Chapter 14 Flashcards
Demographic shift
A shift in the proportions of the populations of various ages.
Average life expectancy
The arithmetic mean, calculated by adding up all the ages of death of a group and then dividing by how many people are in that group. If, in a group of five older adults, one dies every decade (60, 70, 80, 90, 100), the average would be 80. Note also that, among the three who reach 80, their average life expectancy would be 90.
Young-old
Healthy, vigorous, financially secure older adults (generally, those aged 65 to 75) who are well integrated into the lives of their families and communities.
Old-old
Older adults (generally, those over age 75) who suffer from physical, mental, or social deficits.
Oldest-old
Older adults (generally, those over age 85) who are dependent on others for almost everything, requiring supportive services such as nursing homes and hospital stays.
Ageism
Older adults (generally, those over age 85) who are dependent on others for almost everything, requiring supportive services such as nursing homes and hospital stays.
What is the demographic shift, and why does it matter?
The demographic shift refers to the changing population structure, a shift to higher proportions of older adults and fewer children. That matters because it changes how a community is organized, with fewer schools and later retirement age, for instance.
How are the numbers and the rates of Alzheimer’s disease changing?
The rates are decreasing, as more people are healthy and cognitively engaged, but the numbers are increasing, as more people live a long time.
What is the difference between young-old, old-old, and oldest-old?
The main difference is how able people are to meet their own caregiving needs. This is somewhat related to age, with most of those in their 60s young-old and those in their 90s oldest-old, but independence, not age, determines category.
How can getting old be a self-fulfilling prophecy?
If a person thinks age brings infirmity, then that person might do things to increase infirmity, such as avoiding doctors, exercise, and self-care.
How is ageism similar to racism
Like racism, ageism categorizes people based on external traits, and thus ignores individuality in favor of stereotypes.
What is elderspeak and how is it used?
Elderspeak refers to how people might talk to the old, louder, with less complexity. It is often used in medical settings.
How do sleep patterns change with age?
In late adulthood, people sleep less at night and nap more in the day.
Why don’t older people exercise more?
The social and physical environment does not encourage exercise in late adulthood, and the older people themselves have not developed exercise habits.
Wear-and-tear
A view of aging as a process by which the human body wears out because of the passage of time and exposure to environmental stressors.
Weathering
The gradual accumulation of wear and tear on the body with age, as with a plank of wood left exposed to the weather over several years.
Calorie restriction
The practice of limiting dietary energy intake (while consuming sufficient quantities of vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients) for the purpose of improving health and slowing down the aging process.
Intermittent fasting
A pattern of eating that includes periods of restricted eating interspersed with usual consumption. The most popular pattern is two days per week eating less than 750 calories and five days of normal eating, all while drinking plenty of water.
Maximum life span
The oldest possible age that members of a species can live under ideal circumstances. For humans, that age is approximately 122 years.
Cellular aging
The cumulative effect of stress and toxins, first causing cellular damage and eventually the death of cells.
Telomeres
The area of the tips of each chromosome that is reduced a tiny amount as time passes. By the end of life, the telomeres are very short.
Universal design
The creation of settings and equipment that can be used by everyone, whether or not they are able-bodied and sensory-acute.
How could wear on a child’s body affect senescence in later life?
Organ reserve may be depleted, so hearts, for instance, are weaker because of childhood habits
When do genes become more influential for health than habits?
This is a matter of some dispute, but genes seem particularly influential in late adulthood
How is cellular repair related to cancer?
Wayward cells can appear at any point in life, but usually the immune system repairs damage. Repair mechanisms are reduced in later adulthood, allowing cancer to spread.
How do visual losses affect the other senses?
The various systems of the body all affect each other. Visual losses may restrict activity, make falls more likely, and cut off information and entertainment if reading and watching TV is hard.
