Health, Well-being and Aging Flashcards
Definition of cohort
people who were born in a specific period of time (e.g., 1900s, 1990s, 2000s)
The significance of a cohort
- people share a similar historical time that shapes their collective life experiences (e.g., trends, health risks)
- the “cohort effect”
Among the current Canadians aged 45 to 64
- Significant decrease in the prevalence of… - arthritis, rheumatism, hypertension, heart disease, bronchitis & emphysema
- Significant improvement in some chronic conditions due to improved surgical and drug treatment
- Increased prevalence of breast and prostate cancer due to improved screening and diagnosis
- Lower rates of drinking and smoking
What is multi-morbidity?
When individuals face more than one chronic condition
What is the effect of multi-morbidity on transition in life conditions?
- change in role and life activities
What is the impact of multi-morbidity?
- limited mobility and social interaction, failure to meet family responsibility
- long lasting pain, loss of bodily function
What is the negative stereotype associated with multi-morbidity?
- dependence and frail (Always?)
- can also be a caregiver (e.g., Debbie White in New Jersey)
What are the health risks associated with Multi-morbidity?
- over-medicalization
Reconceptualizing Elderly with Medical Conditions
- living well with adaptive strategies
- resilience
Resilience
- older adults maintain high functioning and well-being in face of multimorbidity
Resilience has been connected with which concept in aging?
- successful aging and for good health management
Three dimensions of resilience
- Functional (physical body)
- Social (support group ; social capital)
- Psychological (individual’s appraisal of stress)
- Activation of resources (agency): change in attitudes & behaviour
Which 3 dimensions do you need in a sense of coherence?
- biological
- psychological
- spiritual
A sense of coherence
- variations
- dynamic
Self-efficacy
The perceived confidence that one can accomplish a behavioural change or adopt a new behaviour
Resilience allows elderly people to…
An individual elderly adult may not recover, but may learn to function better (positive adaptation) with the illness as a result of resilience
QOL depends on…
severity, duration, personal coping mechanism, availability of social support health care resources
Multi-level analysis
- micro, meso and macro
Dealing with health condition with social support from…
- the spouse or partner (only for those in an intimate partnership)
- other family members, friends or neighbour
Vulnerability is based on…
- marital status
- living arrangement
- geographical location (urban vs. rural)
SES, Health and Aging
- SES-based gap in health disparity tends to increase as we age
- Economic disadvantage in childhood is often cumulative and its impact on health can manifest as heart disease later in life
Cumulative Advantage and Disadvantage of Health Outcomes
Compression of morbidity
Social Capital and Health
The physical and social structure of a community that facilitates mutual support, caring, self-esteem, sense of belonging, and enriched social relationship
The Ecological Model
- Biological, psychological, social and environmental factors and their interaction
- Risk factors vs. Protective factors (examples?)
- The impact of behaviour on health (examples?)
The Ecological Model in the Context of Aging Population
- Based on the assumption that patterns of health and well-being are affected by a dynamic interplay among biological, behavioural, social and environmental factors
- Unfolds over the life course of individuals, families, and communities
- Age, gender, race/ethnicity and SES differences shape the context in which individual function, and therefore directly and indirectly influence health risks and resources
Implications of the Ecological Approach
Health Care Intervention:
- provides a multi-level and multi-dimensional framework for connecting research, practice and policy
- the importance of evidence-based research
Self-care in Old Age
What people do for themselves to establish and maintain health, and to prevent and deal with illness.
Self-care in Old Age Encompasses
- hygiene (general and personal)
- nutrition (type and quality of food eaten)
- lifestyle (sporting activities, leisure etc.)
- environmental factors (living conditions, social habits, etc.) - socio-economic factors (income level, cultural beliefs, etc.)
- self-medication
Dementia
- A general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life.
- Most commonly diagnosed among people 60+
- Not a normal part of aging — despite common belief
- A group of symptoms caused by diseases or injuries that affect the brain: Alzheimer’s disease and vascular diseases (e.g., strokes)
Alzheimer’s disease
- A degenerative brain disease caused by complex brain changes, following cell damage
- Leads to dementia symptoms that gradually worsen over time.
Delirium
- Temporary cognitive disorder that involves fluctuation in consciousness, an ability to focus, hallucinations, periods of disorientation, and bizarre behaviour at random moments
- Related to insomnia, the onset and progression of chronic disease, bereavement (after the loss of a spouse) or relocation to a new residence
- Not a normal part of aging
Key Messages from the Video about depression in old age
- Interventions that change the way the depressed elderly see the world – break the vicious cycle of negativity
- Strength-based approach (what am I good at?)
- Thought and behaviour shifting
- Treatment/Intervention: Self-empowerment
- The power of narratives: sharing with others
Depression and Dementia/ AD
- Over the life course, untreated depression has been shown to increase risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
- The relevance of the life course perspective
- transition, turning point within personal history.
Rural and Remote Living
- Older women (65+) living in rural areas had more chronic conditions than those living in urban areas
- Unequal distribution of health care resources across regions
- shrinking population
- organizational restructuring: downsizing to save costs
- retainment of medical professionals in the rural communities
- Challenges for the elderly to travel to receive diagnosis and treatment
E-Health & Old Age
- Improvement of health literacy via Internet
- The digital divide (younger vs. older gen.)- bridge the gap
ACCESS 2022
- movement to inspire industry and all Canadians to work toward a new day in health care where patients, their families and their clinicians have access to info and e-services they need to better manage their health. Join the movement!
