Middle Age Flashcards
What ages are considered Middle Age?
40 to 65 years
What does Generativity look like for Middle Age?
Involves reaching out to others in ways that give to and guide the next generation
Ex. Parenting, other family relationships, mentors in workplace, volunteer endeavors, and through many forms of productivity and creativity
What is a Midlife Crisis?
Period of transition in life where someone struggles with their identity and self-confidence. Happens anywhere rom 40-60 yrs and affects men and women
Social Considerations in Middle Age
What is this person’s role? What are there functional needs?
Vision in Middle age
Presbyopia, reduced vision in dim light, increased sensitivity to glare, diminished color discrimination, risk of glaucoma increases
Hearing in middle age
- Presbycusis: age-related hearing loss that begins with a decline in detection of high frequencies and then spreads to other tones
- Ability to distinguish sounds occurring in close succession decline —> eventually human speech becomes harder to decipher
Muscle Changes in Middle age
Strength declines 5% after 30
- increased occurrence of muscle strains
- Muscle mass declines
- Decreased endurance
- LE strength reduce 40% b/w 30-80
Fat deposits increase —> low-fat diet w/ regular exercise (resistance) can offset excess weight and muscle loss
Skin Changes in Middle Age
- Skin wrinkles, loosens, and dries
- Age spots develop
- Precancerous lesions/spots
What is a major bone problem in middle age and how to treat it?
10% of US adults 50+ yrs have Osteoporosis
- middle age to late adulthood x5 increase in women (7 to 35%) and x3 in men (3 to 11%)
- may not be evident unti fracture occurs
- fractures typically occur in spine, hips, wrist
To treat:
1. Diet enriched in Ca and Vit D
2. Weight bearing exercise
3. Resistance training
4. Bone strengthening medication
Balance starts decline at what age and how can the decline be less significant?
Begins to decline in 30s and more physically active adults may not decline as significantly
What causes age-related changes in the vestibular system starting in the 40s?
- Decreased number of sensory cells (40% reduction in hair cells) and nerve fibers in the PNS (36% in adults over 70)
- Neural changes possible in the vestibular nerve
- Deterioration in central vestibular integrative functions —>impaired balance
- increased threshold of excitation of vestibular nuclei
- vestibular becomes unreliable when visual and proprioceptive input conflicts
What are the 3 basic stages of menopause?
Perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause
What happens during menopause?
Ovaries begin to atrophy—> decline in production of hormones that stimulate the menstrual cycle (estrogen and progesterone)
What happens during perimenopause? When is it expected?
Estrogen and progesterone levels begin to fluctuate so individuals may begin to experience mood changes, irregular menstrual cycles, and other menopausal symptoms (still can get pregnant)
- happens 3-5 yrs before menopause
- most females experience symptoms in mid to late 40s (rare before 40)
What classifies as menopause? When does it occur?
Absence of menses for 12 straight months without other causes (illness, medication, pregnancy) and can no longer become pregnant
- average age is 51 but can span b/w mid 40s and 50s
