Exam 1 Flashcards
Lifelong, Multidimensional, Multidirectional, Plastic, and Shaped by Historical/Cultural Context
Principles of the Lifespan Perspective
Changing continuously from conception to death and development occurs at every stage
Lifelong
the biopsychosocial process and has multiple causes
Multidimensional
physical/genetic makeup and factors associated with aging
Biological
Intrapersonal factors like cognition, emotions, and personality
psychological
interpersonal factors like roles/relationships/social structures
Social
Showing both gains and losses at every stage of the lifespan
Multidirectional
One function may allow us to compensate
Gain
one function may allow us to grow into another function
losses
theory that describes how we deal with losses due to aging
Selection, Optimization, and Compensation Theory
flexibility in growth and decline
Plastic
year/time period in which someone was born
cohort
what are examples of being shaped by historical and cultural contexts
covid, social media, laws
year/time period where something happened
period
one’s physical condition and physical appearance changes
biological age
maturity, memory, attention, personality, and ability to control behavior
psychological age
expected roles a person takes on
sociocultural age
what does confound means?
confusing one thing with another
3 types of developmental designs
longitudinal, cross-sectional, and sequential
data is gathered over a period of time with same cohort of people as they grow older,
age is confounded with period
longitudinal design
data is gathered at one time from groups of participants who represent different age groups, age is confounded with cohort
cross-sectional
combines cross-sectional and longitudinal studies and follows different cohorts of people across time
sequential design
people tend to recognize how much they change from the past but miss-predict their future changes
end of history illusion
normative changes that are gradual, shared, and inevitable as people grow older
primary aging
physical changes that increase with age with disease processes
secondary aging
theories on primary aging
limits on cell division (telomeres) and oxidative stress damage,
Structural changes in the eye
aging vision
transparent structure in the eye that focuses light rays on the receptors in the retina; helps focus and create a clear image
Lens
Lens: gradually ____ and ____ with age
thickens; yellow
When does age related changes typically become noticeable in the lens of your eye?
in your 40s
Structure at the back of the eye that contains the receptor
Retina
What structure only gets about 1/3 of the light through the lens at age ___?
retina; 60s
Consequences of structural changes in the eye?
Presbyopia and night vision difficulties
What is Presbyopia?
Farsightedness
Condition caused by loss of elasticity in the lends, resulting in the inability to focus sharply on nearby objects
Presbyopia
What does it mean when the pupil of the eye has difficulty adjusting to changes in the amount of available light?
You start having problems with seeing at night/in the dark
What are the main 3 secondary aging vision diseases?
Cataracts, Glaucoma, and Macular Degeneration
Visual disorder characterized by gradual clouding of the lens; starts in central vision
Cataracts
Buildup of pressure inside the eye that can lead to blindness; starts in peripheral vision
Glaucoma
The retina causing central vision loss; starts in central vision
Macular Degeneration
What are some “age friendly” visual environments?
high illumination + low glare surfaces
high contrast on appliance controls
larger fonts and screens
low clutter and clearer paths
Funnels sound waves to the tympanic membrane (eardrum)
Auditory Canal
What can result in conductive hearing loss?
wax build up in the auditory canal
What is a consequence of structural changes in the ear?
Presbycusis
Age related hearing loss that results in impaired ability to hear high-pitched tones
Presbycusis
Causes of Presbycusis
Sensory: destruction of receptor cells
Neural: loss of auditory neurons
Metabolic: fewer nutrients reach receptors
Mechanical: reduced vibration of inner ear structures
What are the two types of hearing aids?
Analog and Digital
Hearing aid that is a “blunt instrument” and amplifies all sounds, speaking, and background noise
Analog
Hearing aid that uses directional microphones and can be programmed for different listening situations
Digital
Which hearing aid cost less?
Analog
What are cochlear ear plants for?
For patients with total hearing loss
What are some “age friendly” hearing environment suggestions?
Reducing background noise, including visual cues, technology adaptations like closed captioning
When does bone loss begin?
late 30s
When is skeletal maturity?
around age 18
Who show greater bone loss in cisgender people?
women
Bones becoming thinner and more porous due to loss of minerals stored in the bones
Osteoporosis
Women are how much more likely than men to get osteoporosis?
4 times
What does osteoporosis cause?
broken bones that are hard to heal, loss in height, or curvature of the spine
What is the screening for osteoporosis and what age should women start getting them?
bone density scan (DEXA); age 65
What is the treatment for osteoporosis?
weight-bearing exercise, drug treatment, and protecting bones with calcium and vitamin D
Loss of cartilage that protects the bones at the joint
Osteoarthritis
What percent of people over 65 have osteoarthritis?
34%
Treatments for osteoarthritis?
anti-inflammatory medicine, balance of rest/exercise, and weight management
Why does muscle mass and strength decrease with age?
number of muscle fibers decrease and muscles lose the ability to contract as quickly
Where does the loss of muscle mass and strength happen first?
lower half of the body
What types of exercise can help rebuild muscle mass and strength?
resistance training, stretching
Two types of disability
Activities of daily living (ADLs)
Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)
What are ADLs?
basic tasks like bathing and getting dressed
What are IADLs?
Complex tasks like preparing a meal or managing one’s finances
Declining fertility and hormone production that occurs in everyone
Climacteric
When menstrual cycles become irregular and develops some symptoms
Perimenopause
Occurs one year after the last menstrual cycle
Menopause
When does fertility decrease in women?
around 35; pregnancy can still be possible until menopause though
When does fertility decline in men?
around 40; they can maintain fertility throughout life though
What are the stages of sexual ability and do sexual responses get higher or lower in older men/women?
excitement -> plateau -> orgasm -> resolution;
lower
inability for a man to have an erection for sexual performance
Erectile dysfunction (ED)
is erectile dysfunction a primary or secondary aging problem?
secondary
The lack of what can cause erectile dysfunction?
Cyclic GMP
What can the effects of menopause cause?
vaginal dryness or reduced ability to lubricate when aroused
When women take estrogen/progestin at menopause to help alleviate symptoms of menopause
Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
What can MHT increase the risk of in women older than 65?
Breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancers
The oldest age to which any individual of a species lives
Maximum Longevity
What is the maximum age for humans?
120
The age at which half of the individuals who are born in a particular year will have died
Average Longevity or Life Expectancy
Child born has a current Life Expectancy at BIRTH is __?
77.5
Current Life Expectancy at age 65 is __ around age __?
18.9; 83.9
Living to advanced old age while remaining healthy and living large independently
Active Life Expectancy
Living a long time while depending on others or the healthcare system for significant assistance
Depended Life Expectancy
Influences on Longevity
Genetics (25%) and Environmental Factors
What are some environmental factors that influence how long someone lives?
access to healthcare/food, long-term stress, pollution, income, discrimination and bias, resilience, rural vs urban living, neighborhood, safe housing and transportation, education opportunities
Leading Cause of Death 2020-2023
1st is heart disease
2nd is Cancer
3rd is accidents (accidental overdose)
10th is Covid-19 in 2023
Primary change in the cardiovascular system and disease where the circulatory system becomes slower to respond?
Heart Disease
With heart disease, the heart muscle becomes ___ and ___ supple?
thicker; less
Buildup of plaque in arteries or blood vessels
Atherosclerosis
What are the kinds of secondary aging diseases in the cardiovascular system?
Chronic and Acute
What are the two chronic cardiovascular diseases?
Congestive heart failure, hypertension
Acute cardiovascular diseases
Heart attack and Stroke
Cardiac output and ability of the heart to contract severely decline
Congestive heart failure
High blood pressure
Hypertension
Blockage in coronary artery that restricts or cut off the blood supply to heart
Heart attack
Blockage of artery in the brain that restricts or cut off blood supply
Stroke
Pain in chest, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, jaw/neck/back pain, discomfort or pain in the arm/shoulder, shortness of breath
Warning signs for heart attack
BE FAST:
unstable balance, decrease in vision, droop in the face, arm drooping down when raising arm, look at the time to tell medical personnel
Warning signs for a Stroke
