Erikson’s psychological conflict of ego integrity versus despair is faced in late adulthood. Those with a sense of integrity accept their life course with its imperfections, while those who experience despair feel they have too little time to overcome disappointing failures. According to Peck, integrity requires that adults move beyond their work, their bodies, and their separate identities and work to make the world better. Labouvie-Vief believes integrity is facilitated by adults’ fuller understanding of their emotions. Current research indicates that elderly people engage in a form of reminiscence called life review as part of acheiving ego integrity, preventing despair, and accepting the end of life. Older adults’ personalities become more agreeable, less extroverted, and more accepting of change, and spirituality may advance to a higher level.

Continuing social changes begun in middle adulthood, elders choose their social circle more selectively, focusing on a few familiar, pleasurable relationships. Most remain in the homes where they spent their adult lives, with increasing numbers living alone. While restriction of autonomy in U.S.American nursing homes leads to social withdrawal, residential communities often increase opportunities for meaningful interaction.

Marital happiness is at its peak in late adulthood. Although divorce is more stressful in late life, it is very rare, and remarriages are more successful than at younger ages. Widowhood is highly stressful, but older adults adjust better than those widowed at younger ages. Never-married elders, mostly women, develop alternative ties and generally fare well. Siblings, friends, and adult children provide important sources of emotional support and companionship to elders. Relationships with grandchildren and great-grandchildren provide meaningful links to the future. However, some elders are maltreated, a situation affected by various characteristics of perpetrators, victims, and institutions.

The decision to retire involves many factors, and while most elders adjust well, reluctance to retire predicts stress. Senior leisure activities are typically an extension of those engaged in earlier in life. Volunteer work and increased political activism offer important opportunities for elders to contribute to society. Successful aging, involving maximizing gains and minimizing losses, is best viewed as a process rather than a list of accomplishments, and is facilitated by cultural policies thatwhich value the contributions of older adults and support their continued development.