Week Twelve - Ageing Flashcards
When did life expectancy start to increase?
Early 1900’s
Country with oldest population?
Japan
Australian men vs women over 65 life expectancies
20 extra years for men
22 extra years for women
Indigenous Australians vs non-Indigenous life expectancy
50 years vs 65 years
Causes of low life expectancy in Indigenous Australians?
Access to healthcare
Poverty
Hidden racism
Poor health/nutrition - leads to chronic diseases
Compared to Indigenous, the Stolen Generation have increased levels of?
Mental health disorders Government assistance Substance abuse Smoking Physical harm Poverty Early Death
Life expectancy is reduced in what other disadvantaged australians?
People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
People who live in rural or remote areas
People who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or
intersex (LGBTI).
MH disorders are more prevalent in what age group?
16-24 years.
Rates of suicide is higher in what age group?
85+, mainly men
Who is at a greater risk of depression?
Older adults
Why are older adults at a greater risk of developing MH disorders/depression?
Bereavement
Adjustment to physiological changes eg driving, isolation, privacy, independence
Disability, leading to low self-esteem
Why do older adults under-utilise MH services?
Lack of services aimed at OA Prioritise physical health care about MH Mental health literacy is poor Stigma associated with MI Different symptoms in OA Assumptions that depression is normal
Untreated MI in older age can lead to:
- Poor wellbeing and quality of life
- Deterioration in overall health
- Increased hospital admissions
- Earlier transition to residential aged care
What does mental health-specific health promotion for older adults involve?
Creating living conditions and environments that support wellbeing and allow people to lead a healthy life
How to improve MH of OA?
- Adequate housing through supportive housing policy
- Social support for older people and their caregivers
- Health and social programmes targeted at vulnerable groups such as those who live alone and rural populations or who suffer from a chronic or relapsing mental or physical illness
- Programmes to prevent and deal with elder abuse
- Community development programmes
- Promoting Active and Healthy Ageing
% of people who live alone aged over 75?
50% of people over 75 live alone
Loneliness has a comparable risk factor for death as?
Loneliness has a comparable risk factor for death as smoking 15 cigarettes a day
Loneliness and AD?
A lonely person is twice as likely to develop AD.
What are some ageing stereotypes?
Illness Weakness Wrinkles Cognitive decline Aches and pain Loneliness
Social reasoning and age?
Older people show better competencies for reasoning about social dilemmas and conflicts
Body positivity and age?
Body positivity increases with age
Personality and age in cross-sectional?
Older people are more:
- altruistic
- generous
- trusting
- less dark triad personality traits
Personality and wellbeing in cross-sectional?
Higher self-control = more healthy
Narcissism = low rates of loneliness
Personality and age in longitudinal?
Better emotional regulation Less neuroticism Interpersonal trust increases Less openness Less extraverted
Cognitive changes and age?
Processing speed, Working memory and Long-term memory all decline
World knowledge increases
Leading cause of death in Australia?
Coronary Heart Disease
Three common types of Dementia?
AD
Vascular dementia
Lewy Body dementia
What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Generalised brain cell loss, especially in the cortex, plus extracellular plaques and intracellular tangles. It has a progressive unremitting course with widespread loss of function and abilities.
What is Vascular Dementia?
Vascular lesions cause focal damage in the brain with
resultant focal neurological signs. Stepwise deterioration in cognitive and physical function. Often a history of cardiovascular pathology (e.g.
hypertension).
What is Lewy Body Dementia?
Symptoms include clouding of consciousness, paranoid
delusions, visual and auditory hallucinations, falls, depressive symptoms.
Preclinical stage of Dementia?
Silent: Brain changes without measurable symptoms
- can notice changes but not detectable on tests
- patient knows doc doesnt
MCI stage of Dementia?
Changes concern fam/friends
One or more domains impaired
Preserved activities of daily living
Key thing re dementia and signs?
There isn’t always a direct link between brain deterioration and AD pathology
Wider impact of Dementia?
Health and general wellbeing of caregivers and families of patients are worse than their age-matched peers, with higher rates of:
- anxiety
- depression
- worse sleep quality
- social and economic issues eg direct costs of medical, social and informal care causing stress
% of dementia cases that can be prevented and how?
Up to 40% of dementia cases may be prevented by modifying risk factors.
- physical inactivity
- smoking
- obesity
- diabetes
- hypertension
Each of these factors can be modified. Keeping mentally and physically active can help preserve cognitive skills, reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s
disease and maintain overall health.
Older people and the workforce?
Older people in the workforce have greater levels of wellbeing and increased longevity.
What is considered ‘healthy ageing’?
Financial security Meaning and purpose Connectedness Physical health Resilience
Is ageing equal?
Every individual experiences old age differently. The process of ageing is itself complex and multifaceted with wide variations in its effect on older people.
Exercise and ageing?
High Intensity interval Training (HIIT) increases mitochondria function
Endurance training, HIIT training but not resistance training increase telomere length
Diet and Healthy ageing?
The Mediterranean diet is the most recognized diets for disease prevention and healthy aging, possibly due to anti inflammatory and antioxidative properties
A recent meta-analysis showed the Mediterranean diet is associated with longer telomere length (TL).
Super-Ages diet?
95% plant-based diet, rich in legumes, whole grains, vegetables and nuts
