Chapter 13; physical and cognitive development in middle adulthood Flashcards
pink floyd in their song “Time” described what of when people are young and when they get older
when people are young life seems longer and time passes more slowly
but
when we get older, time seems to pass much more quickly
do individuals in middle adulthood increasingly think about time left to live or time since birth
time left to live
in today, how are 50 year olds better than their 40 year old counterparts from a generation or two earlier
better in shape, more alert, and more productive
why are the boundaries of middle age being pushed upward (middle age is starting later and lasting longer)
as more lead healthier lifestyles and medical discoveries help to slow down the aging process
why is middle age starting later and lasting longer
for increasing numbers of active, healthy, and productive people
what does “60 is the new 40” imply
that many 60 year olds today are living a life that is as active, productive, and healthy as earlier generations did in their forties
what is age identity
the concept of how one feels of belonging to a certain age group, and how old they feel
as adults become older, is their age identity younger or older than their chronological age
younger
in the study, what have respondents said characterizes being middle aged
- enjoying afternoon naps
- groaning when you bend down
- preferring a quiet night in rather than a night out
some individuals consider the upper boundary of midlife as the age when they make the transition from work to retirement
what did Carl Jung refer midlife as
“the afternoon of life”
what does midlife serve as an important preparation for
late adulthood
according to Carl Jung refer late adulthood as
“the evening of life”
in the 1900 what was the average life expectancy
47
- only 3 percent of the population lived past 65
what is the average life expectancy today
79
- 12 percent is of the US population is older than 65
what happens as the percentage of the population grows greater in living to older ages regarding the midpoint of life
the midpoint of life and what constitutes middle age or middle adulthood are getting harder to pin down
is the percentage of the population made up of middle and older adults decreasing or increasing
increasing
from what to what ages is middle adulthood
40 to 45 years of age to 60 to 65 years of age
since an increasing percentage of the population is made up of middle-aged and older adults, what does it create
“rectangularization” of the age distribution (a vertical rectangle)
do physical skills and reponsiblity increase or decrease during middle adulthood
physical skills decrease
responsibility increases
why?
become more conscious of the young old polarity and the shrinking amount of time left in life
middle adulthood is a point when individuals seek to transmit something […] to the next generation; and a time when people reach and maintain […] in their careers
meaningful
satisfaction
in other words; what does middle adulthood involve balancing
work and relationship responsibilities in the midst of the physical and psychological changes associated with aging
what do gains and losses and biological and sociocultural factors do to each other
balance each other
however;
losses may begin to outweigh gains for many individuals in late midlife
from what age is late midlife considered
55 to 65
compared with earlier midlife, late midlife is more likely to be characterized by
- death of a parent
- last child leaving the parental home
- becoming a grandparent
- preparation for and actual retirement
what do many people in the late midlife experience for the first time
confrontation with health problems
what does Margie Lachlan and her colleagues (2015) describe middle age as a period of
pivotal period because it is a time of balancing growth and decline, linking earlier and later periods of development, and connecting younger and older generations
what did lifespan expert Gilbert Brim (1992) comment middle adulthood being full of
changes, twists, and turns; the path is not fixed. People move in and out of states of success and failure
since everyone experiences some physical changes due to aging in the middle adult hood years, is the speed of the aging process varied considerably from on individual to another
varies considerably
what play important roles in whether chronic disease will appear and when
genetic makeup and lifestyle factors
what are visible signs of physical changes in middle adulthood (usually apparent by the 40s or 50s)
- Skin wrinkles and sags (loss of fat and collagen in underlying tissues)
- Age spots appear (pigmentation, esp if exposed to sunlight. e.g. hands and face)
- Hair thins and grays
- Nails thicken and become more brittle
- Teeth yellow
is an older or youthful appearance valued in our culture
yes, hence many strive to make themselves look younger
e.g.
cosmetic surgery, dyeing hair, wearing wigs, enrolling in weight reduction programs, exercise regiments, vitamins
in middle adulthood is height and weight gained or lost
height is lost
weight is gained
what is a critical health problem of weight
being overweight
what is the risk?
to develop a number of other health problem e.g. hypertension & diabetes
on average how many inches do men lose in height
30 - 50 lose about half an inch
50 - 70 lose about 3/4 a inch
(are variations in individuals)
why?
bone loss in vertebrae
on average how many inches do women lose in height
as much as two inches over a 50 year span from 25 to 75 years of age
(are variations in individuals)
why?
bone loss in vertebrae
om average, body fat accounts for […] percent of body weight in adolescence; it makes up […] percent or more in middle age
10
20
what is an increase in weight gain from early adulthood to middle adulthood linked to an increased risk of
major chronic diseases and unhealthy aging
what is sarcopenia
age related loss of muscle mass and strength
side note;
max physical strength often is attained in the twenties
where does a loss of strength especially occur
in the back and legs
what is the percentage in which muscle loss with age occurs at a rate of per year past the age of 50
1 to 2 percent per year
what is a risk factor for sarcopenia
obesity
what is the term used to describe individuals who have sarcopenia and are obese
sarcopenic obesity
higher risk for men than for women
since the cushions for bones movement become less efficient in physical development for middle aged adults what does this lead to regarding the joints and movement
leading to joint stiffness and more difficulty in movement
progressive bone loss
begins slowly but accelerates during the fifties
women lose bone mass about […] as quickly as men do
twice
what happens to bones breaking and healing by the end of midlife
break more easily and heal more slowly
what has a greater intake of link to an increased bone density in middle aged and older adults
greater intake of fruits and vegetables
what happen to the accommodation of the eye (ability to focus and maintain an image on the retina)
sharp decline between 40 to 59 years
in particular, middle aged individuals have difficult in viewing close objects hence many invidiuals have to wear what
glasses with bifocal lenses - lenses with two sections that enable the wearer to see items at different distances
there is some evidence that the retina becomes […] sensitive to low levels of illumination
less
what are routine procedures for correcting vision in middle aged adults
laser surgery and implantation of intraocular lenses
hearing can start to decline by the age
40
first sensitivity to high pitches
ability to hear low pitched sounds does not seem to decline much
who loses their sensitivity to high pitched sounds sooner, men or women
men
how?
might be due to mens greater exposure to noise in occupations e.g. mining, automobile work
what does a reduced blood supply do to the visual field, increase or decrease it
decrease
what issues does the cardiovascular system have in midlife
high blood pressure
high cholesterol
cardiovascular disease
what is high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease (increases considerably)
weight gain between 45 to 60
linked to unhealthy diet in adolescence
linked to lower SES
with the level of cholesterol in the blood increasing through adult years what happens in midlife
it begins to accumulate on the artery walls, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease
high blood pressure (hypertension) often occurs in the forties and fifties, what can uncontrolled hypertension do to the brain structure and its function
damage the brain structure and its function as the late thirties and early forties
can hypertension in middle age be linked to a risk of cognitive impairment
yes
in a Chinese study men and women who gained an average of 22 pounds or more from 20 to 45-60 years of age had an increased risk of
hypertension and cholesterol, as well as elevated triglyceride levels in middle age
can risk factors for cardiovascular disease in middle adulthood show up later or earlier in development
earlier
a […] diet in adolescence was linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease in middle aged women
healthy
contrast;
unhealthy diet is strong predictor of cardiovascular disease
what lifestyle can often help to stave off many cardiovascular problems in middle age
exercise, weight control, and a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grain
in what categories is a high level of physical activity associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease in
normal, overweight, obese
what are cholesterol lowering and hypertension lowering drugs a major factor in improving in many middle aged adults and increasing
improving health and increasing their life expectancy
what is the list of strategies for improving cardiovascular health by the American Heart Associations “Life Simple 7”
- manage blood pressure
- control cholesterol
- reduce blood sugar
- get active
- eat better
- lose weight
- quit smoking
linked to better cardiovascular healthy recovery following a heart attack later in life
what is metabolic syndrome
hypertension, obesity, and insulin resistance
why is there a decrease in lung capacity at approximately age 55 while there has been little change through most of middle adulthood
lung tissue (proteins) becomes less elastic
with lung protein (tissue) becoming less elastic what happens with a combined gradual stiffening of connective tissues in the chest wall
it decreases the lung’s capacity to shuttle oxygen from the air people breathe to the blood in their veins
since the lung capacity of individuals who are smokers drops precipitously in middle age, what happens if the individual quits smoking
their lung capacity improves, although not to eh level of individuals who have never smoked
what does increased cardiorespiratory fitness from early adulthood to middle adulthood link to a decline in
less decline in lung health over time
(better lung health over time)
does the total number of hours slept usually change or remains the same as in early adulthood
same
but?
beginning in forties, wakeful periods are more frequent and there is less of the deepest type of sleep (stage 4)
does the amount of time spent lying awake in bed at night begin to increase or decrease in middle age to the point of producing a feeling of being less rested in the morning
increase
what does poor sleep quality in middle adulthood link to a cognitive decline or increase
decline
in young and middle aged adults do female and males have more severe sleep problems
females
72% have no sleep disturbances
what are factors done by a Korean study found that link to having sleeping problems in middle age
- unemployment
- being unmarried
- currently being a smoker
- lack of exercise
- irregular meals
- frequently experiencing stressful events
what happens to the immune system function when linked to less sleep
less effective
sleep disordered breathe and restless legs syndrome increase or decrease in the 40’s
increase
in middle adulthood does the frequency of accidents decline or increase
declines
are individuals in midlife less or more susceptible to colds and allergies than in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood
less
do many individuals live through midlife with or without having a disease or persistent health problem
some without while for others it comes more common in midlife than in earlier life stages
what is chronic disorders
slow onset and a long duration
(rare in early adulthood but increases in middle age)
stress is increasingly being identified as a factor in
disease
why?
cumulative effect of chronic stress often takes toll on health by the time they reach middle age
what does an elevated cortisol levels link to
physical health problems
+
downturn in immune system functioning
what are stress reducing activities that have positive influences on immune system functioning
yoga
relaxation
hypnosis
what is cortisol
a hormone “stress hormone”
why?
- linked to physical health problems such as lower immune system functioning and higher blood pressure, cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease, as well as to higher levels of mental health problems such as anxiety and depressive disorders
from ages 21 to 55 years of age, are men and women who are married , never married, or previously married, have lower cortisol levels
married
how individuals react to stressors/daily link to
health outcomes