Increased turbulence in the workplace is affecting the careers of an aging workforce: changed skill needs, relations with employers and coworkers, and attitudes toward retirement and aging. Study of careers beyond midlife should bear in mind that retirement is an individual decision and the aging process is unique to the individual. (SK)

This issue on counseling in the third quarter of life includes 17 articles on planning for and adjusting to retirement, traveling, aging, programs for women, employment, transitions, looking for a job, mentoring, playing, and connecting with nature. Articles focus on the third quarter as a time to respond to old calls and answer new ones. (JOW)

Presents concepts of life course, life cycle, life structure, and the adult development of the life structure in early and middle adulthood. Discusses six major issues that must be dealt with by every structural approach to adult development. (PS)

Discusses philosophical, economical, and psychological issues related to midlife, focusing on the ontological and economic aspects of life that seem to be particular challenges to those at the midpoint of their lives. Addresses the role of counselors and psychologists in facilitating the individual's awareness and choice in midlife. (LLL)

Deals with women who have physical disabilities at midlife transition, identifies issues unique to them, and suggests strategies to help them cope with their concerns. (Author/BL)

Describes a day-long Aging Awareness workshop in which a group of 12 elderly were involved in a poetry-writing exercise focusing on meaningful life change. Ramifications of this positive experience are discussed in view of the cultural/language barrier and traditional aging awareness issues such as reminiscence. (JAC)

Asserts that many people who change their jobs in middle age move to less skilled and lower paying work. Discusses two methods of preventing this phenomenon: retraining by methods designed to take account of learning difficulties in those past normal apprenticeship age and applying principles of ergonomics, fitting the job to the worker.…

Discusses research on midlife transitions in women and its implications for theories of women's adult development. Presents findings on menopause, the postparental period, and the roles of women at midlife. Offers several theoretical approaches in light of research findings and makes recommendations for future research. Suggests implications for…

This study examined the relationship between three midlife transitions and depressive symptoms among 952 women 50 to 59 years of age. Using longitudinal data from women interviewed for the 1992 and 2000 Health and Retirement Study, the study described changes in marital status, change to a parental caregiving role, and changes in perceived health…

The Career Development Inventory--Adult Form was used to measure career development, and three instruments were used to measure the life cycle or personal phasic development in order to seek a relationship between the adult life cycle and the professional career development cycle for women and men. Population for the study was a random sample of…

The author discusses the growing need to keep older workers in the labor force and the need for vocational education to address this population's need for retraining. He presents some of the problems and recommendations for older adult training programs. (CH)

Extends the available information base on intellectural aging by collecting self-report data from 100 psychologists between 45 and 64 years of age. Subjects rated changes in intellectual functions, related present changes with past expectations, and answered questions about health problems affecting intellectual functioning. The importance of…

Building on interviews with 319 adults, examines cultural age "deadlines" for a series of general transitions related to education and work. Respondents indicated a rough, "normal biography" of general transitions which had flexible guidelines for how those trajectories might unfold. Relates these findings to complementary…

Identifies research issues of interest to life course and aging scholars that would be enriched by increased attention to social-psychological principles and, conversely, identification of social-psychological research topics that would be advanced by increased attention to life course and aging issues. (SNR)

Addresses the counseling needs of older persons and the response of the counseling psychology field. Dicusses gerontological counseling in relation to life transitions; counseling theory; counseling programs; group, individual and family counseling; counseling techniques; senile dementia; and outcome research. (JAC)