9.1 Flashcards
What subgroups exist in the group late adulthood
Young old (65-74) Old old (75-84) Oldest old (85+)
What segment of the population is fastest growing?
The oldest old
Ageism
Prejudice and discrimination directed at older people
T/F The same behavior is interpreted different when performed by a younger vs. an older adult
True
What ageism is faced by the elderly
People in senior homes spoken to in baby talk
Told i job interviews they don’t have the stamina
Primary aging
Senescence
Universal and irreversible changes due to genetic programming
Secondary aging
Changes that are due to illness, health hauts, other individual factors
Potentially avoidable and reversible
What are outward signs of aging
grey/white, thinning hair
Skin loses collagen and elasticity, wrinkles
Can become shorter
T/F women are more pressured to hide signs of aging than men
True
What are outward signs of aging
Brain smaller and lighter
Brain uses less oxygen and glucose, Blood flow reduced
Neurons decrease
What are the theories that try and explain why people get increased reaction time
Peripheral slowing hypothesis
Generalized slowing hypothesis
Peripheral slowing hypothesis
The PNS becomes less effective with age
Generalized slowing hypothesis
Processing in all parts of nervous system become less efficient as we age
T/F the perception of time increase with age
True
What changes in the physical apparatus of the eye occur in late adulthood
Lens less transparent
Optic nerve less efficient
Distance perception decrease
Need more light
What eye diseases become more common in late adulthood
Cataracts
Glaucoma
AMD
Cataracts
cloudy/opaque areas and lens
If untreated, blindness occurs
AMD
Age related macular degeneration
Macula thins and degenerates
Eyesight gradually degenerates
Macula
Yellowish area near retina where visual perception is best
What is the most common cause of blindness in people over 60?
AMD
Why don’t older adults wear hearing aids
They amplify background noise as well
It makes them look older
How does hearing loss affect social life
May not respond cuz they didn’t hear
May feel left out or lonely
Can lead to paranoia as conversational blanks are filled according to fear
How does hearing loss affect cognitive development?
May hasten cognitive decline
Struggle to understand what’s being said may shunt mental resources away from processing information
What happens to taste and smell in late adulthood
Decline
Tongue loses taste buds
Olfactory bulbs in brain shrivel
What are the leading causes of death in older adults
Heart disease cancer, stroke
What are common psychological and mental disorders in late adulthood
Major depression
Psychological disorder brought on by meds
Dementia
Dementia
Broad category of diseases involving memory loss and decline in mental functioning
Alzheimer’s disease
Progressive brain disorder that produces memory loss and confusion
What are the signs of alzheimers
Forgetfulness
Production of a protein causes growth of large clumps of cells that trigger inflammation and deterioration of nerve cells
Brain shrinks
What are risk factors for dementia
Genetic predisposition
What factors determine whether an older adult will engage in sexual activity
Good physical and mental health
Previous regular sexual activity
T/F the percentage of people who find their sexual partners physically attractive increases with age
True
What are the two theories that try to explain why we undergo deterioration and death
Genetic programming theories of aging
Wear and tear theories of aging
Genetic programming theories of aging
Our bodies DNA contains built in time limit for the reproduction of human cells
Wear and tear theories of aging
The mechanical functions of body wear out with age
The body’s constant manufacture of fuel creates by products which can impair body’s normal functioning
Life expectancy
Average age of death for members of a population
What are potential solutions to aging
Telomere therapy Unlocking longevity genes Reducing free radicals with antioxidant drugs Restricting calories Replacing worn out organs
Telomere therapy
Telomeres are the ends of linear dna, after every round of cell replication they get shorter, eventually they disappear, ending cell replication
If we could lengthen telomeres, aging might be slowed
Longevity genes
Genes that control body’s ability to cope with environmental challenges and physical adversity
