Chapter 6: Successful Ageing And Mental Health

Question 1

What are the aims of the older persons act#13 if 2006

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What is successful ageing

Answer 2

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.

Question 3

What limitations of the successful ageing model exist

Answer 3

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.

Question 4

What are the attitudes towards ageing

Answer 4

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

Question 5

In what ways are the elderly abused in society

Answer 5

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.

Question 6

What personality traits play a role in successful ageing

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

What is meant by locus of control

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Provide examples of the psychological effects of poverty

Answer 8

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

Question 9

What types of dependency are there

Answer 9

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.

Question 10

What is meant by active Lifestyle

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

Comment on religion and spirituality

Answer 11

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.

Question 12

What effect does R/S have on successful ageing

Answer 12

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

Question 13

What positive influences of R/S are there

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

Discuss impact of loneliness

Answer 14

Defined as as an unpleasant and distressing emotional state in which an individual experience a strong feeling of empiness and isolation.

Question 15

List some symptoms associated with mental disorders

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Discuss depression

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

Comment on bipolar disorder

Answer 17

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

Question 18

What are anxiety disorders and the types thereof

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

Define and explain worry

Answer 19

Worry is a mental state of being distressed and troubled over a real or potential problem. Worry is caused by more realistic concerns

Question 20

Discuss dementia

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

State the 3 stages of dementia

Answer 21

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

Question 22

What is Parkinson disease

Answer 22

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.

Question 23

Explain delirium

Answer 23

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

Question 24

Explore sleep disorders

Answer 24

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.

Question 25

Provide examples of sleep disorders

Answer 25

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 .

Question 26

Discuss substance abuse

Answer 26

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

Question 27

What is hypochondriasis

Answer 27

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.

Question 28

What is the African perspective on mental disorders

Answer 28

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.