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Marriage and Family Life: The Middle and LateYears

Focus on Stage 4:

Consolidation and Celebration

Earlier,weexaminedtheNichols’four-

stagemaritallifecycleandthecoretasks

which must takeplacein movingfrom one

stagetothenext.Webriefly summarized

stagesoneandtwo,then took a deeper

look at stagethreein our examination of

midlife.By lookingdevelopmentally at the

Nichols’finalstageof themaritallifecycle

(stagefour),wecan better understandthe

family transitionswhich occur duringthe

later years.

Core Task: Commitment.Accordingto

theNichols,thisfinalstageof themarital

lifecycleisabout balancingthesatisfaction

achievedin lifewith theinevitablelossesto

come.Typically at thisstageof life,people

moveintoretirement,which resultsin the

lossof career identity,readjustment of the

timespent together asa couple,and

realignment of relationshipswith extended

family.Thecommitmenttask in thisstage,

accordingtotheNichols,involves

supportingeach other in thesearch for

meaningandsatisfaction in life,aswellas

remaininga productivemember of society.

Olson andDeFrain (2000)suggest an older

person’smentalattitudeistosomedegree

dependent on their accomplishmentsin

thepast andprospectsfor thefuture.For

thosewhohaveworkedthroughout allor

most of their adult lives,thiscan bea

challengingandsometimesdepressing

periodof makingpeacewith thepast and

findingmeaningandpurposein the

present.

Core Task: Caring.Maintaininga

satisfactorydegreeof coupleclosenessand

supportintheremainingyearsisan

importantcoretaskinthelateryears.This

involvesdemonstratingcaringand

appreciationforpastsharing,aswellas

continuedaffectionandconcernforone

anotherinthepresent.Affectionand

concernareimportantwaystoprovidethe

supportnecessaryinthesearchfor

meaningandsatisfactioninlife(Nichols&

Pace-Nichols,1993).

Core Task: Communication.Deepening

theavenuesof communicationisespecially

importantinthelateryears.Accordingto

theNichols,thecoretaskof

communicationinthisstageinvolvesthe

abilitytotalkaboutandsharethemeanings

themarriagehasheldforeachpartner.

Couplesshouldbeabletocommunicate

Communication in the later years involves the ability to talk

about and share the meanings the marriage has held for

each partner, as well as plans for the future.

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