Week 1: Intro to healthy aging

Question 1

Why is healthy aging an important topic?

Answer 1

It is not just about physical health, it is about your environment and the people around you

Question 2

The baby boom generation
- When?
- Importance?

Answer 2

1946-1964
Changed the social structure by taking up jobs, social needs and health care

Question 3

What effect does having more seniors than children have on our world?

Answer 3

Changes the workforce - Less individuals going into jobs, more retiring
More demand in health care

Question 4

Life span predictions

Answer 4

1. Decreased infant mortality rate
2. Advances in public health
3. Plateau of life expectancy
4. Adding life to years instead of years to life

Question 5

Aging and quality of life

Answer 5

Living longer doesn’t always mean living better
- Decreased physical, cognitive, mental and social health
- Increased common morbidities
- Length vs quality

Question 6

Types of aging

Answer 6

1. Chronological age
2. Biological age
3. Psychological age
4. Functional age
5. Social psychological/ subjective age
6. Social age

Question 7

Chronological age

Answer 7

The number of years a person has lived

Question 8

Biological age

Answer 8

Description of an individuals development based on molecular or cellular events

Question 9

Psychological age

Answer 9

Description of one’s own experiences using nonphysical features such as emotions, experience and logic
*how you think and view the world

Question 10

Social psychological/subjective age

Answer 10

Subjective age based on how old the individual feels

Question 11

Social age

Answer 11

The social roles that an individual had placed on them by society that determines their age
ex retired = older adult

Question 12

Functional age

Answer 12

A combination of chronological, biological and psychological age

Question 13

Types of functional aging

Answer 13

1st age= childhood
2nd age= working and parenting
3rd age= “young old” btwn age 65-84
4th age= above 85

Question 14

Definition of healthy aging (WHO)

Answer 14

A continuous process of optimizing opportunities to maintain and improve physical and mental health, independence, and quality of life throughout the life course

Question 15

Healthy aging characteristics

Answer 15

Ability to…
- meet basic needs
- learn, grow, make decisions
- be mobile
- build and maintain relationships
- contribute to society

Question 16

History of SA- Fries

Answer 16

1980
Compression of morbidity: you typically have more illness when you’re older/during last years of life

Question 17

History of SA- Rowe and Kahn

Answer 17

1987
Avoiding disease and disability
High cognitive and physical function
Engagement with life

Question 18

MacArthur Foundation Study on Successful Aging

Answer 18

1984-1993 led by John. W Rowe
How people define and perceive healthy aging over time

Question 19

History of SA- Strawbridge

Answer 19

2002
Believed we need to include the effect of chronic conditions and functional difficulties with successful aging

Question 20

History of SA- Reichstadt

Answer 20

2010
Wisdom is a large contributor to successful aging
Knowledge and education is imp

Question 21

2 categories of the aging theory

Answer 21

1. Stochastic theories of aging
2. Programmed theories

Question 22

Stochastic theories of aging

Answer 22

Aging occurs randomly and persistently through time via random error and damage to cells/organs
Most prevalent theory is the Free radical theory

Question 23

Free radical theory of aging

Answer 23

Metabolic reactions occurring continuously in the body produce unstable molecules called free radicals
Free radicals cause oxidation which damages cells and genetic material and results in aging
ex age spots

Question 24

Non-stochastic theories of aging

Answer 24

Programmed theories
Neuroendocrine-Immunological theory

Question 25

Programmed theories

Answer 25

• Aging is pre-determined through programmed cell changes or changes in the neuroendocrine or immunological systems
• Defined by the idea that all humans have a biological clock (pre-determined death)
• Evolved from work by Hayflick and Moorehead (1981)

Question 26

Neuroendocrine-Immunological theory

Answer 26

Tied to both programmed and free radical theory
Immunity theory of aging