due to the frequency with which deaths occur, and on the other hand the lack of autonomy tends to mean that departures from the home and encounters are more rare. Free time is usually occupied with relatively contemplative activities, such as reading or gardening.