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