Unit 1: C

Question 1

List some physical changes that we experience as we age:

Answer 1

< Impaired hearing/vision
< Loss of mobility
< High risk of accidents
< Brittle bones

Question 2

What health issues are we prone to as we age?

Answer 2

Cardiovascular disease:
< Disease of the heart and blood vessels, older people develop narrowed arteries and blood vessels- strokes/heart attacks.

Degeneration of nervous tissues:
< As we get older our brain function declines as the nervous system does- reduced ability to do things/short-term memory/ reactions, senses, reflexes slows.

Osteoarthritis:
< Wear and tear of the joints, they become stiff and painful, due to the thinning and roughening of the cartilage.

Reduced absorption of nutrients:
< Older people need more protein, vitamin C+D.

Alzheimer’s vs Dementia:
< Alzheimer’s is the commonest form of dementia. Slows the brain controlling thoughts, memory, recalling names, deline in the ability to read, write or speak.

Question 3

Why may an elderly person’s social life decline/improve?

Answer 3

Decline:
< Poverty
< Isolation
< Poor health

Improve:
< More time
< Less commitments to work
< Uptake in new hobbies