W9 OLd age, grief, bereavement Flashcards
Current life Expectancy
in developed countries is about 80 years (75 for men and 80 for women)
Intimacy vs. Isolation (Erikson):
when: Young Adulthood (19 to 40 years)
impt events: Relationships
outcome: Young adults need to form intimate, loving relationships with other people. Success leads to strong relationships, while failure results in loneliness and isolation.
Generativity vs. Stagnation (Erikson)
when: Middle Adulthood (40 to 65 years)
impt events: Work and Parenthood
outcome: Adults need to create or nurture things that will outlast them, often by having children or creating a positive change that benefits other people. Success leads to feelings of usefulness and accomplishment, while failure results in shallow involvement in the world.
Ego Integrity vs. Despair (Erikson)
when: Maturity(65 to death)
impt events: Reflection on Life
outcome: Older adults need to look back on life and feel a sense of fulfilment. Success at this stage leads to feelings of wisdom, while failure results in regret, bitterness, and despair.
Stereotypes of the elderly (contradictory):
elderly people as sages with lifetime knowledge’s and experience VS elderly are seen as senile and demented
Negative view of aging on aging in society:
loss of youth and a decline of physical, cognitive and social functioning
Dementia is present (age and percentage):
- in 3% of people aged 70-74
- in 25% of people aged 85+
Intellectual functioning is expressed in two different ways:
- Crystalline Intelligence which reflects experience and long term memory
- Fluid Intelligence that reflects processing, speed and short term memory
In elderly, what kind of intellect is dominant?
Crystalline intelligence compensates for decline in their fluid intelligence
Negative stereotypes about older ppl?
They are considered as being
• physically and psychologically frail,
• cognitively impaired and
• that they have diminished social engagements
=> they are not treated with respect and dignity
It is important for doctors to check…
their patients capacity and adjust their consultation skills accordingly
During consultation with elderly people who have clear decline of fluid memory a doctor should:
- allow more time for information to be considered and processed before asking further questions.
- not fill the gaps with additional questions as this might lead to a communication breakdown.
Depression in older age and how it affects other areas:
• Depression is more prevalent in older age and as in other ages this is more prevalent in women than in men.
• Depression tend to be associated with declines in other areas such as:
- functional disability
- cognitive impairment
- social deprivation.
factors contributing to increased depression in the elderly (5):
• Role loss
• Negative life events
• Death and Bereavement has an impact on rates of depression.
• Older people are more likely than younger people to experience the death of their spouse and friends.
• Given that the life expectancy of women is approximately 5 years longer than men, there is greater proportion of widows than widowers and by extent this may help explain higher rates of depression amongst older women.
Grief -
- normal, natural emotional reaction to loss
- complex: it incorporates psychological (cognitive, social, behavioral) and physical (physiological, somatic) responses.
- personal process of how we feel.
