Aging II Flashcards
What are the top 3 common health problems with the elderly?
- arthritis
- osteoporosis
- accidents
What is the difference between a chronic illness vs an acute illness?
chronic - long term
acute - sudden; short lived
What does acuity level refer to?
how sick someone is
To assess for cognition what are the 3 questions that should be asked
- name
- date and time of day
- location
What is the difference between treatment of an illness vs. curing an illness?
treatment: management of symptoms
curing - fix the problem
What is arthritis?
inflammation of the joints accompanied by pain, stiffness and movement problems
What the common parts of the body affected by arthritis?
hips knees ankles fingers vertebrae
There is no cure for arthritis. However, can be managed by what?
drugs
ROM exercises
weight reduction
joint replacement
What is osteoporosis?
extensive loss of bone tissue
What is osteoporosis the leading cause in?
broken bones in women
How many women does osteoporosis affect?
2/3 of women over the age of 60
What causes osteoporosis?
deficiencies in:
calcium
estrogen
vitamin D (helps calcium absorb in the intestine)
smoking
lack of exercise
What are some preventions that can be taken to prevent osteoporosis?
eating rich foods in calcium
get more exercise
avoid smoking
Estrogen replacement therapy can also be taken as a prevention for osteoporosis. What high risk individuals should not take this and why?
those with a history of breast cancer
estrogen can make breast cancer reoccur
Accidents are a common health problem. 618 of every 100,000 people over the age of 65 fracture a hip. What happens to 20% of these people.
they die within 12 months due to pneumonia.
What are the two most common accidents?
falls and car accidents
What are usually the causes of accidents?
sight and hearing
What type of program helps to reduce the risk of falls in elderly adults?
exercise
What are the top 3 causes of death in older adults?
- cancer
- heart disease
- stroke
What is the hardware of the mind that involves speed and accuracy of the processes involving sensory input, visual & motor memory, discrimination, comparison & categorization?
cognitive mechanics
What are the culture based software programs of the mind that include reading & writing skills, language comprehension & type of knowledge about the self & life skills that help us to master or cope with life?
cognitive pragmatics
Cognitive mechanics have a strong influence of biology, heredity & health. Is there decline with age likely?
yes
Cognitive pragmatics have a strong influence of culture. Is there improvement into old age possible?
yes
The speed of processing declines in late adulthood. If someone strokes, lateralization happens? What is this?
the healthy side of the brain will compensate to help them get better
What are the 5 categories of the multi-dimensional, multi-directional nature of cognition?
- cognitive mechanics
- cognitive pragmatics
- sensory/motor & speed of processing dimensions
- memory
- wisdom
What are the 3 processes for memory? and describe
- encoding: registering
- storage: retaining (short & long term)
- retrieval: recall or recognition
What are the 4 dimensions of memory?
- episodic memory
- semantic memory
- working memory and perceptual speed
- explicit and implicit memory
What type of memory is the retention of information about where & when of life’s happenings?
episodic memory
What have researchers found with regards to episodic memory in the elderly?
the older the memory, the less accurate it is
What type of memory involve’s a persons knowledge about the world? does it decline less or more than episodic memory?
semantic memory
declines less than episodic memory
What type of memory is described as short term memory as a place for mental work & problem solving?
working memory
What is the ability to perform simple perceptual motor tasks such as deciding whether two pairs of two digit or two letter strings are the same or different?
perceptual speed
What have researchers found regarding working memory and perceptual speed?
there is a decline in the late adulthood years
What is the memory of facts & experiences that individuals consciously know & can state?
explicit memory
What is the memory without conscious recollection; it involves skills & routine procedures that are automatically performed (ie. ride a bike, typing)
implicit memory
Between explicit and implicit memory, which one is less likely to be affected?
implicit memory
What is the memory that allows for the ability to remember where one learned something?
source memory
What is the memory that involves remembering to do something in the future?
prospective memory
Do either source and prospective memories have the ability to decline? and if so which one?
yes, both can decline in older years
What are the two memories where decline occurs primarily?
episodic and working memories
Which group of people have been the highest group of brain donors?
Mankato Nuns
What defines expert knowledge about practical aspects of life that permits excellent judgment about important matters?
wisdom
What does research show regarding wisdom vs. age?
the elderly are no more wise than the young
What does wisdom involve?
solving practical problems
What are the top 3 links to cognitive functioning?
education
work
health
What do older adults seek to remain competitive in the workforce, learn about societal & technological changes and enhance their self discovery?
education
What are some activities that likely benefit the maintenance of cognitive skills in older adults?
- reading books
- crossword puzzles
- going to lectures
- going to concerts, etc.
