Middle Adulthood Flashcards
1
Q
who are the middle adults?
A
- those born 1950s to 1982.
- Baby boomers and Gen X.
- earns most $ and pay most taxes
2
Q
cardiovascular function
A
- heart = more rigid
- heart rate slows
- hypertension, heart arrhythmias, irregular heart beats
3
Q
respiratory function
A
- cont. to decrease
- lung elasticity = decrease
4
Q
immune function
A
- decrease in T and B cells
- Thymus gland = undetectable by 50
5
Q
endocrine function
A
- development of diabetes
- poor healthy lifestyles habits
6
Q
gastrointestinal
A
- metabolism and gut weight = slows down
- weight gain
7
Q
kidney/urinary
A
- kidney function decreases
- UTI = increases
8
Q
Vision
A
- lens starts to stiffen
- presbyopia –> reading classes
- decrease in night vision
- glaucoma development (build up of fluid and pressure)
9
Q
hearing
A
- declines
- presbycusis bc they can’t hear as well
10
Q
taste and smell
A
- decrease
11
Q
climacteric
A
- end of reproductive capacity. men = decrease in testosterone
- men have reduced quality and quantity of sperm
12
Q
signs of menopause
A
- hot flashes
- heart palpitations
- headache
- decreased vaginal lubrication
- fatigue
- insomnia
- emotional lability
13
Q
hormone replacement therapy is associated with an increase in:
A
- heart rate
- stroke
- blood clots
- breast cancer
- gallbladder disease
14
Q
replacement of estrogen and/or progesterone to counteract what?
A
effects of menopause
15
Q
women’s health: osteoporosis
A
- 50 and older
- bone loss, decreased bone density
- increased risk w/ smoking, alcohol, menopause, decreased physical activity, poor nutrition
16
Q
prevention/treatment of osteoporosis
A
- early prevention is key
- vitamin D, calcium
- weight bearing activities and resistance training
- bone strengthening medications
17
Q
men’s health
A
- men are more likely to have heart disease, stroke, and diabetes
- decline in testosterone –> erectile dysfunction
- enlarged prostate –> urinary symptoms
18
Q
vision tests
A
every two years
19
Q
dental checkups
A
once or twice yearly
20
Q
blood pressure
A
monitor at least yearly
21
Q
lipid (cholesterol and triglycerides) and blood glucose
A
check
22
Q
colorectal cancer screening
A
beginning at age 45
23
Q
flu shot
A
yearly
24
Q
shingles immunization
A
after age 50
25
physical activity in middle adulthood
- less than 20% of middle age adults engaged in the recommended physical activity levels
- more energy expends = less likely to die
26
barriers to exercise
- work, time, energy, health, convenience, lack of facilities
27
sandwich generation
caring for parents and children at the same time
28
crystalized intelligence
- peaking at this time
- skills that depend on accumulated knowledge and experience and good judgment
29
fluid intelligence
- progressive decline
- depends on speed of info -- processing, working memory
30
the middle aged adult can "make up" for the fluid decline due to what?
their experience and crystalized intelligence
31
changes in info processing
- speed of processing slows down
- executive function declines (struggles with two tasks at once)
- reduced inhibition: ignore irrelevant info, struggle with this
- memory strategies decline
- problem solving: peak in 30s and 40s
32
moral development
conventional and post conventional
33
spiritual development
stage 5: conjunctive -- most won't reach it until this time period, if at all
stage 6: universalizing -- few reach this, self sacrificing activities, mother theresa
34
generativity
- focus on reaching out to others in ways that give and guide next generation
- increase in midlife for all SES classes
35
stagnation
what can you do for me?
self centered, self indulgent, self absorbed
more focus on what can get from others rather than what can be given
36
midlife crisis
- may grieve for last youth , missed opportunities, more aware of death
- evaluation of life is common; filled with transitions
37
"turning points" or "midlife transitions"
how i wanna spend my time and who i wanna be
38
"silver linings"
acknowledge stuff in their failures
39
family life cycles
- "launching children and moving on"
- tasked with accepting entries and exits in family system
- kids getting married and having kids
- exits = death, divorce
40
romantic relationships at midlife
- review and adjust marital relationships and expansion and new horizons
- divorce: rate has doubled for those over age 50 years. women report higher gains in happiness
- diverse relationships: may be more complicated due to stigma as they grew up. many may be open with their sexuality and gender identity for the first time
41
relationships: parent-child changes
- children are "launched" - although the timing of this varies based on culture (empty nest)
- decline in parental authority
- continued contact, affection and support to children
- adjusting to "in laws"
- mothers especially take on the role of "kinkeeper"
42
meanings of grandparenthood
- perceived as being valued and wise
- helps with feelings of immortality through having descendants
- able to pass on family history and traditions
- enjoy indulging the children without responsibility for childrearing
43
grandparent-grandchild relationships
- SES, proximity of living
- age, sex, ethnicity, culture
- relationships with in-laws
44
relationships: aging parents
- proximity to parent
- in collectivist cultures, parents often live with married children, but co-residence is declining
- helping often based on quality of earlier relationships
45
relationships: siblings
- sibling contact and support decline due to demands of diverse roles
- but increases again around 70 years of age
- despite this reduced contact, siblings feel "closer"
- sibling bonds are not always strong -- affected by past and current parent favoritism, culture, caregiving roles
46
vocational life
- important component of identity and self esteem
- attempt to increase personal meaning of vocational life
- tends to have increased job satisfaction (especially white-collar male workers and women experience less contentment)
- career change in middle adulthood (less training and on the job counseling available and extreme career shifts usually signal some type of personal crisis)
