WEEK 11 Flashcards
What is the largest growing age group in Canada?
Late Adulthood (65+)
- 1 in 5 Canadians are over the age of 65+
What are some factors contributing to the age increase?
- Lots of people born
- Living longer
What is “Ageism”?
This means you can treat someone differently based on what?
discrimination/prejudice towards seniors because of their age
Can treat someone differently based on:
1) How they look (hearing aids, wrinkles, etc.)
2) Competence – ability to do something well
When testing on ageism was done in Asian and Indigenous societies/cultures, they found:
What ethic principle does this show?
1) Better memory
2) Better scores in intellectual tests
There is a link between how we are treated/feel and affect the brain
Ethic principle = justice
treat everyone the same
reflect on your own biases
Primary aging VS Secondary aging
Primary Aging
Things that change as we get older naturally = senescence
Secondary Aging
Things that change due to lifestyle (diet, alcohol, disease)
What physical changes in internal function occurs with age (late adulthood)
1) brain
- Brain becomes smaller and lighter with age
- exercise = increases blood flow to the brain
2) Atrophy – decreased number of neurons/brain cells
- We have brains to spare however
- We can’t grow new neurons in the CNS,
- But we can increase the number of connections by completing a number of activities/variety is key
3) heart
exercise
4) Lungs
exercise
5) digestive system
6) muscle size
7) 5 senses
T/F: Cataracts can’t be fixed. There is not currently a cure.
False
Can be fixed, has a cure
True/False: Macular degeneration is not fixable.
True
This is the #1contributor to vision loss.
Macula – center of retina effected
What are some clinical implications you as an OTA/PTA can do to help someone with macular degeneration?
- Remove obstacles
- Descriptive words
- Larger text
- High contrast
What is High frequency sound loss called?
Presbycusis
What is the only thing lost in middle adulthood?
Presbycusis
- High frequency sound loss
What are some things you can do/clinical implications to help someone with Presbycusis (high frequency sound loss)
1) Quiet space
2) Face them so they can see your mouth moving/see that you are speaking
3) Clear, low voice
Why do only 20% of people wear hearing aids, what social impact does this have?
Only 20% of people wear them, why?
- How they look/denial
- Cost
- Education
- Way too loud all the time, need to adjust
Has social impact
- Decreased brain connection
- Linked to dementia
Reduced taste and smell in late adulthood lead to:
- less variety of food
- lack of a desire to try new food
3/4 of death over the age of 65+ is related to what three diseases?
1) Higher incidence of infectious diseases
2) Arthritis
3) Hypertension
“Why are seniors more at risk of infection”
- poor digestion
- diet (variety change)
Going to get less nutrients to fight infection - Sedentary
- Heart strength = less blood flow
- Decreased lungs
T/F: fever is absent or blunted in 20 to 30 percent of older adults
True
Falls / delirium / anorexia = signs of a fever
(confusion) (not eating)
Depression VS Dementia
Depression:
- dealing with loss
- characterized by intense sadness, pessimism, and hopelessness
- may be a result of cumulative losses in life
- declining health may contribute
Dementia
- decrease in memory
- decrease in judgement
- decrease in intellectual capabilities
- the most common mental disorder of old people
- 1/3 of those over 85 suffer from some sort of dementia
True/False: Researchers no longer see cognitive abilities of older people as inevitably declining
TRUE
- not inevitable
- with appropriate practice and exposure to certain kinds of environmental stimuli, cognitive skills can actually improve
What is “Implicit memory”?
“do it”
- procedural memory = no thinking required (ex: tying shoes, walking)
Explicit memory
”say it”
- conscious (brain has to retrieve the memories)
- semantic = general knowledge (letters of the alphabet, the sky is blue, etc.)
- episodic = lived experiences (what did you do last night vs what did you eat for breakfast last Monday)
Which type of memory is the most affected in the 65+ age group?
Episodic
Memory loss occurs primarily in which type of memory, which relates to specific life experiences.
Episodic memory
Biological factors vs Environemntal factors in terms of late adulthood
Biological factors
- related to primary ageing (ex: changes to brain)
Environmental Factors
- prescription drugs (affect the brain)
Why is the 65+ age group more at risk of falling?
- more sedentary – (because they don’t do as much)
- loss of muscles mass – exercise can help
- Decreased reaction time
- Decreased balance – exercise can help
- Fear of falling ( so they don’t go outside/exercise as much which leads to muscle atrophy which leads to a greater risk of falling)
How do you as an OTA/PTA keep your patient’s safe from falling?
when doing balance exercises - be close to the wall or something they can grab too
- wear proper footwear, shoes
- Don’t assume that they can do it (may need a nap, haven’t eaten, medication)
