What term applies to the stages that people pass through from birth to death, beginning with 'childhood' and concluding with 'the older years'?

a. rites of passage

b. life theme

c. the life course

d. stages of development

D. stages of development would be close - but those do not include "the older years"

So I think that the best answer is c. The life course.

The stages can be marked by a. rites of passage, but not all of them are: and this does not make them less in any way.