Exam 3: Chapter 20 Adult Biosocial Development? Flashcards
what age is the middle ages?
mathematically= 38
but we actually define middle age as much later (45 to 64)
what percentage of Americas population is within the middle ages?
20%
what is the current life expectancy, what was it in the 1900’s
76
47
the baby boom age is looking, acting, and feeling…in middle age?
younger
what are the visible changes that happen during middle age?
- grey hair
-more wrinkles
-increase in weight especially around the mid section
-slow down or “lose a step”
-tire more easily and rebound less quickly
organ decline during middle age
-across middle age, the physical changes are not real appreciable, especially if a person is making healthy lifestyle decisions
-kidneys, lungs, heart and other organs are less efficient with aging
-if a person does not maintain healthy decisions to counter decline, body functions decline at about a1 % per year after adolsecence
what are the top two leading killers in middle age?
- heart disease
- cancer
vision in Middle age
-visual decline
(glaucoma and cataracts)
visual decline in middle age
-eye loses its ability to zoom, most people need glasses, especially for reading under 20
-with age, most people also need more light to see and have more difficulty when light changes rapidly
Most people who need glasses are…
-nearsighted
-over 50
-farsighted
what are the 2 more serious visual problems in middle age?
glaucoma
cataracts
overview of glaucoma
-an increase in eye pressure because of improper drainage of fluid behind the eye
-can result from genetics, diabetes, and injury
-failure to receive treatment can lead to blindness; detected with “puff-of-air” test when you have ur eyes checked
overview of cataracts
-lens of the eye becomes opaque (coulding of the lens) thereby reducing light penetration and thus vision
-remedied by surgical removal of the thin opaque part of the lens
hearing changes during middle age
- reduced sensitivity
- trinnitus
reduced sensitivity in hearing during middle age
-more difficulty distinguishing between sounds such as “s” or “f”
-more trouble hearing all frequencies, but a particular decline for higher frequencies and soft sounds
what is trinnitus?
-ringing in the ears
-typically occurs from:
a. exposure to excessive noise such as mill, factory, or construction wor
b. exposure to infection, disease, or injury that damages ear
with all of the physical changes in middle aged adults…
, middle-aged adults become more likely to improve their health habits than younger adults (i.e., make better food choices and engage in exercise); in addition to the benefits of regular exercise on the body, it has also been shown to improve cognitive functioning, especially in middle aged and older adults; however, a third of adults do not exercise
changes in women at mid life
-menopause
what is menopause?
-end of menstrual activity, usually takes between 2-4 years with intermittent missing of periods and the extension of the interval between periods
what is the average age for menopause?
47-52
what is climacteric?
-refers to all the various biological and psychological changes that accompany menopause
-characterized by the changes in ovulation and a profound decrease in production of hormones, particularly estrogen
what r the typical symptoms of climacteric? (menopause)
-hot flashes and flushing of the skin
-episodes of profuse sweating
-fatigue
-dizziness
-headaches
-insomnia
-nervousness
-depression
what is hormone replacent therapy/estrogen replacement therapy
used to ease symptoms of climateric because they are associated with a decline in hormones
what are the potential benefits of HRT or ERT?
-reduces symptoms of climacteric
-lowers risk of osteoporosis
potential costs of HRT or ERT
-until the last few years, HRT was thought to decrease the risk of heart disease, but recently linked HRT with an increase in heart disease and stroke in women
-may increase the risl of breast cancer, particularly in those women with a history of breast cancer
-thought to decrease alzheimers, but new research shows no effect
menopause experience
-not very upsetting for the majority of women
-the anticipation seems to be the most upsetting component
-some women report relief that they do not have to worry about becoming pregnant and that they feel better in general
-it is most upsetting to women who view it as signaling an end to their attractiveness and sexuality
changes in men during middle age
-prostate cancer
what is the prostate?
-the walnut sized gland that surrounds the urethra
-enlargement may impinge on urethra, hamper the release of urine and contribute to bladder and kidney disorders and infections
prostate cancer in middle age is thought to be related to…
hormone changes associated with aging in men
facts on prostate cancer
-more common with age
-develops in 15% of men at some point during their lifetime
-if not detected and treated, the cancer can spread to the bones
-grows at a slow pace and particularly for older men, it’s often not treated in an aggressive way bc it spreads so slowly
-most outlive the cancer and die of something else
-in younger men or depending on stage of cancer, treatment may involve removing the prostate, radiation therapy, and some other treatment
