In the lifespan approach one may see events as a single one-off occurrence, or a series of associated events. The lifespan approach places particular emphasis on the idea of a continuum. The continuum enables us to examine events along a time line. We can begin by thinking of the person as starting life as a foetus following conception, and through the life course achieve development and growth, and at the end of the continuum, death as a human event. There is no single set of stages that can be said to be universal because some of these stages are not clearly defined in terms of months or years. So, you may think of the human lifespan in terms of ‘newborn’, ‘infancy’, ‘childhood’, ‘adolescence’, ‘adulthood’, ‘middle age’, and ‘old age’. However, there are many terms that you may be familiar with that point to a subtle emphasis on aspects of the stage of growth and development in question. For example, ‘teenager’, or ‘older adult’, which may also convey social and cultural influences on how these are perceived.

From a physical health perspective, the lifespan is marked by certain 'events' in relation to medical and nursing care, and the associated interdisciplinary services in the community. These may be age-related, lifestyle focused, or gender specific. Examples of these include immunisation, screening for various genetically determined diseases such as sickle cell and thalassaemia disorders, cystic fibrosis and screening for cancers.

People’s views about lifespan stages will vary, as will their perceptions and values. Whilst one can accept a degree of universality, ideas about everyday lifespan related events and situations may not be conceptually similar. For instance, pregnancy in a cross-cultural context may be celebrated in culture specific rituals, whilst the views of women and men about pregnancy may vary within and across cultures. Thus, an awareness of the diversity between and within cultures and well as gender differences is a useful principle.

In the cross-cultural context, the lifespan approach can provide a framework to explore culture-specific beliefs and practices about a developmental stage and its perceived significance in that culture. Hence, in congruence with the belief systems and religious practices, there are celebrations, festive occasions, social and religious events that mark the rites of passage. These may serve various functions at personal, family and social levels. Cultural expectations influence the practices that are observed in communities that have established themselves or in the transition of establishing themselves in Britain. Rituals of social transitions play an essential part in all cultures and are outward or public demonstrations of change from one stage to another.

Some rites of passage are given below.