Physical and Cognitive development in Late Adulthood

Question 1

Trends in aging

Answer 1

used to be triangle shape- most people alive were young aged 15-30
Baby boomers: largest population growth
Canadians: 6% increase in pop. over time. 14% increase in older adults
Alberta: only province with lowest proportion of older adults
Sask is only province to see decrease in older adults- influx of people younger than 65

Question 2

Functional trends

Answer 2

increase over time has been in older ages

Question 3

The aging brain

Answer 3

Retains considerable plasticity

Small decrease in volume of brain- more pruning

Question 4

How to retain plasticity?

Answer 4

Mankato Nuns

• brain donors
• stimulate brain with mental exercise -> increase dendrite branching
• significant number showed brain disease: they never actually showed signs of disease
• many lived past 90

Question 5

Sensory vision

Answer 5

Adaptation: to darks and lights
-rods effected quickly
Legal blindness - 20/200
-likelihood of suffering from this increases
Peripheral

Question 6

Hearing

Answer 6

Decline in speech perception has greatest impact on life satisfaction

Question 7

Taste/smell

Answer 7

over 60: decrease sensitivity, could put us in danger
-eg: cant smell smoke
decrease number of smell receptors, therefore sensitivity

Question 8

Touch/pain

Answer 8

Decrease circulation -> decrease number of receptors

Can’t feel pain- don’t know when something is wrong

Question 9

Peripheral Neuropathy

Answer 9

peripheral areas of body

Question 10

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Answer 10

lack of myelination
Bouts of significant deficit
At high risk in Canada for MS

Question 11

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Answer 11

Degenerate disorder- neurological components
Quick and progressive decline: 2 to 5 years- completely paralyzed
No known cure

Question 12

Parkinson’s Disease

Answer 12

degenerate disorder
loss of dopamine: move electrical signals
-makes movement less efficient
-lose movement patterns
associated with tremors
treatment to slow down process

Question 13

Terminal Decline

Answer 13

Steady, marked decline in cognitive functioning prior to death
Average length: 3 to 4 years - if brain is diseased, this could happen faster

Question 14

Cognitive terminal decline

Answer 14

Hassing et al.

• 6 mental abilities
• some decrease more than others

Question 15

Crystalized intelligence

Answer 15

Vocab
General information
Logical reasoning
Increases during aging process
-used forever

Question 16

Fluid Intelligence

Answer 16

Number series
Spatial visualization
Picture series
Starts to drop early/late adulthood- 20/30
-less likely to use after formal education
-harder to learn as we age