Chapter 6: Successful Ageing And Mental Health Flashcards
What are the aims of the older persons act#13 if 2006
Maintain and promote status well being safety and security of older persons
Maintain and protect rights of older persons
Shift emphasis from institutional care to community based care to ensure older persons remain in home for as long as possible
Regulate registration establishment and management of services and the establishment and management of residential facilities for older persons
Combat abuse of older persons
What is successful ageing
Refers to person’s ageing well on all levels of functioning such as physical mental and social.
Rowe and Kahn define it in terms of 3 components where successful ageing refers to freedom from disease and disease related disability, maintaining high cognitive and physical functioning and active engagement in social and productive activities.
What limitations of the successful ageing model exist
Methodological issues: inconsistencies across studies due to conceptualisation of term and measures used.
Adaptation and extension:
Objective and subjective meaning: neglect the experience of older people of what ageing means to them.
Overemphasis on biomedical factors: usual ageing refers to normal decline in biological physical and cognitive functioning heightened extrinsic or high risk factors. Successful ageing refers to minimal functional loss.
Personal choice: model overemphasizing personal choice agency and lifestyle.
What are the attitudes towards ageing
It includes self perception cultural and personal beliefs age identity and physical plus other psychological factors.
Ageism is a form of prejudice refering to discrimination based on chronological age. Based on assumption such as Old people are alike Have little to offer society Behave like children Suffer atleast 1 serious illness Feel alone and waiting to die Live in the past
In what ways are the elderly abused in society
Physical abuse: any act that causes injury or death to an older person.
Sexual abuse: any act that results in exploitation of older persons for purposes of sexual or erotic gratification without consent
Psychological abuse: patterns of degrading or humiliating conduct towards older persons which affects psychological or emotionally functioning negatively
Financial abuse: illegal or fraudulent use of older persons money property valubles or assets without consent
Neglect: not providing or withholding care and basic necessities required for well being.
Violation of human rights: denial of fundamental rights like respect dignity privacy freedom of choice thought belief speech.
What personality traits play a role in successful ageing
Strong sense of meaning: positive interpretation of one’s existence and the world sense of having worthwhile purpose and value in life.
Sense of mastery: global sense of control over ones present and future life circumstances
Emotional stability: consistency and predictability in emotional reactions with ability to withstand setbacks failure difficulty.
Flexibility: adjustability to change ability to be adaptable or variable and willing to compromise
Goal directedness: attain a specific goal(s) and finding ways of achieving.
Conscientiousness: person shows self discipline achievement oriented dependable and has solid moral values
Extraversion: outgoing unreserved expressive confident. Focused on social environment enjoys interaction enthusiastic
Low hostility level: unaggressiveness or antagonistic kind friendly and sympathetic.
Resilience: capacity for individual to adjust successfully to and thrive on difficult traumatic life experiences.
What is meant by locus of control
The assessment of how much control people have over the conditions in their lives.
Internal locus of control is where individuals believe that they determine their behavior and future
External locus of control is where people believe that they have little part in what happens to them their lives are determined by chance or external factors.
Mastery refers to global sense of control over ones own future. Those having high sense of mastery have sense of control and tend to believe they can solve problems arising in their lives. Those with low sense of mastery have a fanatical sense of a predetermined future.
Self efficacy refers to sense of mastery in specific tasks associated with improved quality of life less loneliness less psychological distress and better cognitive functioning
Provide examples of the psychological effects of poverty
A sense of hopelessness: poor people feel stuck in a poverty trap which lays foundation for developing learned helplessness which refers to a feeling of powerlessness and lack of motivation that individuals experience.
Poverty induces uncertainty about future: where hopelessness refers more to present situation uncertainty about future is regarding expectations of the way in which the situation may arise
Feeling of alienation from mainstream society: causes poor people to feel like strangers rejection can be experienced
What types of dependency are there
Physical or medical dependency: refers to degree to which a person’s physical health enables them to function relatively independent.
Psychological dependency: refers to extent to which individuals cognitive abilities and their emotional functioning enable them to function independently and maintain emotional well being.
Social dependency: involves the capacity to maintain satisfying interpersonal relationships and to obtain needed social support from community and includes capacity to make decisions about where when and how to engage in social interaction.
Financial dependency:refers to inability of individuals and families to meet needs consistently with minimal or no specific financial support from private or public organisation.
What is meant by active Lifestyle
Also called active ageing is the process of optimising opportunity for health participation and security to enhance quality of life as one grows older. active refers to continuing participation in social economic cultural spiritual and civic affairs.
According to activity theory older adults try to maintain level of social interaction by substituting new roles when old ones become redundant. Activity Theory claims that if older adults are successful in replacing social roles they will experience more Life satisfaction higher self esteem and well being.
According to the continuity theory older adults will achieve successful ageing by maintaining the same activities behavior and relationships as they did in earlier years.
Comment on religion and spirituality
Religion can be regarded as an organised system of beliefs and practices that has the aim to worship and honour God.
Spirituality is a response to the search by human beings for meaning in their lives.
What effect does R/S have on successful ageing
Higher general psychological well being and life satisfaction
Fewer physical health problems
Fewer mental health problems
Positive relationships with other people and a better social network
What positive influences of R/S are there
Demands and requirements: such as prohibition of alcohol drugs extramarital sex
Stress relief: meditation which is the act of relaxing the body and focusing one’s mind on a specific target where inner peace is achieved is an effective stress reliever that can reduce blood pressure and decrease heart rate.
Social support: members provide support. Psychological contribution and assurance comfort consolation to individuals psychological and physical well being.
Positive outlook and hope: R/S provide a positive outlook allowing individual to place problem and suffering in a broader eternal context of human suffering and time when it will end.
Discuss impact of loneliness
Defined as as an unpleasant and distressing emotional state in which an individual experience a strong feeling of empiness and isolation.
List some symptoms associated with mental disorders
Subtle changes: changes in behavior emotions and thoughts over time
Social withdrawal:losing interest in activities once enjoyed person becomes less talkative and avoid others.
Mood changes: described as emotionally different than previously having emotional outbursts or extreme elation.
Excessive worry and anxiousness: person seems chronically tensed and worries excessively over small things.
Substance abuse:used as coping strategies.
Changes in personal care: neglect oneself and hygiene
Sleep and appetite disturbance: sleeping and eating too little or too much accompanied by weight loss or gain.
Memory problems:laspses in memory
Discuss depression
Characterized by symptoms of intense sadness a decrease in interest and activities irritability poor self image excessive or inappropriate guilt feelings lack of concentration and suicidal thoughts.
Comment on bipolar disorder
Characterized by fluctuations between depression and mania which is the inappropriate euphoria hyperactivity lack of inhibition risky behavior talkativeness inflated self esteem and decreased need for sleep.
Cognitive dysfunction in form of impaired memory judgement perception and problem solving. Confusion and psychosis are common
What are anxiety disorders and the types thereof
Anxiety is a state characterised by intense tension distress physiological reactions like palpitations profuse perspiration restlessness fatigue difficulty concentrating irritability and increased muscle tension.
Fear is an emotional response to a known or definite threat.
Anxiety disorders refer to a group of disorders characterised by symptoms of anxiety
Generalized anxiety disorder: characterised by persistent worry or anxious feeling. Symptoms include restlessness irritability fatigue distress about making decisions difficulty concentrating sleep problems and feeling on edge.
Panic disorder: marked by recurrent panic attacks including sweating trembling sensations of shortness of breath heart palpitations occuring unexpectedly without warning
Phobias: excessive and irrational fear reactions about objects or situation that are distressing or intrusive
Social anxiety disorder: experience significant anxiety and discomfort about possiblity of being embarrassed humiliated judged in social interactions
Obsessive compulsive disorder: characterised by persistent uncontrollable feelings and thoughts and routines or rituals such as constant hand washing repeatedly checking work overcleaning
Posttraumatic stress disorder: can develop after severe physical or emotional trauma such as natural disasters accident crime. Symptoms include flashbacks nightmares sadness fear anger that affect people over long period.
Define and explain worry
Worry is a mental state of being distressed and troubled over a real or potential problem. Worry is caused by more realistic concerns
Discuss dementia
Also known as neurocognitive disorder is an umbrella term for group of mental disorders that characterizes the degeneration of the brain which there is no recovery.
Symptoms include loss of memory judgement reasoning where daily functioning is impaired.
State the 3 stages of dementia
Early stage: symptoms include forgetfulness
Losing track of time
Becoming lost in familiar places
Middle stage: More forgetful of recent events and people Becoming lost at home Increased difficulty with communication Less expressive and more withdrawn Needing help with personal care Experience behavior changes
Late stage:
Unaware of time and place
Difficulty recognising relatives and friends
Increased need for assisted self care
Difficulty walking
Behavior changes may escalate and includes aggression restlessness
What is Parkinson disease
A degenerative and progressive disorder of the CNS that affects part of brain responsible for regulating movement and coordination. Symptoms include
Tremors: shaking when person is standing sitting or lying down
Stiffness: muscles become stiff impairing movement.
Slowed movement: walking becomes difficult and overall mobilization decreases
Difficulty maintaining balance and posture: posture is more stooped balance is unsteady
Gradual deterioration of dopamine producing neurons take place in area of brain responsible for ability to control and coordinate body movement.
Explain delirium
Refers to a state of severe confusion characterised by
Disturbance of consciousness with reduced awareness of environment and dimished ability to sustain attention
Change in cognition memory loss and slurred speech
Disorder develop over short period
Condition is usually reversible
Medication can cause delirium in elderly be a result of intoxication or drug withdrawal
Explore sleep disorders
Refer to persistent disturbance of normal sleep patterns that has physical and mental consequences such as hypertension diabetes obesity heart disease weak immunity. Increased depression anxiety and general emotionality and fatigue can be found. Cognitive deficits in attention response time STM are common.
Provide examples of sleep disorders
Insomnia: refers to regular impairment of the ability to fall or maintain sleep as well as quality and duration of sleep
Sleep disordered breathing: is characterized by abnormal breathing pattern during sleep and variations include sleep apnoea ( complete cessation of breathing) and hypo apnoea ( partial cessation of breathing)
Restless leg syndrome: is characterized by unpleasant sensations in legs and uncontrollable urge to move when at rest in effort to relieve feelings describe as itching tingling burning creeping .
Discuss substance abuse
Drug use disorder or drug abuse is a condition in which the abuse of substance leads to significant impairment in functioning.
Substance division
Legal substance eg dagga
Illegal eg cocaine
Medication eg sedative
Consequences include liver and kidney pancreas heart lung brain damage. Contagious disease from hepatitis C. Extensive psychological dysfunction and mental disorders such as delirium dementia mood disorders anxiety disorders psychosis and sleep disorders.b
What is hypochondriasis
Primary characteristic is excessive and unrealistic fear of having a serious disease based on misinterpretation of body symptoms. being unsatisfied by medical evaluation and maintain assumption of illness.
What is the African perspective on mental disorders
Amafufunyane is a serious disorder occuring mainly among Isizulu and isixhosa. African traditional healers believe they have been invaded and possessed by evil spirits due to witchcraft symptoms Include hearing voices that speak in different languages and upsetting tone.
