Chapter 14 Flashcards
Ageism
prejudice whereby people are categorized and judged solely on the basis of their chronological age
ageist elders
If the elderly fear they are losing their minds, that fear itself may undermine cognitive competence
what happens to circadian rhythms with age
diminishes with age
-wake before dawn and sleepy during the day
elderspeak
condescending way of speaking to older adults (resembles baby talk)
- short emphasis, repetition, slower rate
- reduces communication and makes comprehension worse
demographic pyramid
youngest at bottom and oldest at the top
dependency ratio
number of self-sufficient, productive adults compared with the number of dependents in a given population
o Assumes older adults are dependent
o Rate of dependency increases with age
young-old
60-75
old-old
75-85
oldest-old
85+
genetic clock
purported mechanism in the DNA of cells that regulates the aging process by triggering hormonal changes and controlling cellular reproduction and repair
Cellular aging
ways in which molecules and cells are affected by age
o Aim to explain how and why aging causes cells to deteriorate
o Cells of the immune system is to recognize pathogens and destroy them
o Organisms can no longer repair every cellular error
hayflick limit
number of times a human cell is capable of dividing into two new cells
o Limit is 50 divisions, an indication that the lifespan is limited by our genetic program
o Duplication stops and person dies
calorie restriction
practice of limiting dietary energy intake for the purpose of improving health and slowing down the aging process
With age, sign reading takes longer, head turning is reduced, reaction time slows and night vision worsens. What does jurisdiction state?
renew licenses at age 80
Senescence reduces production of what specific neurotransmitter
dopamine
