Middle Age Flashcards
Middle Age (yrs)
~40-65yrs
Erikson’s stage during midlife
generativity vs stagnation
generativity
reaching out to others in ways that give to and guide the next generation
EX: parenting, work mentors, coach, volunteer, etc
midlife crisis
period of transition in life where someone struggles with their identity and self confidence
- usually happens b/w 40-60 yrs and affects men and women
social considerations in middle aged adults
- what is their role?
- what are there functional needs?
Role’s in midlife ex:
parent, marital status, work status, hobbies, etc
functional needs in middle age ex:
work expectations, house work, care giver, etc
Vision changes in middle age
- presbyopia (~45yrs): loss of accommodative ability of the lens (reading glasses may be needed)
-reduced vision in dim light - increased sensitivity to glare
- diminished color discrimination
- risk of glaucoma increases (inc the need of regular eye exams)
Hearing changes in middle age
- presbycusis: age related hearing loss, begins with a decline in detection of high frequencies and then spreads to other tones
- the ability to distinguish sounds occurring in close succession declines and eventually human speech become harder to decipher (ex: if multiple ppl are talking at the same time)
skin changes in middle age
- skin wrinkles, loosens, and dries
- age spots develop
- precancerous lesions or spots
muscle changes in middle age
- muscle strength declines at age 30
- each decade has 5% of muscle mass loss
- increased occurrence of muscle strains
- decreased strength and endurance
- fat deposits increase
LE muscular strength is reduced by __ between ages ___ - ____
40%, 30-80yrs
low fat diet and regular exercise (including resistance training) can:
offset weight gain and muscle loss
Bone changes in middle age
-osteoporosis
- fractures in the spine, hips, and/or wrists
osteoporosis
- sever age related bone loss
- may not be evident until a fracture occurs
- dexa scan can be used to measure bone density
___% of US adults aged ___ have osteroporosis
10%, 50+
___ people over the age of __, mostly ____, in the US have osteoporosis
10 million people over the age of 50, mostly women
from middle to late adult hood, osteoporosis increases ____ in women (__%-__%) and ____ in men (__%-__%)
women: fivefold, (7%-35%)
men: triples (3%-11%)
treatment of osteoporosis
- diet enriched with calcium and vitamin D
- weight bearing exercise
- resistance training
- bone strengthening medications
balance changes in middle age
- coordination declines in the 30s (before middle age)
- more active individuals do not experience as much change
Vestibular system changes in middle age
- dec number of sensory cells and nerve fibers in the peripheral nervous system
- possible neural changes in the vestibular nerve
- decline in function with aging
- dizziness and vertigo; common issue over 50
- reduction in hair cells & peripheral nerve fibers over the age of 70
- deterioration in central vestibular integrative functions leading to impaired balance
- increased thresholds of excitation of vestibular nuclei
- vestibular system become unreliable when visual and proprioceptive input conflicts
dizziness and vertigo; common issue over __
50
deterioration in ______ _____ _____ functions leading to impaired balance
central vestibular integrative
___% reduction in hair cells & ____% reduction in peripheral nerve fibers over the age of ___
40%, 36%, 70yrs
stages of menopause
perimenopause, menopause, postmenopause
menopause
ovaries begin to atrophy which causes a decline in the production of hormones that stimulate the menstrual cycle; estrogen and progesterone
- absence of menses for 12 straight months
- can no longer get pregnant
- ~51 yrs old
perimenopause
- ~3-5 years before menopause
- age varies, most notice symtoms in mid to late 40s (rare to have any before 40)
- estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate
- symptoms: mood changes, irregular menstrual cycle, & other menopause symptoms
- CAN still get pregnant (birth control is recommended)
average age of menopause
51
Postmenopause
- ovaries produce low levels of estrogen & progesterone but no longer ovulate on menstruate
- perimenopause and menopause symptoms may continue but do dissipate
Post menopause stage is a risk factor for
heart disease and osteoporosis due to decrease in estrogen
menopause symptom management
- healthy diet, regular exercise, and lifestyle modifications
- hormone replacement therapy and other medications can be used if QOL is disrupted
adropause
- low testosterone
- the symptoms men experience as their testosterone production levels decrease with age
- starts ~ age 40
Cardiopulmonary system changes in middle age
- atherosclerosis
- high bp, high cholesterol, & atherosclerosis are referred to as silent killers of CVD bc they often have no symptoms
- dec hr (74-76bpm), dec resp rate (10-20)
heart rate in middle adulthood
- 74-76bpm
- decreasing with age
respiratory rate in middle adulthood
- 10-20 breaths per minute
- decreasing with age
___% of Americans who die in middle age die from ___
25%, CVD
silent killers of CVD
- high blood pressure, high cholesterol, & atherosclerosis
- often have no symptoms
Heart disease
- 2nd most common cause of death in people 40-65yrs (more men than women)
Leading cause of death in middle age people
cancer (more men than women)
most common types of cancer in middle age
- men: prostate, women: breast
- lung
- colon
from early to middle adulthood, the death rate due to cancer multiplies ___, accounting for ~ ___% of all midlife deaths in the US
tenfold, 30%
Wellness and prevention in middle age
- mammogram
- colonoscopy
- regular skin checks
- diet
- exercise
in middle age, there are ______ thresholds of excitation of vestibular nuclei
increased
