Integrity In Late Adulthood

Ego - integrity or despair, the last stage, happens in late adulthood. People in this stage face many self - contemplations. They desire to promote intellectual enthusiasm, focus attentiveness on new roles and activities, and begin to recognize their believes about death. Older adults use more of their time reconsidering and reflecting about their past than before. They also tend to be more sensible to the decisions made years ago than those they have done during this stage. They often recall the events of their life and how they have lived. Within the integrity v.s. despair stage, life review process emerges among elders. In this process, older adults appraise the events and experiences of their lifetime. The most important event of this stage is the admitting of one own life.

To achieve integrity, according to Erickson, a person had to accept his or her past decisions and choices that made his or her life a distinctive journey. Erickson also believed that older adults that reach integrity stage become self-asserting and self-acknowledge. They also embrace a belief that their lives have been valuable and useful. They feel a sense of satisfaction about life, and accept the death as a next step of their lives. Those who are unsuccessful during this phase will feel that their lives have been misspent; and they will experience much regrets. The individual will be left with bitterness and desperation. Strong knowledge of Ego Integrity helps to promote nursing care. Moreover, this understanding will better prepare nurses to deal with the final stages of patients who are facing life’s dilemmas and tragedies. As McLeod (2013) states: “success in this stage will lead to the virtue of wisdom. Wisdom enables a person to look back on their life with a sense of closure and completeness, and also accept death without