Physical Development and Aging Flashcards
Changes to the epidermis?
5 points
- Longer to replace cells
- Decreased melanocytes=pigment
- Decrease langerhan cells=immune
- Flattened rete ridges=blood flow
- Disarray of keratinocyte nuclei=supple
Changes to the dermis?
3 points
- Decreased elasticity
- Collagen less organized
- Decreased cellular components=decreased immune function
Changes in subcutaneous tissue?
- Reabsorption of body fat and increased adipocytes
- Redistribution of body fat from extremities to abdomen
Changes in appendages?
Messier’s corpuscles decrease=light touch
Pacinian corpuscles decrease=vibration and pressure
Implications of all these changes?
- easily torn and blistered skin
- slow wound healing and closure
- decreased thermoregulation
- decreased absorption of topical agents
- decreased sense of pressure/touch-leads to injury
Implications for nursing practice?
- Skin care
- Safety considerations-floor free of debris
- Proper positioning and supportive devices
Changes to bone?
- Decrease in production of outside and inside bone
- No longer bone remodelling
- Loss of bone density= strength
- Loss of bone mass= lighter bones
Physical changes?
Posture
Dorsal Kyphosis
What happens to cartilage?
- Non articular cartilage continues to grow=nose and ears
- General crystal formation and calcification
- Deterioration of joint cartilage
What happens to muscle?
- Decreased muscle fibers
- Atrophied tissue replaced by fibrous tissue-not good
- Takes longer for muscles to contract and relax
Define osteoporosis
-A condition in which there is a significant decrease in total bone mass
Define osteoarthritis
- Slow, progressive often asymmetrical disorder of the mobile joints
- Example=knees
- Characterized by joint stiffness, loss of motion
Define rheumatoid arthritis
- An autoimmune disorder, recurrent inflammation in smaller joints i.e fingers and toes
- VERY painful-difficult to function at normal level
3 common fractures in older adults?
- Vertebral compression
- Pelvis
- Hip
When you think endocrine you think…?
Communication
Changes to endocrine system?
- Most glands atrophy and decrease their secretions
- No uniform direction of change
Changes to thyroid gland?
Loss of mass
Becomes fibrotic with colloid nodules
Doesn’t produce hormones as it should
Hypothyroid?
Deficient production of t3 and t4
Signs and symptoms are non-specific ad hard to diagnose
Structural changes to renal system?
Thickening of glomerulus
Decreased surface area of glomerulus
Less nephrons
Fluid and electrolyte imbalance
Structural changes to urinary system?
Decreased bladder capacity and atrophy
Involuntary bladder contractions
Functional changes of renal system?
Decreased GFR
Decreased ability to concentrate urine
Nocturia
Increased frequency
What are the 4 types of incontinence?
Stress, urge, overflow, functional
Define stress incontinence
Stress on the actual bladder system
- something pushing down
- laugh, cough etc.
Define urge incontinence
Have to go right now-bladder muscles are overactive
Define overflow incontinence
Involuntary loss of urine associated with over distention of the bladder
Define functional incontinence
Caused by a disease state
-can’t get to bathroom because of wheel chair, cognitive impairment etc.
Interventions for incontinence?
Pelvic exercises Bladder training and scheduled toileting Internal and external devices Environmental modification Surgery-bladder sling
Aging gastrointestinal system?
- Loss of taste buds-decreased smell
- Dilation of esophagus
- Slowed gastric motility and absorption of nutrients
- Liver and pancreas remain functional
- Vitamin b12, D, folate, iron and calcium
Techniques to increase intake when poor appetite?
- Adding nonfat dry milk powder
- Variety of in-between meal nourishments
- Encourage favorite foods
- Nutritional supplements/shakes
Define diverticular disease
an out pouching or herniation of the diverticulum through the colonic mucosa
-pieces of poop breaks off and get stuck in divets
