Post on 26-Apr-2018
transcript
Ageism
Ageism: prejudice against people because of their age, prevents elderly people from being as happy and as productive as they could be. Tendency to judge people only based on their chronological age
Ageism can be experienced at all ages but does the most damage in late adulthood
Ageism in late adulthood is decreasing
Gerontology:The study of old age
Geriatrics: the medical specialty devoted to aging specializes in the sick and consider aging as an illness, chronic and progressive disease of secondary aging
Gerontologists consider aging a socially constructed as a problem, consider late adulthood to be a time with great quality of life and promise
Demographics
7% of world’s population is over age 65
By 2010, will be 9%
13% of US population is over 65
Fasting growing age group is over 100
Concern as dependency ratio increases, increase in the number of dependents to independents: ratio of self sufficient, productive adults to dependents (children and the elderly)
Actually,
Less births per adult, fewer new dependents
1/3 of population working can produce all the basic necessities of life
Only, 10% of elderly need extensive care
Only, 5% live in nursing homes or hospitals
Dependency Characteristics
Young-old: healthy, active, financially secure, and independent (largest group: typically under 75)
Old-old-suffer physical, mental, and social deficits (generally over 75)
Oldest-old-dependent on others for mostly everything, requiring nursing homes or hospitals (over 85: about 10%)
Anti-aging Measures
Calorie-Restriction: Daily calorie requirements decrease by about 100 calories per decade after age 45.
More fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish and grains and cereals are more essential during late adulthood
Deficits in vitamin b12 and folic acid correlate with memory deficits
Dehydration risks increase
Some medications that adults take interfere with vitamin needs
Late Adulthood: how people cope with primary aging.
The skin and the hair: skin continues to become drier, thinner, less elastic, wrinkles, visible blood vessels, and pockets of fate under the skin appear, age spots and reduction of cells make people more vulnerable to cold, heat, and scratches
Hair becomes grayer and more white, male pattern baldness
Body Changes
Vertebrae begin getting closer together
Body fat redistribution: disappears from legs, arms, and upper face and collects near the torso and lower face
Weight loss contributes to less muscles, thinner bones, and greater risk
Body Changes
Less muscles flexibility and strength resulting in need for cane or walker
Increase in number in falls, so need for strength training
Social Isolation
Dulling of Senses
Vision: Only 10 % see well
Cataracts: thickening of the lenses cause vision to become cloudy, opaque, and distorted, treatment: glasses and surgery to replace the lens
Glaucoma: a buildup of fluid within the eye, damaging the optic nerve and can cause total blindness, treatment: eye drops or surgery (genetic)
Macular Degeneration: deterioration of the retina, effects 1 in 25 people in first decade of late adulthood no cure for this disease
Hearing
Presbycubsis: age related hearing loss
By age 65, 40% have trouble hearing normal conversation
Treatment: removal of ear wax, hearing aids
Tinnitis: buzzing or rhythmic ringing in the ears, has no cure, experienced by 10 % of elderly
Compensation for Sensory Loss
Compensation is crucial as opposed to passive acceptance
Technology: improved hearing aids, lighter glasses, close caption TV programs, more advances in specializations
Personal determination: learn new habits
*could include other means of transportation
Recognition and willingness to change are key factors
Major Body Systems
In most of adulthood, primary aging does not directly cause organ failure
Primary and secondary aging combine to make all the major body systems slower and less efficient Heart pumps slower causing increased blood pressure
and increased risk of heart attacks and strokes Lungs take in and expel less air with each breath Digestive system slows Kidneys less efficient (incontinence)More likely to die from disease and harder to recover
Sleep
Older adults spend more time in bed Take more time to fall asleep
Spend less time in deep sleep
Wake up more often
Take more naps
Feel more drowsy in daytime
Narcotics typically prescribed, but may not be problem, body forcing interruption in sleep
Compression of Morbidity
Limiting the number of time a person spends ill or infirm, accomplished by postponing illness
A healthy is more likely to be intellectually alert and more socially active
Theories of Aging
Wear and Tear: Oldest theory
The body wears out after years of exposure to environment and the passage of time
Support: 1.) women who have never been pregnant tend to live longer
2.) Overweight people tend to be sicker and die younger
3.) Breakthrough of modern technology, replacement of worn-out body parts
Theories on Aging
Genetic Aging Theory: Aging is normal, natural result of the genetic plan for the species
Life expectancy Maximum life span: oldest age to which members of a
species can live, under ideal circumstances, age for humans 120 years
Average life expectancy: number of years the average newborn of a particular population group is likely to have. In US, 74 for men and 80 for women
Selective Adaptation: Every person inherits genes that allow survival until middle age and that then cause aging
Theories on Aging
Cellular Aging: Most cells in the body reproduce throughout life Overtime normal cell duplication eventually allows
aging, partly because minor errors accumulate
Free radicals: electrons in some atoms in our bodies are unattached to their nuclei, free radicals are unstable and can cause cancer, diabetes, and arteriosclerosis
Can be slowed by antioxidants: vitamins A, C, and E and the mineral selenium (bind with electrons)
Oxygen free radicals are reproduced in reaction to infections and inflammation of intestinal tract
Theories of Aging
Errors in Duplication: Cellular Aging is a natural process
Hayflick Limit is the number of times a human cell is capable of dividing into to new cells, limit is fifty divisions
Genetic Clock: a regulatory mechanism in the DNA of cells that regulate the aging process
Immune System: Decline of the immune system In a healthy person B and T cells fight disease by attacking foreign
bodies, power and production of T and B cells decline over time
Supported by research on AIDS