Section 12 Late Adulthood Flashcards
What ages are young-old?
65-80 years old
What ages are old-old?
80+
How is the ecological approach applied to LA
Things like social security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs become more important
How is the Bio-psycho-social approach applied to LA?
Good physical health, brain reserves, health behaviors, social support, and fiscal planning are greatly important
How much loner do women live than men?
5 years on average, because of the effects of testosterone on the cardiovascular system
What is the top reason for death?
Heart problems
What is primary aging?
Natural parts of aging that are inevitable (ex: gray hair, wrinkles, etc.)
What is secondary aging?
Age related declines due to environmental or external factors (ex:diet, smoking, fun exposure, etc)
What is senescence?
Cellular aging and degeneration
What are specific features of senescence?
Cell death, inflammation, genome instability (cancer), melanin exhaustion, shorter telomere length with age
What happens to sensorimotor abilities with age?
Brain and cerebellum loses neurons causing slower reaction times - you’re 50% slower than when in 20s
What is frailty?
Slowing, wasting, failure to heal, increased inflammation, insulin resistance which makes injury easier
What is Sarcopenia?
Loss of muscle mass due to old age
What is Osteoporosis?
Age-related disease of bone decreasing bone density
Who is more at risk for Osteoporosis?
Women due to sacrifice of bone density in pregnancy (baby gets calcium from mom)
What happens to neurons at old age?
Neuron connection lessens and fewer neurons cause cognitive decline
What is wisdom?
Expert knowledge and judgement about practical aspects of life, largely determined by personality
How does the circadian rhythm shift?
In LA people eat earlier and sleep earlier for longer
How does hunger and thirst signals change?
Impaired hypothalamus function causes fewer hunger and thirst signals, resulting in dehydration and lack of nutrients, risking health conditions
Why does motor movement ability change?
Decline in dopamine producers in the Substantia Nigra results motor challenges including tremor, palsy, and Parkinson’s
Why are elderly people more at risk to scams?
Impaired amygdala and insult activity result in positivity bias and inability to recognize signs of untrustworthiness
What is the difference between crystallized intelligence and fluid intelligence?
Fluid is practical cognitive ability while crystallized is wisdom and experience centered
What are brain reserves and why are they important?
Reserved cognitive abilities from earlier in life that help with resiliency to cognitive decline (influenced by cardiovascular health)
How does memory change with age?
Recognition stays the same but recall ability suffers (tip of the tongue phenomenon)
What are cognitive mechanics?
Neurophysiological architecture of the brain aka the hardware