Chapter 3- Physical, Psychological, Social

Question 1

Define disability

Answer 1

Reported difficulty performing activities of daily life (ADLs- toilet, getting up) or in performing instrumental activities of daily life (IADLs- shopping, cleaning, driving)

Question 2

Define frailty

Answer 2

Impairments across physiological systems that often entail imbalances in systems

Question 3

What are genetic and external factors to the rate of decline in body structure and function? (5)

Answer 3

• Cellular regeneration
• Lifestyle
• Nutrition
• Quality of health care
• The environment

Question 4

Describe external and internal system changes. (3/1)

Answer 4

External:

• Elasticity and texture of skin
• Shape/height
• Can influence how a person perceives themselves and interact

Internal:
- Cardiovascular or cellular brain function

Question 5

Describe how the physiological system changes. (4)

Answer 5

• It is internal changes which includes muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, and central nervous
• Not noticeable until they impact activities
• Can result in decreased strength, increases frailty and risk of falls
• Decreased cardiac output and transportation of oxygen to organs

Question 6

How does motor and sensory systems change with age? (4)

Answer 6

• Central nervous systems slows
• Most noticeable changes include slowing of motor, cognitive, and sensory processes
• Neuro-cognitive disorders may appear
• Reasons are loss of neurons, deterioration of cellular division, decrease in size/weight of brain, and disease

Question 7

Explain how motor performance changes? (3)

Answer 7

• Decrease in reaction time and capacity for physical work
• Increase change of mistakes
• Change in social behaviour

Question 8

Describe sensory processes and its relation to aging. (6)

Answer 8

• Quality and quantity of information processing becomes impaired
• After mid-age, changes in visual system like thickening of lens and decreased ability to see in the dark
• Hearing loss to higher-frequency sounds
• Higher thresholds to tastes, may be less enjoyable
• Loss of sensitive to touch, increased pain that affects physical and emotional well being
• Affects sexual desire and engagement

Question 9

Describe intelligence and how it changes with age. (5)

Answer 9

• Multi-dimensional construct
• Includes verbal comprehension, reasoning, abstract thinking, problem-solving, and knowledge
• Fluid= peaks in adolescence, depends on what you know (logic, problem solving)
• Crystalized= products of education and experience, increases with age and more resistant to aging
• Older people can use experience to offset loss of speed in intellectual tasks

Question 10

Explain how learning and memory changes with aging. (4)

Answer 10

• Older people can remember distant events than recent
• Can still learn new things as long as there are adequate conditions
• Memory can be enhanced by various techniques
• Decline is not inevitable

Question 11

How does creativity and wisdom change? (2)

Answer 11

• Creativity tends to peak at 40 and declines after 50, but many have still achieved accomplishments
• Wisdom increases with age b/c of experience and education

Question 12

Describe the personality process and aging. (6)

Answer 12

• Changes and remains stable with age
• May not experience major change, tend to change to fit social expectations
• Decline in neuroticism, extroversion, and openness
• Increase in agreeableness and conscientiousness
• Changes is often attributed to changes in health or social environment
• Changes are neither universal or inevitable as it varies between people

Question 13

Explain cognitive vitality.

Answer 13

• Particular personality traits that are common at old age