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Abnormal Psychology > Chapter 16 - Aging and Mental Health > Flashcards

Chapter 16 - Aging and Mental Health Flashcards

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1
Q

What age is considered older adult?

A

Over 65

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2
Q

Why is Canada’s population aging at a fast rate?

A

Aging of baby boomers

Canadians living longer

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3
Q

As proportion increases, so will older adults with _______________.

A

Mental health disorders

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4
Q

Why would there be increased vulnerability through the aging process?

A

Physical illness

Psychological losses

Loss of independence

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5
Q

Why is aging often a time of psychological resilience for many?

A

Decreased prevalence of most mental disorders

Increased life satisfaction

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6
Q

Positive well-being despite increased vulnerability is called…

A

Paradox of aging

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7
Q

What are limitations of prevalence data?

A

Older adults less likely to remember, report, experience symptoms

Older adults excluded/refuse to participate

Survivor effect

Cohort/period effects

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8
Q

What is survivor effect?

A

Only healthiest survive to old age

Mental disorders = high mortality rates

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9
Q

What counters the myth that treatment of mental health problems in late life is unnecessary/ineffective?

A

Psychotherapy and pharmacology just as effective

Adults using services good outcomes

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10
Q

What are 3 issues with diagnosis and treatment of age-related MDs?

A

Symptoms attributed to age

Comorbidity with chronic physical illness

Older adults and multiple medications

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11
Q

What does the selective optimization with compensation theory of aging state?

A

Old age brings losses of ability and skills

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12
Q

In the selective optimization with compensation theory of aging, what is considered successful aging?

A

Selecting appropriate goals/priorities

Optimizing resources towards goals

Compensating losses using alternative means

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13
Q

What does the socio-emotional selectivity theory of aging state?

A

When time perceived as unlimited, goals future oriented and focused on seeking information/expanding knowledge

When time perceived as limited, goals short term and emotionally meaningful

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14
Q

According to the ___________ theory of aging, when time changes from being perceived as unlimited to limited, there is a shift from _________ to ___________ focus.

A

Socio-emotional selectivity; knowledge; meaning

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15
Q

What does the strength and vulnerability integration theory state?

A

Aging associated with increased ability to regulate emotions and avoid negative experiences

However, older adult vulnerabilities can reverse age-related advantages in emotion regulation and well-being

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16
Q

According to the strength and vulnerability integration theory of aging, what are the vulnerabilities that older adults may face?

A

Regulating emotional arousal

Recovering from stressful events

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17
Q

What are factors of sleep-wake disorders?

A

Dissatisfaction with sleep quality

Sleep problems

Medical problems and more medications

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18
Q

What are the diagnostic issues of sleep-wake disorders?

A

Unrealistic expectations of sleep

Insomnia

Age-related changes

Sleep patterns/characteristics vary widely

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19
Q

What are 4 normal changes in sleep patterns with age?

A

Decreased sleep time

EEG activity

Sleep stages

Circadian rhythm

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20
Q

All the normal changes in sleep patterns contribute to sleep of the elderly as _________ or more fragile.

A

Lighter

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21
Q

What are the 4 nocturnal symptoms of insomnia disorder?

A

Difficulty falling asleep

Frequent awakenings

Shortened sleep

Non-restorative sleep

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22
Q

What are the 4 daytime symptoms of insomnia disorder?

A

Fatigue

Sleepiness

Depression

Anxiety

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23
Q

What are the 3 factors of etiology for insomnia disorder?

A

Predisposing

Precipitating

Perpetuating

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24
Q

What are the predisposing factors of insomnia disorder?

A

Female

Lower education/income

Poor health behaviours

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25
Q

What are the precipitating factors of insomnia disorder?

A

Loss

Pain

Mental health problems

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26
Q

What are the perpetuating factors of insomnia disorder?

A

Excessive worry about sleep

Daytime napping

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27
Q

What are the treatments for insomnia disorder?

A

Psychological (CBT-I)

Sedatives/hypnotics

Self medicate with alcohol

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28
Q

Self medicating with alcohol can help people ________, but reduces _________.

A

Fall asleep; quality of sleep

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29
Q

What is sleep apnea?

A

Episodes of cessation of breathing lasting 10+ seconds during sleep

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30
Q

_____% of older adults have sleep apnea, and is more common in _____ with increasing age.

A

20-50; men

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31
Q

What are the 3 factors for diagnosing sleep apnea?

A

Overnight polysomnography

Severity related to obesity

Underdiagnosed/undertreated in older adults

32
Q

What are the 5 treatments for sleep apnea?

A

Lose weight

Avoid sleeping on back

Avoid depressants

CPAP to open airways

Surgery

33
Q

Regarding suicide, ________ adults attempt more but _______ adults die more.

A

Younger; older

34
Q

What are 3 reasons older adults die more by suicide?

A

Greater intent

More lethal methods

More socially isolated

35
Q

What are risk factors of older adults for suicide?

A

Prior attempt

Mental illness/ PDs

Addiction, impairment, pain

Poor social support

Negative events

36
Q

What is the etiology for depressive disorders in older adults?

A

Combo of weak support and physical health

Genetics

Medical illness

37
Q

MDD often looks different in older adults as they are more likely for _________ (2) and less likely for __________ (3).

A

Weight loss; somatic symptoms

Sadness; worthlessness; guilt

38
Q

What is the diagnostic issue of depressive disorders in older adults?

A

Difficult to diagnose with other medical problems

39
Q

Older adults @ greater risk for developing depression as a result of…

A

Medical conditions

40
Q

What are the 4 treatments for depressive disorders?

A

Lifestyle changes

Drug therapy

ECT

Psychotherapy

41
Q

Which disorders are among the most common psychiatric problems experienced by older adults?

A

Social anxiety

Specific phobia

Generalized anxiety

42
Q

Anxiety disorders increase the risk for other age-related conditions such as ________.

A

Alzheimer’s

43
Q

What are the diagnostic issues of anxiety disorders?

A

Overshadowed by depression

Associated with ranging physical/psychological issues

Measures not normed for older adults

44
Q

What are the treatments for anxiety disorders?

A

CBT, acceptance/commitment therapy, relaxation therapy

Mindfulness training

Benzodiazepines

SSRIs

45
Q

What is the downside of prescribing benzodiazepines for anxiety?

A

Addictive

Risk for falls

Cognitive impairment

46
Q

Why would SSRIs be prescribed for anxiety?

A

Effective with less side effects

47
Q

The symptoms of schizophrenia for those diagnosed when younger often __________ overtime, with the _______ of positive symptoms and ______ in negative symptoms.

A

Disappear

Decrease; increase

48
Q

What can trigger late-onset of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders?

A

Medical changes/substances

49
Q

What is delirium?

A

Neurocognitive disorder with sudden onset, fluctuating course, and disturbances in functioning

50
Q

What are 3 risk factors for delirium?

A

Surgery

Medical illness

Acute care settings

51
Q

What is the etiology for delirium?

A

Metabolic (deficits)

Infectious (tuberculosis, HIV)

Structural (dementia, head injury)

52
Q

What is a diagnostic issue of delirium?

A

Often undetected or misdiagnosed

53
Q

What are the treatments/outcomes of delirium?

A

Preventative efforts

Medications (psychotropic)

Remediate cause

Chronic (minority)

54
Q

_____________ are the most common mental disorders in older adults, with prevalence rates twice as high among _____.

A

Neurocognitive disorders (8%); women

55
Q

NCDs are mostly ________, not reversible. _____________ is reversible and symptoms can mimic those of NCDs.

A

Progressive; pseudo-dementia

56
Q

What is pseudo-dementia?

A

Depression impairs individual to the point of dementia-like symptoms

57
Q

The 2 types of NCDs are…

A

Cortical dementia

Subcortical dementia

58
Q

What is the difference between the 2 types of NCDs?

A

Cortical: attack cerebral cortex or grey matter

Subcortical: attack white matter and primitive parts of brain

59
Q

What are the symptoms of cortical dementia?

A

Short term memory loss

Visuospatial and language problems

Poor reasoning/judgement

60
Q

What are symptoms of subcortical dementia?

A

Cognitive slowing

Problems retrieving from memory

Difficulty with executive functioning

61
Q

What are 2 factors of mild cognitive impairment (MCI)?

A

Transitional state between normal aging and NCDs

More likely to develop NCDs than cognitively healthy adults

62
Q

What are 4 criterion for MCI?

A

Clinical concern

Cognitive impairment

Preserved functional independence

No dementia

63
Q

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive, fatal neurological disease caused by __________ and _________ in the CNS. The average time between diagnosis and death is _________.

A

Amyloid plaques; neurofibrillary tangles

6 years

64
Q

What are the stages of AD?

A

Early

Middle

Late

65
Q

What happens in the early stages of AD?

A

Episodic memory

Difficulty concentrating, thinking, finding words

Depressive disorder common

66
Q

What happens in the middle stages of AD?

A

Increased symptoms severity and amnesia/aphasia

Difficulty with motor movement, remembering/recognizing

67
Q

What happens in the late stages of AD?

A

Cognitive impairments

Immobility

Delusions, hallucinations

68
Q

What is the etiology for AD?

A

Genetic

Vascular related factors

Depression

Head trauma

Lifestyle

69
Q

There is currently no known cure for AD, but some treatments include…

A

Cholinesterase inhibitors (slow progression)

CBT

70
Q

What causes vascular NCD?

A

Arteries supplying brain partly blocked

Brain lesions

71
Q

What are diagnostic issues of vascular NCDs?

A

Sudden onset

History of stroke

Faster progression and shorter survival than AD

72
Q

What characterizes lewy body dementia?

A

Fluctuating cognition

Recurrent hallucinations

Features of parkinsonism

73
Q

What causes lewy body dementia?

A

Protein buildup in CNS

74
Q

What characterizes frontotemporal NCD?

A

Pick’s disease

Changes in personality and judgement

Often mistake for psychiatric disorder

75
Q

What is pick’s disease?

A

Brain/nerve cells gradually stop working, losing abilities

76
Q

What happens during caregiver stress?

A

Increased depression/anxiety

Higher risk of physical health problems/premature mortality

Compromised cognitive abilities

Abnormal Psychology (19 decks)

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