Unit 4 - Adulthood and old age Flashcards
When is early adulthood?
18-30 years
When is middle adulthood?
30-50 years
When is late adulthood?
50-65 years
When is old age?
65+ years
How is your body in early adulthood?
- 18-30 years
- Peak in physical strength
- Immune system operates at maximum efficiency
- Skin is smooth and taut
- Hair is full of colour and has a nice sheen
- Quickest reflexes
- Ability to hear is at its peak
How is your body in middle adulthood?
- 30-50 years
- Skin becomes dry and loses elasticity
- Grey hairs appear
- Heart rate and lung capacity decrease
- Hair begins to thin
- Wrinkles appear
- Difficulty seeing distant objects
- Gradual loss of hearing
- Difficulty adjusting to the dark
- Taste and smell begins to decline
- Female menopause
How is your body in late adulthood?
- 50-65
- Gradual bone loss
- Male climacteric begins (loss of reproductive ability)
- Fat replaces muscle
- Skin becomes loose
- Hair becomes white and thin
- Disks below spinal vertebrae atrophy
- Joints deteriorate
- Hair grows in new places (eg: ears)
- Varicose veins appear
How is your body in old age?
- 65+
- Muscles and fat breakdown
- Weight loss occurs
- Loss of up to 80% visual acuity
When does a loss of up to 80% of visual acuity occur?
65+ / Old age
When does male climacteric occur?
50-65 / Late adulthood
When does fat replace muscle?
50-65 / Late adulthood
When do disks below spinal vertebrae atrophy?
50-65 / Late adulthood
When do grey hairs appear?
30-50 / Middle adulthood
When does heart and lung capacity decrease?
30-50 / Middle adulthood
When do Muscles and fat breakdown?
65+ / Old age
When is the Ability to hear is at its peak?
18-30 / Early Adulthood
What are some theories on how and why we age?
- Genetic Programming Theory
- Variable Rate Theory
What is the genetic programming theory?
- A normal developmental timetable is built into our genes
- Caused by a pre-set biological clock that limits the number of times cells can divide and multiply
- Environmental influences play little to no role in the aging process
- Programmed Senescence: specific genes shut off
- Hormonal Changes: clock acts through hormones that control aging
- Immune System: a decline in the immune system that causes the body to be susceptible to aging
What is the variable rate theory?
- Aging is the result of processes that vary from person to person
- Aging is the process influenced by the internal and external environment
- Aging is the result of the breakdown in our bodies’ cells, or unexpected damage to our biological systems
- Wear and Tear: the body system accumulates damage through use, which can be accelerated by stress
- Somatic Mutation: genetic mutations occur and accumulate with increasing age, causing cells to deteriorate and malfunction
What is programmed senescence and what theory is it from?
- Specific genes shut off
- From genetic programming theory
What is Somatic Mutation and what theory is it from?
- genetic mutations occur and accumulate with increasing age, causing cells to deteriorate and malfunction
- Variable rate theory
What do hormonal changes do in its theory?
- clock acts through hormones that control aging
- From genetic programming theory
What are the 5 Stages of adjustment to death?
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
What is the stage of denial?
They can’t accept that they are dying and will go find someone who validates that opinion. People who are in denial for most of their illness will learn to cope with the illness and may refuse to receive certain treatments.
Jason has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, he says “No it can’t happen to me! I’ll find another opinion, I need to get re-diagnosed”. What stage is he in?
- Denial
Jason has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, he says “why me? Why did I have to smoke? Why did no one stop me? This is ridiculous, I don’t deserve this!”. What stage is he in?
- Anger
What is the stage of anger?
The person feels anger at whoever or whatever may be responsible for the cause of their dying. At this stage they may alienate themselves from friends or family, no one can relieve their anger at lost life and lost chances.
What is the stage of bargaining?
The person’s attitude suddenly changes and they try to bargain with fate. They may pray, try all the medicines, say they’ll settle for a non-terminal version of the illness, as long as they live. They will be much more willing to try procedures or surgeries in return for being spared from death.
Jason has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, all his life he’s been an atheist, but suddenly he’s joined the church and prays for more time or a non-terminal version of his illness. What stage is he in?
- Bargaining
Jason has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, all his life he’s wanted to be a pilot and even went to school for it, because of this he’s always been highly against taking pills to regulate his health. Suddenly he’s on a new pill each week in order to try to escape his illness. What stage is he in?
- Bargaining
What is the stage of depression?
The person is aware of their coming and unavoidable death, they’ve given up and accepted their losses (loss of tissue, loss of job, loss of life savings). They are depressed over said loss and the loss that is coming.
Jason has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. All he does lately is weep all day, cry over the loss of his hair, his money, and some of his friends. He sometimes mentions how he’s dreading the upcoming loss of his life and the thought alone makes him distraught. What stage is he in?
- Depression
What is the stage of acceptance?
The person accepts they will die and it can’t be avoided. They experience calm and approach death with peace. They tend to become emotionally detached to make acceptance of death easier.
Jason has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. He’s been calm about the diagnosis but seems emotionally detached. What stage is he in?
- Acceptance
What are the two different kinds of intelligences?
- Fluid
- Crystalized