Lecture 27 - Successful ageing

Question 1

age related diseases

Answer 1

Brain (cognitive impairment & Alzheimer’s disease)
 Bones and joints (arthritis, osteoporosis)
 Eyes and ears (cataracts, glaucoma, tinnitus, hearing loss)
 Urogenital (incontinence, benign prostatic hypertrophy)
 Digestive (gastroesophageal reflux disease)
 Dental (gun diseases)
 Skin (skin cancer, shingles)
 Metabolic syndrome

Question 2

Challenges faced by older people

Answer 2

• accepting a reducd body functioning and physical changes
• accepting loss of friends due to deat and life partner
• losing indepedence have to depend on other people
• losign sense of idenity through retirment and loss of occumpation

Question 3

What is successful ageing

Answer 3

• absence of disease/disability
• cognitive and physical function
• engagement with life

-want to slow the rate of decline

Question 4

ALot of facotrs involved

Answer 4

Resillience resources - personality, optimism, personal control, coping

Outcome trajectories - physical health, functional status, subjective wellbeing

Familial community resournce - sup[ort from freidns and famil, regligious affiliation

Stress - life events, percetpion of stress, stress expsoreue, stress reacitivyt

Question 5

What are centenarians more likely to be?

Answer 5

• not worried or anxious
• rely on religious beliefs and acceptance
• take things one day at a time
• accept health problems
• be open
• be less sensitive

Question 6

Positive ageing stratgey goals

Answer 6

1) Income
2) Health
3) Housing
4) Transport
5) Ageing in the community
6) Cultural diversity
7) Rural services
8) Positive attitudes
9) Employment opportunities
10) Opportunities for personal growth andparticipation

Question 7

How to age congitiviely well

Answer 7

Engage in cognitively stimulating work
 Work or volunteer in something meaningful
 Consider yourself a lifelong learner and utilize community resources for continuing education
 Take part in intergenerational programs
 Engage in cognitively stimulation leisure activities that are novel and challenging

 Computer games, Wii
 Autobiographical writing
 “Brain training” programs
 Meditation

Question 8

What are some impairments people have when they get older?

Answer 8

• sensory loss
• poorer short term memory
• processing speed is slower
• partial loss of verbal communication
• difficultu remembering words, objects, people, reading writing, et.

Question 9

How to work with people with dementia and cognitive impairment?

Answer 9

Face to face/eye contact
 Physical contact (e.g. gentle touch)
 Sensory aids (e.g. hearing aids)
 Listen
 Speak slowly, clearly and loudly
 Short simple words and sentences (one step at a time, break it down)
 Written instructions
 Encourage support person to attend (e.g. partners)

Question 10

Good tips for workign with older people

Answer 10

Body language & non-verbal communication
 Respect & curiosity
 Understand the impact of physical/mental illness on the person’s functioning, role and relationship
 Build rapport by learning about the person’s strengths, occupations and family life