Exam 5 Flashcards
the term used to describe the adult period during which reproductive capacity declines or is lost
climacteric
the cessation of monthly menstrual cycles in middle-aged women
menopause
the stage of menopause during which estrogen levels fall somewhat, menstrual periods are less regular, and anovulatory cycles begin to occur
premenopoausal phase
the stage of menopause during which estrogen and progesterone levels are erratic, menstrual cycles may be very irregular, and women begin to experience symptoms such as hot flashes
perimenopausal phase
the last stage of menopause, which begins when a woman has no menstrual periods for a year or more
postmenopausal phase
loss of bone mass with age, resulting in more brittle and porous bones
osteoporosis
normal loss of visual acuity with aging, especially the ability to focus the eyes on near objects
presbyopia
normal loss of hearing with aging, especially of high-frequency tones
presbycusis
a set of disease processes in the heart and circulatory system
cardiovascular disease (CVD)
narrowing of the arteries caused by deposits of a fatty substance called plaque
atherosclerosis
elevated blood pressure
hypertension
physical and psychological dependence on alcohol
alcoholism
the process of balancing the gains and losses associated with aging
selective optimization with compensation
recollections of personal events
episodic memories
general knowledge
semantic memories
the ability to produce original, appropriate, and valuable ideas and/or solutions to problems
creativity
a sense that one is making a valuable contribution to society by bringing up children or mentoring younger people in some way midlife
generativity
a theoretical perspective on middle adulthood that focuses on normative and non normative events and how adults in this age group respond to them
life events approach
any situation in which two or more roles are at least partially incompatible, either because they call for different behaviors or because their separate demands add up to more hours than there are in a day
role conflict
middle-aged adults who provide assistance to their parents and adult children at the same time
multigenerational caregivers
a term for the cumulative negative effects of caring for an elderly or disabled person
caregiver burden
relationships in which grandparents do not see their grandchildren often
remote relationships
relationships in which grandparents have frequent contact and warm interactions with grandchildren
companionate relationships
relationships in which grandparents are directly involved in the everyday care of grandchildren or have close emotional ties with them
involved relationships
lack of energy, exhaustion, and pessimism that result from chronic stress
burnout
the scientific study of aging
gerontology
self-help tasks such as bathing, dressing, and using the toilet
activities of daily living (ADLs)
more intellectually demanding daily living tasks such as doing housework, cooking and managing money
instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)
older adults whose physical and/or mental impairments are so extensive that they cannot care for themselves
frail elderly
the redundancy in the nervous systems that ensures that it is nearly always possible for a nerve impulse to move from one neuron to another or from a neuron to another type of cell (e.g. a muscle cell)
synaptic plasticity
persistent ringing in the ears
tinnitus
the genetically programmed time limit to which each species is theoretically proposed to be subject, after which cells no longer have any capacity to replicate themselves accurately
hayflick limit
a string of repetitive DNA at the tip of each chromosome in the body that appears to serve as a kind of timekeeping mechanism
telomere
the view that age-related declines are the result of species-specific genes for aging
programmed senescence theory
the formation of undesirable bonds between proteins or fats
cross-linking
molecules or atoms that possess an unpaired electron
free radicals
the hypothesis that mental and physical functioning decline drastically only in the few years immediately preceding death
terminal decline hypothesis
the feeling of fullness that follows a meal
satiety
a neurological disorder involving problems with memory and thinking that affect an individual’s emotional, social, and physical functioning
dementia
a very severe form of dementia, the cause of which is unknown
Alzheimer’s disease
a form of dementia caused by one or more strokes
vascular dementia
a cognitive characteristic that includes accumulated knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge to practical problems of living, popularly thought to be more commonly found in older adults
wisdom
the feeling that one’s life has been worthwhile
ego integrity
reflecting on past experience
reminiscence
an evaluative process in which elders make judgements about past behavior
life review
the idea that it is normal and healthy for older adults to try to remain as active as possible for as long as possible
activity theory
the theory that it is normal and healthy for older adults to scale down their social lives and to separate themselves from others to a certain degree
disengagement theory
the idea that older adults adapt lifelong interests and activities to the limitations imposed upon them by physical aging
continuity theory
the term gerontologists use to describe maintaining one’s physical health, mental abilities, social competence, and overall satisfaction with one’s life as one ages
successful aging
performance of unpaid work for altruistic motives
volunteerism
the tendency to turn to religious beliefs and institutions for support in times of difficulty
religious coping
living in a non institutional environment, to which modifications have been made to accommodate an older adult’s needs
aging in place
a post retirement move away from kin to a location that has some desirable feature, such as year round warm weather
amenity move
a move to a location near family or friends that happens when an elder requires frequent help because of a disability or disease
compensatory migration
a move to an institution such as a nursing home that is necessitated by a disability
institutional migration
