Exam #1: General Principles of Aging Flashcards
What is aging?
Decrease homeostatic reserve
What are the consequences of immobilization?
1) Stiffness/ contracture
2) Atrophy
3) Confusion, sensory loss, depression
4) Dependence & institutionalization
5) Instability & loss of confidence
6) Dehydration & electrolytle imbalance
7) Malnutrition
8) Pressure sores
How long does it take for a geriatric patient to recover from a single day admission to the hospital?
3 days
How should you describe older patients?
In terms of their FUNCTION
What are the functional classifications of age?
- Young adult
- Middle age
- Old age
- Very old
- Oldest old age
What is a young adult?
Someome in the first half of working life w/ 100% of function (20-39)
What is middle age?
Someone in second half of working life i.e. 10-30% decreased function (40-64)
What is old age?
Someone in immediate post-retirement period–significant loss of function but homeostasis maintained (65- 74)
What is very old?
Likely impairment of function or ADLs–general potential for relative independence (74-84)
What are the factors that affect the rate of aging?
- Cellular wear & tear
- Free radicals
- DNA damage
- Hormonal changes
- Immune system changes
- Programmed longevity
- Glycation
What are the biological changes that happen with aging?
Changes in anatomy & physiology that happen with aging e.g.
- graying or hair
- impaired memory
- loss of hearing
- vascular stiffness
What are the social changes that happen with aging?
- Changes in social habits (retirement/ job loss= less socialization)
- May no longer be able to do acquired habits
Why do the economically advantaged tend to live longer?
1) Afford a better diet
2) Have better housing
3) Can get better healthcare
4) Have labor saving devices
What age range is most likely to be successful during a suicide attempt?
65+ white males
What are the psychological changes that occur with aging?
- Attitude toward life
- Self-image/ self-worth
- Value to society
What is the definition of life span?
Length of life (birth to death)
What is the definition of longevity?
Number of years of life
What is the definition of mean longevity?
Life expectancy
What is the definition of maximum longevity?
Maximum life span (110-120 years)
What are the factors that affect longevity?
- Diet
- Personal habits
- Georgraphy
- Marital status
- Psychological influences
- Local environment
- Parental age at conception
- Disease
What are the unique aspects that affect caring for older patients?
1) Different types & number of disease
2) Altered reactions to disease
3) Altered response to treatment
4) Accumulation of non-lethal disease
5) Altered presentations of disease
What is the Beer’s criteria/list?
This is a list of drugs & classification of drugs that are NOT recommended for geriatric patients
Generally, how are geriatric patients treatment responses altered?
1) Increased vulnerability to drug effects
2) Decrease ability to compensate
3) Treatment interactions
What are the manifestations of stress in the elderly?
- Decrease immune sx function
- Increased heart disease
- Increased GI disorders
- Increased depression/ anxiety
- Increased skin disorders
What can diffuse pruritus be a manifestation of?
Malignancy
What is the Iceberg phenomenon?
- Under-reporting of problems
- Fear of hospitalization
- Fear of unpleasant investigations
- Fear of treatment
- Lack of information
- Fear of removal from home
- Low health expectations
- Failure to recognize the problem
