Week 2: Physical Healthy Aging Flashcards
Why use the term older adult?
55 or 60+
Used most frequently in previous literature
Senior is too limited
Elderly connotes frailty
Older adult encompasses those who wouldn’t consider themselves a senior
General physical changes with aging
- increased risk of chronic disease
- activity level declines
- decline in lean body mass and bone density
- increased risk of falls and fractures
- impaired oral/eye/ear
- changes in skin, taste, smell
Skeletal system and healthy aging
Btwn 30-80 yrs there is progression of various issues such as…
- density of bones begin to diminish
- bones are more fragile and more likely to break
- stiff joints
- limited ROM
Importance of skeletal system
Calcium storage, movement and reduce frailty
Musculature and healthy aging
Peak muscle strength = age 20-30
After 30 and into old age…
- Muscle atrophy: thinning/loss of muscle tissue
- Sarcopenia: loss of muscle
- Muscles fibres not able to contract as quickly
Importance of musculature
Prevent weakness and fatigue
Improve ability to perform daily activities
Reduce risk of falls and injury
Visual changes
Occur by age 50
Common diseases of the eye:
- Glaucoma
- Dry eyes
- Macular degeneration
- Cataracts
Age related changes to eye
Pupil: decreased diameter
Vitreous humor: changes from gel to liquid
Macula: loss of central vision
Lens: proteins precipitate = cataracts
Age related changes to ear- Vestibular changes
Inner ear- hair cells lost and otoliths degenerate causing loss of balance
Eustachian tube- muscle atrophy
Tympanic membrane- less vascular, decreased elasticity
Cochlea- hair cells degenerate
Ossicles- joints btwn bones thin
Ear canal- earwax, may collapse
Pinna- enlarges
Joint proprioception and aging
- Mechanoreceptors (neural input) change (located in joints, capsules, ligaments, muscles, tendons, skin)
- Causes impaired/deterioration of proprioception leading to less accurate detection of body position
- Increased risk of falls
Balance and aging
Good balance requires sensory input from vision, vestibular system and proprioceptors and as we age these systems deteriorate
Top 10 chronic diseases
- Hypertension
- Periodontal disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Ischemic heart disease
- Diabetes
- Osteoporosis
- Cancer
- COPD
- Asthma
- Mood and anxiety disorders
Aging risk factors
- Tobacco and drinking
- Consuming a healthy diet
- PA
- Sleep
Multimorbididty and prevalence
The co-occurence in the same individual of two or more of the ten common chronic diseases
**1/3 seniors have it
Negative effects of multimorbidity
Impaired quality of life
Increased use of health care resources
Institutionalization
Adverse health effects
Disability
Premature death
Diabetes and age risk factors
Risk of diabetes increases as we age
Management of diabetes becomes more difficult as we age…
- coexisting medical conditions
- cognitive issues (forgetting to take meds)
- lack of knowledge and access to resources
Why is diabetes placed on the back-burner for older adults?
Older adults suffering from multimorbidity disease focus on the more prominent disease even though diabetes is perpetuating their neg health
High blood pressure and aging
Reduction of elastic tissues resulting in stiff arteries
Cancer and age risk factors
Risk of cancer increases as you age
However, the incidence of cancer decreases after age 85
Possibly due to a decline in the physiological processes that lead to cancer (cells)
What is the most common injury and one of the leading causes of death in older adults?
Falling
Where are falls more likely?
In the community rather than a long term care home as they are set up for preventing falls
What percentage of falls cause a life-threatening injury?
1/5
Hospital visits and older adults
There is an increased risk of morbidity when adults spend time in the hospital
Fall cycle in seniors
- Fall
- Loss of balance confidence
- Fear of falling again
- Self restriction of physical activities
- Reduced muscle strength, impaired balance
- Abnormal gait, more unstable on feet
- Increased risk of falling
- Fall
And the cycle begins again
Compensatory mechanisms for balance
*Actually increase the rate of falling
Cautious gait
Frozen gait
Cautious gait
Excessive degree of age related changes in walking and fear of falling
ex. slow, wider base, reduced arm swing
Frozen gait
Short, sudden, temporary episodes of an inability to move feet forward despite the intention to
Frailty
State of increased vulnerability to disease and disability
Frailty intervention targets (AVOID)
- Activity
- Vaccinate
- Optimize medications
- Interact w others
- Diet and nutrition
What percentage of older adult age 65+ have at least 1 of the 10 common chronic diseases?
73%
Prevalence of falls in older adults
20-30% of seniors experience 1+ falls each year
How many seniors are admitted to LTC post fall?
1/3
Percentage of senior’s injury related hospitalizations
85%
Percentage of hip fractures that falls cause
95%
Falls cost how much a year in healthcare costs
$2 billion
Post fall syndrome
Creates a cycle of increasing weakness and instability through joint mobility reductions, physical conditioning and poor balance
Post fall syndrome symptoms
Dependence
Loss of autonomy
Loss of self-confidence
Depression
Confusion
Immobilization
Restriction to daily activities
