Textbook Chapter 4 Questions Flashcards
What are the two causes of biological aging?
- Interistic factors
- Normal wear and tear
- Genetic mutation - Exterinsic factors
- External circumstances
- Environment and lifestyle
What are some lesssons we’ve learned from the Centenarians
- Good genes
- Positive attitude
- Exercise
- Active mind and interest
- Simple balanced diet
- Low stress, optimism, and humor
- Independence and close family ties and friends
- Good hygiene
- Faith and spirituality
- Finacial security
What is the compression of morbidity hypothesis
Mortality reduction + morbidity compression
Due to:
- Healthy lifestyle
- Healthy environment
Recent research support the hypothesis
What are the 5 main causes of functional disability
- Foot problems
- Arthritis
- Cognitive impairment
- Heart problem
- Vision
What is the statistics related to functional disability
33% for people age 65-74 years
56.3% for people age 75 years
Impair some functions in mobility, agility, and hearing, vision problems, which cause some difficulties in everyday life
What are the statistics of the National Advisory Council on Aging
Activities on Daily Living (ADLs): 7%
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs): 22.4%
What is the impact on quality of life?
- Freedom from the ravages of disease as possible
- Retention of enough function for active engagement
What is the disablement process
The process by which a person becomes “disabled” can be an interactions between:
1. Physical factors
2. Psychological factors
3. Environmental factors
What are some coping / adaptive strategies in the disablement process
They should include three aspects.
The disablement process can be slowed down and stopped by interventions and public policy
Who is at risk for people in the disablement process
Older people in general:
- With multiple chronic illnesses and functional difficulties
- With low SES
- With less physically activity
Older women:
- With hypertension, arthritis, and rheumatism
- Falling
What are the 3 main models of successful aging
- Absence of disease and disability
- Maintenance of mental and physical functioning
- Engagement in social relations and productive activity
This highlights the importance of both lifestyle and environmental influences
What are the 4 strategies to cope with physical changes
- Modern medicine
- Changes in lifestyle
- Changes in the environment
- Improvements in technology
Describe some of the technological tools (simple and complex) that can help a person cope with disability
A rubber grip
- Placed on the handles of spoons for those with arthritis
Self-lowering seat in the tub
- Lowers the person safely into the tub without risk of falling
What barriers exist to the adoption of technology by older people
Lack of knowledge of the technology - training
How it works - How-to tutorials
Small screens perhaps need to be enlarged
How can designers of technology help older people overcome these technological barriers?
Making the screens larger (font larger?) for easier accessibility
Making how-to videos or classes on how to properly use the pieces of technology or even to search the web
What changes in the environment would help an older person with a disability live a safer and more fulfilling life?
Governments need to set up norms and standards of safety and suitability for new products for seniors
Current transportation needs to be improved upon for easier access for seniors
What lifestyle practices can improve health and well-being in later life?
Changes in smoking habits
Exercise
Healthier eating habits
What can older people with chronic illness do to maintain their quality of life
Individuals with chronic illness may have to shape their previous habits and hobbies into something that their new bodies are now able to handle, but still completes the same idea.
A runner may adapt by walking now, or jogging if they can…
What benefits can seniors expect from exercise and fitness
Decreases the chances of growing obsese
Provides a social obligation and interactions
Improves confidence
Better quality of life
Describe three dietary practices that lead to good health in later life
- Taking into consideration metabolic rate and how it decreases with age. An older person has to either eat less or exercise more to maintain an ideal weight
- Older people need to get at least the minimum adult requirements of basic nutrients
- Vitamin supplements may help older people stay in good health
Describe some of the benefits of stress reduction practices
Physical benefits could include greater mobility and reduced pain.
Improves in self-esteem
A feeling of “wholesomeness” and improved spirit and timelessness
Helps improve memory and cognition, mood, and overall mental health
What is the rectangularization of the life course
The change in time in survival curves resulting in a right angle or square shape, leading researchers to conclude that a finite life span exists
How would personal and social life differ if people on average, lived for 120 years?
A longer life means more years with chronic illness and disability
Give some examples of how people adjust their behaviour to cope with physical changes due to aging
Using the SOC method, they selected activities that optimized their ability.
A person who could no longer travel due to disability might attend travelogue sessions at a local seniors centre
Why do some gerontologists feel uncomfortable using the concept of successful aging?
It excludes older people with physical disabilities who live satisfying lives. It also excludes the poor, disadvantaged, immigrant seniors, and others who lacked the opportunity to age “successfully”
What are the limitations or dangers associated with the use of the concept of successful aging?
It doesn’t take into account a person’s subjective view of life. Someone with a chronic illness or disability can still feel fulfilled and happy
