Midterm Content Flashcards
1
Q
Gerontology
A
The scientific study of old age and the process of growing old
2 Goals
1. Increase knowledge of old age
2. Improve quality of later life
2
Q
Geriatrics
A
A specialty of medicine for the treatment of diseases related to older age
3
Q
Impacts of Aging Populations
A
- Impact on social structure
- Family structure
- Education and job market
- Health and social policies - Change in the health status of the population
- More chronic diseases and disability
- More need for health care services
- Not significant increase in costs as aging only accounts for 1% of year increase in health care costs
4
Q
Health (WHO Definition)
A
A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity
5
Q
Physical Diseases in Older Adults (65+)
A
Prevalences for all physical diseases except asthma go up
- 46% have 2-3 chronic conditions
- 16.6% have 4+
Highest proportion have high blood pressure, then arthritis
6
Q
Aging and Mental Health
A
Levels of ‘happiness’ and ‘life satisfaction’ are higher in older adults (65+) compared to 25-64 years
Almost 70% of older adults perceive their mental health as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’
7
Q
Myth
A
A widespread belief that is not well supported by evidence
- Can be supported by some observations
8
Q
How a Myth Can Harm Us
A
- Stereotyping
- Beliefs not well supported by evidence - Prejudice
- We decide based on our beliefs - Discrimination
- We act based on our beliefs
Final Result: Ageism
9
Q
3 Biggest ‘ism’s in Canada’s Society
A
- Racism
- Sexism
- Ageism
10
Q
Ageism
A
Discrimination based on age
Causes
- Young and middle-aged feel distaste for aging
- They see old age as a time of weakness, sickness, and dying
- People know little about old age and what they do know is based on myth and fear
11
Q
Best Way to Fight Ageism
A
Demystifying the myths through education
12
Q
Belief #1: As people grow old deterioration in physical health is inevitable
A
As people grow old deterioration in physical health is inevitable
Verdict: To some extent true
- Self and society perception is key
- Taking action can modify the ‘aging’ process
13
Q
Belief #2: Despite experience, older people can not have useful economic contributions
A
Despite experience, older people can not have useful economic contributions
Verdict: False
- They have contributions by not always in a traditional economic fashion
- Some professions suit better with old age
14
Q
Belief #3: Resources used for older adults will be wasted and there are better uses for them
A
Resources used for older adults will be wasted and there are better uses for them
Verdict: False
- Many safety, built environments, work conditions, public transportation interventions benefit all
- Having a healthy and independent older population saves money
15
Q
Social Structure
A
A relatively stable pattern of social interactions
16
Q
Implicit Bias
A
Bias outside of our conscious awareness
17
Q
Black Sheep Effect
A
Occurs when group members derogate in-group members whose characteristics threaten positive perceptions of the group
18
Q
Elderspeak
A
A specialized speech register resembling baby talk in addressing older adults
19
Q
Passing
A
An attempt by a person in a devalued status to appear as a member of an in-group
20
Q
Third Age
A
‘An Aging Youth Culture’
A person lives in relative affluence, free of work and child-rearing duties, in generally good health, and engaged in fulfilling, socially satisfying activity
21
Q
Fourth Age
A
People lose their autonomy, their physical health, and their ability to care for themselves
This stage now often comes past the age of 85
22
Q
Amortality
A
A mindset or lifestyle in which individuals live as if aging does not exist
23
Q
Gerontophobia
A
Fear of aging and old age
24
Q
Intergenerational Equity
A
A call for balanced support of older and younger people through public policy and public expenditures
25
Demography
The study of the size, structure, and distribution of human populations
26
Changes in Age Distribution
1. Increasing Life Expectancy
- Life Expectancy: The average number of years a person is projected to live
2. Declining Fertility Rates (More important factor)
3. Immigration (Smallest role)
27
Survival Bias
At age 65 or 85, the projected life expectancy is greater than what was projected at birth
- As early life factors can be eliminated
28
Increasing Life Expectancy
Better medical treatment
Better public health, effective health promotion
Epidemiological transition
29
Epidemiological Transition
Replacement of infectious diseases by chronic degenerative diseases over time
- Due to expanded public health and sanitation, and changes in health behaviors
30
Historical Trends in Fertility Rates
1. Baby Boom (1946-1964) (Post WWII)
2. Baby Bust (After 1965)
- Continuous drop in fertility rates likely due to women freedom movements
31
Declining Fertility Rates
Having a lot of children is not a status/economic advantage anymore
Women rights movements
Family planning techniques
32
Fertility Rate
Average number of live births a women can be expected to have in her lifetime
- Individual measure
Not the number of times a women gets pregnant
33
Birth Rate
Number of live births per 10^x women
- Population measure
34
4 Stages of Demographic Transition
Stage 1
- High fertility and high mortality
Stage 2
- High fertility and mortality begins to decline
Stage 3
- Fertility declines and mortality declines further
Stage 4
- Low fertility and low mortality
Overall from high birth and death rate to low birth and death rate
35
Dependency Ratio
(Population Aged 0-19) + (Population Aged 65+) / Population Aged 20-64
Higher DR means more dependency as lower proportion of working people
Declined in the last decades due to aging population
36
Old Age Dependency Ratio
(Population Aged 65+) / Population Aged 20-64
37
Youth Dependency Ratio
(Population Aged 0-19) / Population Aged 20-64
38
Extreme Demographic Views
Demographic Determinism/Apocalyptic Demography (Crisis view)
- Idea that population characteristics directly and unavoidably determine a society's economic, social, and political outcomes
39
Avoiding Demographic Determinism/Apocalyptic Demography
1. Improvement in health
2. Policy changes
40
Benefits of an Older Population
1. Lower crime rate
2. Healthier lifestyle
3. Improving economy (spending savings)
4. Keeper of traditions and language
5. Unpaid (hidden) contributions
41
Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF)
1. To support African grandmothers who care for children orphaned by AIDS
2. To support community groups in African nations that work to respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic there
42
4-2-1 Problem
The concept that one child will need to care for two parents and possibly all four grandparents
43
Death Rate
Number of deaths per 1,000 people in a population
44
Prospective Aging
A measure that focuses on the number of years left to live instead of the number of years lived
45
Government Retirement Income Programs
1. Old Age Security Pension
- Basic retirement income program
2. Guaranteed Income Supplement
- Income supplement program for the poorest older people
3. Allowance
- Income supplement program for spouses of pensioners of the Old Age Security Pension with a combined income under a certain amount
46
Population Replacement Level
Fertility rate of 2.1
47
Compositional Effects
Differences due to the individual characteristics of the population
(People make places)
Built environments are made due to a neighborhood being composed of more seniors
48
Contextual Effects
Differences due to external environment and social context
(Places make people)
Seniors move to an area due to its features
49
Policy
A set of ideas or a plan of what to do in particular situations
- Agreed to officially by a group of people, a business organization, a government, or a political party
50
Modernization Theory
One's social status declines as you age
51
Intergenerational Issues
Increasing life expectancy results in intergenerational competitions
Change in family values/relations
52
Internalization
Accepting that when you are old you are only the receiver of services and cannot contribute anymore
53
Chronic Disease in Aging
More chronic conditions with aging
- Prevalence increases for all except asthma
54
Biological Aging
Progressive decline in physical functions
Intrinsic: Normal wear and tear
Extrinsic: Depends on lifestyle and contextual factors
55
Mortality
Number of deaths in a population during a given time frame
56
Survival
Proportion of people who are still alive after an event
57
Morbidity
Any departure from 'health'
58
Disability
Reduction in the capacity of function
59
Life Course Models
1. Critical Period Model
2. Accumulation of Risk Model
3. Chain of risk model
60
Critical Period (Latency) Model
Exposure during a specific period of life has lasting or lifelong effects
Vulnerable ages
- Fetal
- Adolescence
- Early old age (65-75)
Dutch Winter Hunger
- Lack of food led to pregnant mother's babies having a higher rate of cardiovascular disease
61
Accumulation of Risk Model
Repeated exposure of one risk leads to cumulative damages which leads to higher risk of disease
- Can spur from Social Economic Position
ie; Relationship between smoking and lung cancer
62
Chain of Risk Model
Variation of the Accumulation of Risk Model that emphasizes sequences of linked exposures
ie; Early life disadvantages set of a chain reaction of risks that persist throughout life
63
Standard Measure of Disability
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
- Eating
- Bathing
- Getting dressed
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)
- Housework
- Grocery shopping
- Preparing meals
Most commonly used as they are easy to measure and are necessary activities of life
64
Other Measures of Disability
Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)
- Balance + Gait Speed + Rise from a Chair Rise
Nagi Scale
- Self report of walking, lifting, and handling objects
Late-Life Disability Instrument (LLDI)
- Frequency of and limitations in performing mostly social activities
65
Compression of Morbidity
1. Life Extension
- Leads to Expansion of Morbidity
2. Compression of Morbidity
- Same number of morbidity byt compressed in a shorter time
66
Demographic Result of COM
Squaring of the Survival Curve
- Drop off in survival occurs later
67
Heath Deficit Accumulation
The accumulation of medical conditions, disabilities, and chronic illnesses over time as a person ages
68
Functional Disability
Limitations in the performance of normal daily activities due to illness or injury
69
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
#1 cause for hospitalizations in Canada excluding pregnancy
- 4th leading cause of death
- Smoking causes 80-90% of cases
Progressive lung disease that causes breathing difficulties due to airflow obstruction
70
Hypokinesia
Physical problems due to lack of movement
71
Reducing Chronic Illness
1. Cut down on salt in processed food and cut dietary fat (especially saturated fats)
2. More physical activity
3. Healthier diet of fruits and vegetables
4. Stop smoking
72
Disability-free Life Expectancy
Years of life remaining free of disability
73
Dependence-free Life Expectancy
Years of remaining life that a person will live in a state free of dependence on others for daily tasks
74
Health-adjusted Life Expectancy (HALE)
Years a person can expect to live in good health
75
3 Signs of Successful Aging
1. Low chance of disease and disability
2. High mental and physical functioning
3. Active engagement in social relations and productive activity
76
Selective Optimization with Compensation (SOC) Model
Framework for Successful Aging
1. Selection: Choosing priorities based on abilities
2. Optimization: Maximizing performance in selected activities
3. Compensation: Adapting to losses by finding alternatives
77
3 Processes of Resilience
1. Coping mechanisms that allow a person to meet adversity
2. A comfortable life structure that meets basic and social needs
3. A sense of purpose in life
78
Individual Sense Thresholds
Increase as they age
79
Mental Disorders
Broad range of medical conditions
Marked primarily by sufficient disorganization of personality, mind, or emotions
Impairs normal psychological function
Causes marked distress or disability
80
Dementia
Mental disorder with physical changes in the brain (disease)
- Mostly women (need to adjust for age)
- Age is the greatest risk factor
- Dementia is increasing in Canada
- No effective treatment yet
81
Alzheimer's Disease
A specific disease that causes dementia
Early symptoms
- Memory deficits
- Confusion
- Irritability
- Aggression
- Mood swings
- Behavioural changes
There are etiologies (vascular changes in the brain)
82
Reserves
Added experience over the life span
- Mental, social, economic
83
Depression in Old Age
Generally lower in older adults
- They can suppress or hide it
84
Mental Health in Old Age
Highest compared to other ages
- Improvement with age
- Strong resilience (less impacted by COVID-19)
- Less additional disorders were added to older people than younger during COVID-19
85
Plasticity
Long-lasting alterations in the brain's chemistry, gray matter, and structural connectivity in support of behavior
86
Brain Development in Later Life
1. Reorganizing in response to new information and experience
2. Brain cell growth in later life
- Greater synaptic connections
3. The brain's emotional centres become more balanced with age
4. Older people use both halves of the brain more equally than younger people
87
Encoding
Linking new information with already stored information (systematic process)
- Slower in older adults
- Awareness of old information remains intact
88
Lawton's Ecological Model
Balance between applied pressure and competence is key for maximizing performance
Competence: A person's physical, cognitive, and emotional abilities
Environmental Press: The level of challenge or demands a person faces from their environment
Zone of Maximum Comfort: When environmental demands are low enough to avoid stress but still encourage engagement
Zone of Maximum Performance: When a person is challenged but still able to function effectively
89
Stigma
Receiving a label, facing stereotyping
- Can cause a cascade of negative effects
90
Competency
A legal determination of an individual's ability to make decisions and manage affairs
91
Capacity
A clinical/medical assessment of an individual’s ability to understand, make, and communicate decisions
92
Memory
The recall of information after the learning has taken place
93
Sensory Memory
Information perceived through the senses and stored as memory
94
Short-Term Memory
Where information is stored temporarily while it is being processed, or for a short time afterward
95
Long-Term Memory
The storehouse of knowledge that also includes the rules for applying knowledge
96
Non-Episodic Memory
Information with no reference to the time at which it was acquired, such as general knowledge of the world
97
Episodic Memory
Memory acquired at a specific time and place, such as the recall of a vacation in Paris
98
Working Memory
Stores recent information and also manipulates this information
99
Neurogenesis
The process of creating new neurons (nerve cells) in the brain
100
Cognitive Reserve
Refers to exceptional mental performance, particularly when a person has to work at maximum mental capacity
101
Four Patterns of Psychological Aging
1. Successful aging (“the super-normals”)
2. Normal aging
3. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
4. Dementia
102
Successful Aging ("Super-normals")
A small group of older adults with genetic or socioeconomic advantages
Maintain high mental function until shortly before death
103
Normal Aging
Most people peak mentally in early mid-life (50s-60s)
Show gradual cognitive decline through their 80s, with more noticeable declines before death.
104
Mild Cognitive Impairment
Occurs in early old age with greater-than-normal cognitive decline
- Includes memory loss and difficulty with planning and scheduling
Some individuals remain stable, while others progress to dementia
105
Dementia
Involves severe cognitive decline affecting daily function
- Caused by physical brain damage (e.g., lesions, diseases)
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia
106
Stereotype Threat
An older person's fear of failure on memory tests; this can lead to poor performance
107
Semantic Memory
The store of factual information
108
Executive Function
Higher-order thinking, such as decision-making, planning, and coordinating activity
109
Intelligence
The ability to negotiate environmental demands successfully
110
Fluid Intelligence
Refers to reasoning, abstracting, concept formation, and problem solving
111
Crystallized Intelligence
Refers to the use of stored information, acculturation, and learning
112
Wisdom
Highly valued and outstanding expert knowledge
113
5 Criteria of Wisdom
1. A store of factual information about human nature
2. Rich procedural knowledge about handling life’s problems
3. An awareness of life’s contexts and how they change over the life span
4. Understanding the relativism of values and tolerance for others
5. An understanding of how to deal with uncertainty
114
Constant-Probability-of-Success Model
States that the ratio of quality works to total works produced during a career stays the same at every stage of the career
115
Third Places
A place to experience feelings of happiness outside of the workplace and home
ie; cafes, coffee shops, bookstores, bars, hair salons, and other gathering spots
116
Intellectual Disability
Refers to disorders that lead to limited mental capacity and problems with daily activities
117
Developmental Disability
Refers to the effects of diseases such as Down syndrome
- These illnesses usually begin at birth and affect a person’s function in society throughout his or her life
118
Stages of Decline due to Alzheimer's Disease
Early Stage
- A person first shows changes in memory
- Remain independent
Middle Stage
- Includes more memory decline, loss of speaking ability, and an end to normal daily activity
Late Stage
- Needs institutionalization and often 24-hour nursing care. The person can no longer speak or communicate
- May experience seizures
Deaths occur 2-19 years after onset
119
Depression
A person feels sad, helpless, irritable, and hopeless
120
Delirium
An acute confusional state; disorganized thinking, disturbed attention
121
Legal Guardianship
Process in which the court appoints someone to make decisions on another person's behalf
122
Social Health
A characteristic of a society and of individuals
123
Religion as a Leisure Activity
Declining, but still older age groups show the highest rates of participation in religious activities
124
Volunteer Work
Volunteer rate is the highest at younger age groups and decreases with age
However, average annual hours of volunteer work is lowest at younger age groups and increases with age
125
Contractors
People who have stopped at least 1 outdoor activity in the past year and have not learned any new activity since age 65
126
Expanders
People who have not stopped any activities in the past year and have added at least 1 new outdoor activity since age 65
127
Gerotranscendence
Theory of aging that suggests as people grow older, they undergo a shift in perspective, moving away from a materialistic and self-centered view to a more spiritual, introspective, and cosmic outlook on life
