THEME 6

PHYSICAL CHANGES IN ADULTHOOD AND OLD

AGE

ADULTHOOD

CHILDHOOD OLD AGE

                     

ADULTHOOD

STEREOTYPES

Development ends in adolescence

A period of stability and absence of changes

REALITY

Important changes occur

Development continues

OLD AGE

STEREOTYPES

Period of generalized deterioation

Little plasticity and capacity to learn

REALITY

Important individual differences

Existance of losses and gains: some abilities can improve

Sign of the civli war and postwar

Delayed Baby-boom

Sudden decline in birth rate

SPANISH POPULATION PYRAMID

1991

Baby-boom job search: lots

of unemployment

PIRÁMIDE POBLACIONAL ESPAÑOLA 1999

Decline in the search for

employment

PIRÁMIDE POBLACIONAL ESPAÑOLA 2005

Baby-boom begins to retire

SPANISH POPULATION PYRAMID 2025

                                                                                                          

PHILIPPINE POPULATION PYRAMID

LIFE EXPECTANCY

Number of years calculated that someone born in a specific year will live

Refers to the lifespan of 50% of the individuals of a generation

Genetic base of the differences in genders

Year Men Women

1900 34,7 35,7

1950 59,8 64,8

1990 73,4 80,5

Causes of increase:

Advances in medicine Decrease in premature deaths in childhood

Better life conditions

ACTIVE LIFE EXPECTENCY

Number of years an individual can hope to keep being an active member of society

MAXIMUM LIFE LIMIT

Maximum number of a years an individual of a species has lived

Ronda - 115 years (122)

Long-lived communities exist: Vilacabamba (Andes), Abkasianos (Georgia), Hunzunuts (Cachemira)

PHYSICAL CHANGES IN ADULTHOOD AND OLD AGE

Changes in the proportion of fat tissue and muscular mass

Ageing of the skin Decrease in reaction speed Loss of visual and auditory

acuteness Cardiovascular changes Diseases related to age

PRIMARY AGEING

Normal and intrinsic process of genetically programed biological ageing that occurs regardless of good health

THEORIES ABOUT AGEING

• Limited division and regeneration of cells

• Decrease in the ability to confront errors in DNA

• Influence of free radicals

• Weakening of the immune and endocrine systems

SECONDARY AGEING

Pathological decline related to age that is caused by extrinsic or external factors such as diseases, environmental influences, or life style

Diet, consumption of alcohol and tobacco, sun, physical exercise, etc.

Type A behavior and cardiovascular system

Stress and immune system.

CHANGES IN VISION I

Reduction of the pupil and increase in pupillary reflex latency

Obscuration of vitreous humor

Loss of flexibility and yellowing of lens

Loss of visual acuteness Reduction of field of vision (140º)

Greater sensibility to bright light (glare)

Worse perception of depth

CHANGES IN VISION II

Difficulty in distinguishing cold colors Worse sensitivity in contrasting

chiaroscuro Difficulty in the perception of ambiguous

stimulus

COMMON DISEASES

Cataracts, glaucoma and senile macular degeneration

MANY OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED BY DESIGNING ADECUATE SPACES FOR

OLDER PEOPLE

CHANGES IN HEARING

Difficulty in perceiving high-pitched noises (presbycusis)

Buzzing Difficulty in localizing sounds Worse auditory discrimination Increase in the amount of sound necessary

in order to identify speech

IMPORTANT SOCIAL REPERCUSSION

SOME ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS CAN OVERCOME THESE PROBLEMS

CHANGES IN OTHER SENSES

Decrease in sense of smell and taste: loss of appetite, difficulty in recognizing a poor diet, no recognition of bad body odor or gas

Worse sensitivity of pain

Worse sensitivity of temperature

MOTOR CAPACITY

Increase in reaction time Progressive loss of balance and worse motor

coordination Deterioration of the joints Increased tendency for accidents Importance of physical activity

AGEING AND SEXUALITY Feminine Sexuality: Menopause

Twelve months without menstruation Occurs around 50 years of age It is not a generalized crisis (individual

and cultural differences) Psychosomatic disorders (hot flashes,

depressive symptoms, etc.) Effects of hormone scarcity Influences over sexual desire and activity

AGEING AND MASCULINE SEXUALITY

Changes are more gradual

Decrease in testosterone

Slower sexual response Decrease in volume of sperm Longer refractory period

AGEING OF BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM

It’s difficult to separate the effects of ageing and those of disease

Reduction of cerebral mass Death of neurons and loss of neuronal

connections Decrease in the concentration of

neurotransmitters Plasticity and possibility of new connections Increase in slow-type cerebral waves

(changes in the patterns of sleep-wakefulness)