Chapter 17/18 - Late Adulthood Flashcards
Define gerontology
-the scientific study of aging
What are the ages of late adulthood?
-60-65:
-young old (60-75)
-old old (75-85)
-oldest old (85 and up)
Women are expected to live only _ years longer than men now.
-4 years
Define senescence
-the gradual physical deterioration associated with aging
What is the hayflick limit?
-cells do not have unlimited capacity to replicate themselves resulting in a genetically programmed time limit for each species
Most adult cells lack _______ to restore telomeres so they _______ with cell division.
-telomerase; shorten
Compare the chronological clock to the epigenetic clock.
-a person’s age in years
-a measure of biological aging based on DNA methylation levels
What is the largest factor in determining the trajectory of an adult’s physical or mental status beyond age 65?
-health
How does an optimistic outlook benefit seniors?
- It helps them recover better from illnesses like stroke
What amount of older adults over 65 in Canada report their health as good or excellent?
-a substantial amount
What is functional status?
-e measure of an individuals ability to perform certain roles and tasks, particularly self-help tasks and other chores of daily living
What two concepts fall under function status?
-basic activities of daily living
-instrumental activities of daily living
What are basic activities of daily living?
-s4elf-help tasks such as bathing, dressing, using the toilet
What are instrumental activities of daily living?
-more complex daily living tasks such as doing household chores, cooking, managing money
Having these 5 risk factors was associated with a 20-year life expectancy difference compared to those who had none.
-smoking, low physical activity, poor diet, alcohol, stress
A decline in physical and cognitive function can be modified through _______.
-exercise
A key change in the brain that occurs during late adulthood is a decline in the _____ of (useful) ________.
-density; dendrites
A loss of dendrites occurs less in those with ________ and result in a slower ________ ____.
-more education; reaction time
In late adulthood, presbyopia (farsightedness) __________?
-increases
Older adults tend to experience presbycusis which is what?
-loss of hearing
There is a ______ of the proximodistal pattern of growth.
-reversal
Does taste decline as well as smell in late adulthood?
-taste no but smell yes
Define dementia.
-a neurological disorder involving problems with memory and thinking that affect an individual’s emotional, social and physical functioning
_% of those over 65 show significant symptoms of dementia and _% of those over 85 show moderate to severe symptoms.
-7%; 25%
What is the leading cause of placement in long term care of the elderly in Canada? Especially women?
-dementia
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
-severe form of dimentia
What might slow down Alzheimers?
-medication to increase neurotransmitters and regular physical activity
What have several studies shown for rate of depression for people as they age into late adulthood?
-rates decline, though this may be more complicated to measure
What is the strongest predictor of depression for late adulthood?
-health status
When do cognitive abilities really start to decline?
-old-old and oldest-old
The more a task makes demands on working memory, the _____ the ____ with age.
-larger; decline
Does the learning process or strategy learning show a difference for older adults?
-when allowed more time, older adults performance was more similar to younger participants
Describe older adults ability for everyday memory.
-on most everyday tasks, older adults recall less than younger adults
Define wisdom
-accumulated knowledge and ability to apply that knowledge to practical problems of living
How is wisdom measured?
-based on solutions to life problems
Describe Erikson’s stage for older adults.
-ego integrity vs. despair stage
What is the ego integrity vs despair stage?
-older adults must achieve a sense of satisfaction with their lives versus despair that it is too late to make changes before death
What is reminiscence?
-reflecting on past experiences
What is a life review?
-An evaluative process where older adults reflect on and make judgments about their past behavior.
How is life review related to Erikson’s theory?
- It ties into Erikson’s quest for generativity—finding meaning and purpose through contributions to others.
What is activity theory?
-it is healthy for adults to remain as active as possible for as long as possible
What is disengagement theory?
-it is normal for older adults to scale down their social lives
Describe three concepts associated with disengagement theory. (3)
-shrinkage of life space
-increased individuality
-acceptance of these changes
What is shrinkage of life space?
-interact with fewer people, fewer roles
What is increased individuality?
-less governed by expectations
What is continuity theory?
-continue to engage in similar activities of interest but adapt these to any limitations imposed by physical aging
What components form the successful aging paradigm?
-physical health
-mental activity
-social engagement
-involvement in productive activities
-sense of life satisfaction
Describe physical health under the successful aging paradigm.
-includes not only health habits but also willingness to engage in rehabilitation and response to health crisis
What is cognitive adventurousness?
-willingness to learn new things
What is a major critique of the successful aging paradigm?
-may give the impression that all aspects of aging are under one’s control
Define religious coping mechanisms
-turning to religious beliefs for support
What is equifinality?
-when you start out at different places but end up walking a similar path
What is multifinality?
-when you start from the same place but multiple paths lead to different outcomes
