middle adulthood (middle age) Flashcards
what age is middle age
40-60 yrs
why is it often called the sandwich generation
because roles are being squeezed: parents, children, grandchildren etc
what are some biological changes that occur in middle adulthood
-expanding waistline/ redistribution of fat stores (middle age spread)
-slower metabolic rate (loss of muscle and hormone production)
-skeletal system (loss of bone density: osteoporosis), 50yrs + have higher risk of fractures due to brittle bones, could lead to social isolation etc
reproduction changes in women at middle age
menopause
-around age 50 but begins 10-15 years before
1.pre menopause: fluctuating hormone levels and irregular periods
2. peri menopause: extreme variation in periods, hot flushes can cause multiple issues (bromberger 2010)
3. post menopause: oestrogen and progesterone levels consistently low for 1 year, menstruation ceases
reproduction changes in men
andropause
-loss of testosterone by 1% each year after turning 40
-gradually reduces quantity of viable sperm
-loss in muscle tissue and strength
-erectile dysfunction influences 31% by late 50s: can be improved by diet and exercise due to associations found with the amount of body fat an indiv has (Esposito et al 2004)
biological changes to health in middle age
-cancer: most likely cause of death in middle age women
-cardiovascular disease: sudden heart attacks are most common cause of death in middle age men (particularly those with low SES: maybe due to high fat diet)
-cardiorespiratory fitness in mid life (age 49) is associated with lower healthcare costs in later life (65+) Bachmann et al 2015
how does education influence health in middle age
clousten et al 2015
-education is predictive of health behaviour (smoking, drinking, physical inactivity) in mid life
what are the 2 main psychological changes in mid life
cognition
memory
cognition changes in mid life
-brains and cog processes are slower
-cog skill likely to decrease if you dont stay mentally active (salthouse 2004)
-correlation between risk of heart disease/cancer and intellectual skills (mediated by physical activity)
how does declining cognition link to circulatory system
raz and rodrigue 2006
-blood needed to be pumped to the brain to carry out cog processes
-if circulation is affected, this may be impactful on cog
memory changes in mid life
-common assumption is that the older we get the more forgetful we are (this is not necessarily the case for all parts of memory)
-WM: by 55 we can no longer accommodate large complex loads in vision
-semantic memory: seen to be stable
-episodic memory: more prone to decline (themes remembered better than specific details)
middle age and dementia risk factors
-dementia risk associated with higher glucose levels (rosness et al 2016)
-other risk factors: obesity, smoking, alcohol, depression, anxiety
myelin model of neurodegeneration and dementia
age related breakdown in myelination can increase the likelihood of alzheimers disease (bartzokis 2004)
genetics and lifestyle interaction and dementia
rovio et al 2005
-APOE e4 carriers at increased risk of developing alzheimers
-physical activity at least twice a week during mid life reduces risk particularly for APOE e4 carriers
why is there a ‘mid life crisis’
-middle aged people confront many difficult issues
–mental and physical limitations
–increasing health risks
–balancing multiple roles: parent, husband/wife, grandparent, son/daughter, employee/employer, carer for parents, friend, homeowners
according to the literature what % go through a mid life crisis
26%
erikson 1963 crisis in mid life
generativity vs stagnation
-generativity: need to care for the next generation
-prodominantly this happens through having children
how does erikson’s 1963 generativity occur in those who dont have children
vaillant 2002
-perhaps through work oriented goals
erikson’s 1963 crisis in mid life and its relationship to mental health
-those with high generativity/ life satisfaction are the least burdened by being a carer to their parents
-if you have already achieved generativity by being a parent yourself it is easier to accept caring for a parent
social changes in mid life
-role conflict: middle aged adults take on the most no. of roles
-partner relationship: marital conflict declines (huber et al 2010), marital self efficacy, better strategies to cope with arguments
-friends: more refined social network, genuine friends, less contact, family provides primary support
how does being a parent change in mid life
-parenting is pivotal in young adulthood, less so in mid life
-adults may explore new/previous hobbies, parents gain new sense of independence and become oriented to interests outside the family
-empty nest syndrome: when particularly mothers place so much emphasis on the role of parent (mitchell and lovegreen 2009) they really feel it when their children move out
why is the empty nest syndrome not so prominent now
boomerang children: global phenomenon of young adult children continuing to live with their parents
is it ever too late to change research
King et al 2007
-15,000 pp aged 45-64
-4 key lifestyle habits: 5 fruits/veg per day, 2.5hrs exercise a week, BMI of 18.5-30, not smoking
-those who adopted all 4 lifestyle habits had 40% lower mortality rate 4 years later, specifically reducing risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke
what does research by king et al show
you can improve your health status even if you start working on habits late in life
