week 1 Flashcards
define geriatrics
branch of medicine dealing with the health and care of older adults
define gerontology
comprehensive multidisciplinary study of aging and older adults
what is considered the best defense against the aging brain?
healthy life - physically and mentally
what percentage of older adults live in the community? long term care?
community = 91%
long term care = 9%
what percentage of older adults living in long term care have moderate to severe dementia?
75% of those in long term care have moderate to severe dementia
what are the predictions for the growth in Canada’s senior population in the next 20 years?
senior population expected to grow by 68%.
the 75+ age group will double
this increase is more dramatic in the territories
what is a super aged population?
20% of the population is 65+
what percentage of Canadians are currently 65+?
19% or 7 million
how many Canadians will be 85+ by 2046?
3 times the current amount so
2.5 million
since when has the number of Canadians aged 65+ surpassed the number of children younger than 15 years?
2016
what percentage of Canadians aged 65+ have at least 1/10 of the common chronic diseases?
73%
what were some the severe negative health impacts experienced by older adults during the first waves of the pandemic?
restricted health care
profound mental health impacts from isolation
limited self-determination and decision making
increased incidences of cognitive impairment, dementia, and frailty
how many individuals in Canada are diagnosed with dementia every hour?
15
compare the rates of dementia in first nations to non first nations populaiton
34% higher in first nations
describe the disproportionate impact of dementia on women
women represent 63% of Canadians with dementia
they account for majority of formal and informal caregivers
what are the modifiable risk factors of dementia? (12) categorize them by early life, midlife, later life
early life: less education
midlife: hearing loss, traumatic brain injury, hypertension, alcohol, obesity
later life: smoking, depression, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution, diabetes
how many cases may be associated with the modifiable risk factors of dementia
around 40%
delaying the onset of dementia by 1 year decreases the prevalence by ____ % ? 5 years?
1 year = 10%
5 years = 50%
define cognitive neuroscience
how cognitive activities are affected or controlled by neural circuits in the brain. branch of both neuroscience and psychology
in Mulley 2012: A History of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Mulley believes the study of history reveals what?
diseases may present differently in old age
the dangers of medications
benefits of a healthy lifestyle (particularly diet and exercise)
harm done to older adults by unfortunate political interference and ageism
importance of a specialty dedicated to older adults with health conditions.
why has the study of aging been neglected?
common belief that development takes place primarily during childhood and adolescence
until relatively recently, a two stages of life viewpoint was prevalent in developmental psychology. according to this perspective, both physical and psychological functions develop up to the point of maturity, after which there is a transition to aging that is characterized by a decline in functioning.
people had shorter lifespans before and there weren’t many people reaching older adulthood
what two issues are important themes in developmental psychology and are important in the study of aging and older adulthood
relative influence of nature and nurture
the question of whether developmental change is quantitative or qualitative.
what are reasons fur studying aging and older adulthood?
scientific reasons: to understand the biology of aging, geroscience: to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of aging
personal reasons: insight into the changes that we are experiencing or can expect to experience
practical reasons: health care system, capacity, living arrangements, pension, economic
define the different types of age (5)
Chronological age is measured in units of time (months or years) that have elapsed since birth.
Biological age has to do with where people stand relative to the number of years that they will live (i.e., their longevity).
Functional age has to do with a person’s competence in carrying out specific tasks.
Psychological age generally refers to how well a person adapts to changing conditions.
Social age has to do with the views held by most members of a society regarding what individuals in a particular chronological age group should do and how they should behave.
what are the types of developmental influences/factors?
normative age-graded influences
normative history-graded influences
nonnormative life events
define normative age-graded influences
biological or environmental events and occurrences that are associated with chronological age. (e.g. Puberty, Menopause)
Influences can also be specific to the society in which people live. e.g. ages when most people go to school, marry, and retire from their jobs
define normative history-graded influences
can result from an event, or they can represent a more gradual evolution of societal structure.
Examples of normative history-graded influences include epidemics, wars, and the state of the economy such as depression, recession, or prosperity.
define nonnormative life events
do not affect all or even most members of society
include being diagnosed with a rare illness, being involved in an accident, winning the lottery, becoming divorced from one’s spouse, and being either downsized or promoted at work.
what do both the SOC and ecological models suggest?
suggest how people can adapt to the aging process to achieve an older adulthood that is successful and positive
considering successful/positive aging in many domains—physical, sensory, perceptual, cognitive, personal, and social.
describe the selective optimization with compensation (SOC) model and its assumptions
individuals engage in adaptation throughout their lives
people are capable of learning and changing and calling upon extra (reserve – both physical and cognitive) capacity that they might not need to use under ordinary circumstances
gains and losses
stems from the life-span developmental perspective
optimization and compensation. For example, if memory falters, a person might compensate by keeping a list of things to remember. If visual or hearing is less sharp, a person might compensate by using glasses or a hearing aid.
describe the ecological model and its assumptions
interaction between a person and his or her environment results in some level of adaptation, which is measured in terms of a person’s emotional (affective) well-being and behavior
person can be characterized in terms of competence, which can be measured by that person’s physical, sensory, cognitive, and social capabilities.
environment can be defined in terms of challenge, or press, which can be measured in terms of its physical demands, as well as the level of sensory, intellectual, or social stimulation that is available.
Rather than considering the older adult as a passive responder to the environment, the older adult is viewed as capable of initiating interactions with the environment.
individual who is high in competence will be able to identify and shape resources that are potentially available in the environment
differentiate between normative, successful, and positive aging
Normative Aging: focuses on behavioral functioning considered to be normal
Successful Aging: a distinction can be made between an average, or usual, outcome and an ideal outcome.
Positive Aging: a person can experience happiness and well-being even in the face of objective adversity.
in Mulley’s article, what were the 3 myths described in ancient times?
antediluvian: notion that people used to live longer in the past
hyperborean: belief that longevity was achieved in remote areas
myth of the fountain of youth and power of healing waters
describe the historical beliefs of aging in ancient greece
hippocrates believed in “minimal medication”, cure the patient with food and rest, not chemicals etc
describe the historical beliefs of aging in ancient rome
seneca believed that old age was an incurable disease but could be postponed by diet and exercise
describe geriatrics in ancient egypt
earliest description of care of older adults is of the monasteries in egypt where monks cared for their aging brothers and also offered assistance to those outside
describe the historical beliefs of aging in arabia
algizar wrote books on medicine and health in old age, on forgetfulness, and how to improve memory. some consider him the father of clinical gerontology
describe the historical beliefs of aging in the middle ages
monasteries offered hospitality for travelers, custodial care for the poor/old/diseased, and infirmary accommodation for feeble, crippled elderly.
had the first nurses, social workers, and specialist medical units. emphasis was on care rather than cure
describe the historical beliefs of aging in the scientific era
maclachan questioned the wisdom of many contemporary medical practices – he said that blood-letting was irrational and absurd; mercury was poisonous and could be fatal; digitalis was to be given in small doses, etc.
he suggested non-drug alternatives – walking and riding, eating fresh vegetables. he noted that those who lived long were usually early risers and good walkers. He argued that ‘‘There is no organ or vital operation which is not benefited by exercise’’.
describe the cycle a population would undergo
1 ) high birthrate and deathrate - large proportion of young members, small amount of older adults
2 ) deathrate decreases - size of population grows, but young members predominate
3 ) birthrate decreases - increased proportion of older adults
4 ) extremely low birthrates and deathrates - minimal population growth - proportion of people in different age categories is similar
why are older men more likely than older women to be married?
men usually marry women younger than themselves.
women tend to live longer than men. as a result, married women lose their spouses more often than married men do.
older men who lose their spouses are more likely to remarry than older women who lose their spouses.
in regards to gender, who is more likely to live with chronic conditions?
while women live longer than men do on average, older women are more frequently afflicted with chronic health problems, such as arthritis and osteoporosis (thinning of the bones), that restrict their mobility.
furthermore, older women are more likely than older men to live alone, so older women are to experience greater difficulty if they do suffer from limitations in functioning. - they need care more but are more likely to live alone compared to men
