Chapter 17 Flashcards
Gerontology
- scientific study of aging
CLSA (Canadian Longitudinal Studying on Aging)
- area of growth and development
- sense of satisfaction (fewer responsibilities)
Male steoistims
- Less likely to seek mental health advice, health care
- Tough it out mentality
- Men tend to have smaller social support groups = longevity
Hay-flick limit
- the number of times a cell can replicate
Telomere
- string of repetitive DNA, timekeeping mechanism
3 aspects of Telomere
- length decreases each time cell divides
- minimum telomere length, below = diseases
- shortening = lifetime stress
Reasons why we age at a biological standpoint?
- number of times they can replicate properly
- reduction in grey matter, neurologically not sending signals as efficiently
- lack of stimulation
Cellular damage
- loss of function = leads to aging
Cross-linking
- occurs when undesirable chemical bonds form between proteins or fats
Free radicals
foods, sunlight, X-rays, air pollution
Stem cells
- gradually lose ability to sustain body’s cell
- genotype determines max lifespan, variation in longevity of each individual = epigenetic errors
Self-Rated Health
Health is largest factor determining physical and mental status
Optimism
- less stress
- follow advice
- self-efficacy
Functional Status
- measure of an individual’s ability to perform certain roles/tasks
BADL
- basic tasks
- bathing, dressing
IADL
- complex tasks
- managing money, cooking, housework
Senior autonomy and independence = better _____
subjective
Frail elderly
- seniors whose physical and/or mental impairments are so extensive that they cannot care for themselves
Health Habits
- maintain when we younger = reaps benefit when older
- engaging when older still beneficial
- boosts cognitive function
- eating well
Physical Exercise
- improves strength and motor skills after only 12 weeks of exercise
- loss less height over 30 yr
- muscle mass retention
Physical Exercise
- improves strength and motor skills after only 12 weeks of exercise
- loss less height over 30 yr
- muscle mass retention
Four main changes occur in the brain
- reduction of brain weight
- loss of grey matter
- decline in density of dendrites
- slower synaptic speed
Less ____ atrophy occurs in those with more education
cerebral cortex
Slower synaptic speeds results in
slowing in reaction time
Vision Defects
- presbyopia increases
- enlarged blind spot
- decreased pupillary response
- eye diseases (ex: cataracts, glaucoma)
Biggest impact on sense of wellbeing
vision loss
Hearing defects
- presbycusis (hearing loss)
- men lose more hearing (occupational exposure)
- hear human sounds dec.
- word discrimination = tough
- tinnitus = ringing in ears
Social and psychosocial problems
Hearing loss
Taste
- ability to taste five basic = unchanged
- less saliva
- flavours seem blander
Smell
- smell deteriorates
- loss of smell/taste = nutrition problems
Touch
- loss of sensitivity to cold/hot = safety issue
Cognitive changes (3)
- forgetfulness inc.
- Short-term or working memory = different, # of items, how long, selective attention
- Younger = perform better retrospective (more recent) memory tasks
Natural settings
- prospective memory tasks (remembering doctors appointment)
- external cues
Older adults under-perform on prospective memory tasks when in a ___________________________ (no external memory cues).
controlled laboratory setting
Strategy Learning
- learning process takes longer
Everyday memory
- recall virtually all “everyday” tasks less well than younger adults
Preliminary Explanations of age-related memory decline (4)
- rate of grey/white matter
- dec. volume of hippocampus (memory)
- loss of nerve conductance speed in CNS
- changes in attention strategies
- accumulated knowledge & abilitly to apply to practice problems of living
- measured based on solutions
- does not decline
- remains constant
- linked with subjective well-being
Wisdom
________
1) Re-evaluation phase (around age 50)
2) Liberation phase (in their 60s)
3) Summing-up phase (in their 70s)
4) Encore phase (in their 80s)
Cohen’s four-stage theory
RLSE
A neurological disorder involving problems with memory and thinking that affect an individual’s emotional, social, and physical functioning.
Dementia
A progressive and irreversible brain disorder characterized by gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and, finally, physical functioning.
- A severe form of dementia
Delirium
Alzheimer’s Disease risk factors?
- change in appetite regulation (overeating)
- facial expressions and emotions
- cannot control their own emotions
Early detection of Alzheimer’s?
- difficulties with IADLs
- biomarkers
- eye exam
What can reduce Alzheimer’s?
- healthy eating
- exercise
Heredity?
Genetic factors seem to be important to some, but not to all, cases of Alzheimer’s
Causes?
- Multiple causes exist (e.g., depression, drug use, disease, head trauma) and about 10% are reversible with treatment, so careful diagnosis is necessary
Depression
- “Grumpiness” by family members (ageism
- Often left untreated by health professionals
- Losing spouse
- Conflict
______ may be mistaken for clinical depression.
Depressed mood (Geriatric dysthymia)
Risk factors for depression?
1) Inadequate social support
2) Inadequate income
3) Emotional loss
4) Nagging health problems
5) Health status
6) Education
6) gender (women)
7) declining physical abilities
Why are men more at risk for suicide?
- multiple risk factors at once
- troubled by economic stress
- do not adjust as well as women to death of a spouse
- more successful in suicide attempts
Prevention and Intervention of Suicide?
- enhancement of lifestyle (exercise)
- social supports, religious activities
- counselling, psychological therapies
- medication
