Chapter 13 Flashcards
Explain the concept of age identity. How do most people in middle adulthood perceive
their age?
age identity: the inner experience of a person’s age + aging process
as adults get older → age identity is lower than their chronological age
Discuss how physical, neurological, and sociocultural factors all impact middle adulthood.
Which are most important?
gains + losses: as biological functioning declines, sociocultural factors (ex. education, career,
and relationships) may peak in the process
Discuss how physical, neurological, and sociocultural factors all impact middle adulthood.
Which are most important?
gains + losses: as biological functioning declines, sociocultural factors (ex. education, career,
and relationships) may peak in the process
- a good balance between the two
- losses may begin to dominate in late middle adulthood
- Summarize appearence changes during midlife, including appearance, height and weight,
joints, and bones, vision and hearing, cardiovascular fitness, and sleep.
appearance: skin wrinkles + sags, age spots, hair thinning + graying, nails thicken and become
more brittle, teeth yellow
- Summarize height changes during midlife
height: loses height (men lose inch from 50-70, women lose 2 inches from 25-75). because of
bone loss in the vertebrae
- Summarize weight changes during midlife
gains weight, being overweight / obesity leads to risk of dying earlier or other ailments
(ex. hypertension, diabetes, digestive disorders)
- Summarize joint changes during midlife,
joints, bones + strength: sarcopenia = age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, peak
functioning of body’s joints are in the twenties, maximum bone density occurs by mid- to late
thirties → loss of bone
- Summarize vision and hearing changes during midlife,
vision + hearing: eye blood supply diminishes (50-60). accommodation of the eye (aka ability to
focus + maintain image on the retina) → declines between the ages of 40 to 59. hearing
declines by age 40 + high-pitched sounds are usually lost first
- Summarize changes in the cardiovascular system during midlife,
cardiovascular system: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease
increase considerably → linked to weight gain between ages 45 and 60. can be connected back
to an unhealthy diet in adolescence. socioeconomic status also play a role
metabolic syndrome: characterized by hypertension, obesity, and insulin resistance → diabetes
and cardiovascular disease
- Summarize changes in sleep during midlife,
sleep: 7-9 hours are necessary for optimal performance. wakeful periods are more frequent in
the forties. ineffective immune system functioning → less sleep. people who take more
medication / are obese / cardiovascular disease / depression = increased sleep problems
List specific areas where health tends to improve during middle adulthood, and areas
where it tends to get worse.
chronic disorders: increase in middle adulthood + become common in late adulthood (ex.
arthritis, hypertension)
- many deaths in middle age = readily identifiable condition
- cancer continues to be the number one cause
stress also ties into behavior / progression of disease → lower levels of natural killer cells in
stressful situations = weakened immune system
- people who live in a chronically stressed condition are more likely to take up smoking,
start overeating, avoid exercising, etc.
- Discuss the gender gap in mortality rate. Any thoughts on why this occurs?
men generally have higher mortality rates than women for all leading causes of death
men have a higher incidence of fatal chronic conditions and women have a higher chance of
nonfatal ones
Describe common symptoms of menopause, and discuss treatment options.
menopause: where women’s menstrual periods stop, usually during the late forties / early fifties
perimenopause: period of time between normal menstrual cycles to no menstrual cycles (~10
years)
hereditary factors + experience (ex. women who smoke cigarettes → earlier menopause
because tobacco smoke damages ovaries) influence the onset of menopause
late menopause = increased risk of breast cancer
production of estrogen in the ovaries declines
- HRT (various forms of estrogen and progestin) has been prescribed as treatment for side
effects of menopause BUT is linked to increased risk of breast cancer
production of estrogen in the ovaries declines
- HRT (various forms of estrogen and progestin) has been prescribed as treatment for side
effects of menopause BUT is linked to increased risk of breast cancer
Summarize risk factors for erectile dysfunction, making sure to relate these to health-
related behaviors.
compared to women, there is only a modest decline in sexual hormone level and activity
- testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) → improves sexual functioning, muscle strength,
and bone health, but there is an increased risk of stroke
erectile dysfunction → inability to achieve and maintain an erection (affects 50% of men aged
40-70)
What are the most common sexual problems for men? For women? Why do you think
this is?
men: early ejaculation and erectile difficulties
- idk why. maybe ED + decline in hormone level
women: lack of sexual interest and lubrication difficulties
- sexual desire decreases with late perimenopause
