Lesson 11: Late Adulthood Flashcards
baby boomers
those born between 1945 and 1963
longevity
people living longer and longer
-may be caused by technological improvements
Third Age
ages of 60 and 80 years of age
-are often vibrant, active, and engaged individuals who have benefitted from medical advances in recent years
Fourth Age
those older than 80 years
-tend to be more frail, to be more likely to have dementia, to have suffered other cognitive losses, and to be struggling with quality of life issues
physiological changes in late adulthood
- some deterioration in many physical and health areas
- no overarching physical changes
- changes in neurons: impaired ability to transmit information
cognitive changes in later adulthood
- Reaction time tends to increase (should they be allowed to drive?)
- Memory also tends to decline, although not in all areas
- ->perform more poorly in terms of episodic memory (memory for specific events/periods of time), but perform similarly to younger individuals in terms of semantic memory (memory related to the meanings of words or concepts that are not tied to specific events or time periods)
dementia on memory
-may experience deterioration in semantic memory (memory related to meanings of words/concepts not related to specific events/time periods)
mental health issues
Depression
- often a secondary symptom (to an illness)
- treatment: anti-depressants
Alzheimer’s disease
particularly serious and progressive type of dementia
- has important mental health consequences, including depression, anxiety, and changes in mood and/or behavior
- no cure, treat symptoms
continuity theory
older adults tend to cope with their daily lives in ways similar to how they did in the past to preserve both internal and external structures
Competence vs. environmental press
competence: people’s abilities to perform certain tasks
environmental press: physical/interpersonal/social demands placed on people in their different environments
–> must find balance (boredom vs. overwhelmed)
integrity vs. despair
- last of Erikson’s psychosocial stages
- ->the key task during late adulthood is achieving a sense of pleasure and pride in what one’s life has been and what one has accomplished = INTEGRITY
- if not accomplished –> despair/disappointment
life review
*connected to achieving integrity
a careful and thorough reflection of the events and experiences that have occurred in one’s lifetime
spirituality
religion and spirituality can take on even greater importance later in life, when one may be frail, engaged in one’s life review, and facing the possibility of death
-coping mechanism
Retirement
- retirement is a process, rather than an event
- full time to part time work - not everyone can retire on their own terms
- due to economic standing –> work until physically unable - bridge jobs
- part-time jobs that help individuals transition from full-time work to not working at all = more satisfaction - important for older retired adults to stay busy
- provides older adults with a support network and prevents isolation, loneliness, and perhaps depression
social convoy
consists of a group of individuals who provide support during both good times and bad
characteristics of long-term committed relationships
- -> 50-60 year marriages
1. extremely committed to each other
2. positive illusions: thinking more positively of one’s partner than is warranted
Why is depression difficult to diagnose in late adulthood?
- older adults say they feel “helpless or tired” rather than “depressed” (still have dysphoria)
- depression in younger adults can be seen in physical changes like insomnia/loss of appetite, but older adults associate this with normal aging
- -> must rule out all other causes
SSRI
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
- treatment for depression
- least side effects
- regulate/boost serotonin levels = better mood
Treatments for depression in older adults
- Anti-depressants
- SSRIs, MCAs, MAO - Psychotherapy
- behavior therapy
- cognitive therapy
behavior therapy
type of therapy based on the notion that depressed people experience too few rewards/reinforcements from their environment
-increase good things, limit bad things
cognitive therapy
type of therapy based on the idea that maladaptive beliefs or cognitions about oneself are responsible for depression
Dementia
–>family of diseases involving serious impairment of behavioral and cognitive functioning
What are the key symptoms of Alzheimers?
- gradual declines in memory/learning/attention/judgement
- confusion as to time and place
- difficult communication/finding words
- decline in personal hygiene/self-care
- inappropriate social behavior
- changes in personality
- -> advanced stages: incontinence
external memory aids
rely on environmental resources (ex. notebooks/calendars)
Explicit-External Aids: appt book/grocery list
Implicit-Externs Aids: color-coded maps/sandpaper letters
internal memory aids
rely on mental processes (ex. imagery)
Explicit-Internal Aids: mental imagery/rote rehearsal
Implicit-Internal: spaced retrieval/conditioning
explicit memory
the deliberate and conscious remembering of information that is learned and remembered at a SPECIFIC time
implicit memory
the UNCONSCIOUS remembering of information learned at some earlier time
What causes Alzheimers?
–> no for sure cause known
early onset: runs in families - autosomal dominant inheritance
late onset: linked to risk genes
Degrees of Continuity
- TOO MUCH continuity = dull and boring and lead to a desire to do some new activities (life is too predictable)
- TOO LITTLE continuity = being overwhelmed because previously successful strategies may be inadequate for coping with current life challenges (life is unpredictable)
–> must find a balance in continuity
proactivity
when people choose new behaviors to meet new desires or needs and exert control over their lives
docility
when people allow their situation to dictate the options they have
the importance in keeping busy in retirement
- leisure activities –> higher satisfaction
- community ties –> increased health/activity
-Staying busy leads to…. new sense of self, finding sense of purpose, desire to share skills/expertise, redefinition of nature/merits of volunteering, expanded involvement opportunities
neurofibrillary tangles
spiral-shaped masses formed when fibers that compose the axon become twisted together
-interfere with neuron’s ability to transmit info down the axon
neuritic plaques
structural change in the brain produced when damaged/dying neurons collect around a core of a protein
neurotransmitters
chemicals released by neurons in order for them to communicate with each other
-levels of these decline with age
stroke/cerebral vascular accident (CVA)
interruption of blood flow in the brain due to blockage or a hemorrhage in a cerebral artery
transient ischemic attack (TIA)
interruption of blood flow to the brain, often an early warning sign of a stroke
vascular dementia
diseased caused by numerous small cerebral vascular accidents
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
the most common form of incapacitating respiratory disease among older adults
(ex. asthma, emphysema…caused by smoking/genetics)
Parkinson’s disease
brain disease known primarily for its characteristic motor symptoms: very slow walking, difficulty getting into and out of chairs, and a slow hand tremor
presbyopia
difficulty seeing close objects clearly
presbycusis
reduced sensitivity to high-pitched tones
psychomotor speed
the speed with which a person can make a specific response
dysphoria
feeling sad/down
amyloid
protein that is produced in abnormally high levels in Alzheimer’s patients that may lead to neurofibrillary tangles/neuritic plaques
spaced retrieval
memory intervention based on the E-I-E-I-O approach to memory intervention –> teaching alzheimer’s patients to remember new info by spacing out the time between retrieval attempts
subjective well-being
an evaluation of one’s life that is associated with positive feelings
IADLs
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living - actions that require some intellectual competence and planning
Most people who live in nursing homes are ________.
Older European-American women who are very ill
