Chapter 8: Late Adulthood

1. Chapter 8: Late Adulthood Module 8.1 Physical Development inLate Adulthood

2. PHYSCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN LATE ADULTHOOD

3. What is old age?

4. GERONTOLOGISTS • Specialists who study aging • Late adulthood as a period of considerable diversity in which people change • Growth in some areas, decline in others 424

5. How is old age divided? • Some researchers divide aging people into three groups: • Young old are healthy and active • Old old have some health problems and difficulties • Oldest old are frail and need care 424

6. Demographics of Aging 425

7. Who are the oldest old? • Fastest growing segment of the population • People who are 85 or older • Group's size has nearly doubled in the last 20 years • Trend is occurring in every developed country in the world 424

8. Ageism • Prejudice and discrimination directed at older people is manifested in several ways • Negative attitudes about older people, especially about competence and attractiveness • Job discrimination 425

9. Discrimination • Identical behavior by an older person and a younger person is interpreted differently • People talk baby talk to persons in nursing homes • Most negative views are based on misinformation 425

10. Primary Aging Universal & irreversable changes- largely genetic Secondary Aging Changes in physical and cognitive functioning due to habits, illness, and other nongenetic or biological reasons Physical Transitions 427

11. You know you are aging when… • Grey and white hair; thinner • Wrinkles • Diminishing height 427

12. Osteoporosis • Bones become brittle, fragile, and thin, often brought about by a lack of calcium in the diet • 25 percent of women over 60 have osteoporosis • Largely preventable with sufficient calcium and exercise 428

13. Double Standard • Women, especially in Western cultures, suffer from the double standard for appearance • Women who show signs of aging are judged more harshly than are men • Women are more likely to dye their hair • Women are more likely to have plastic surgery 427

14. Changes in Internal Function • Brain becomes smaller and lighter with age • Reduction of blood flow to the brain • Space between the skull and the brain doubles from age 20 to 70 • Number of neurons, or brain cells, declines 428

15. All Systems Go…or Gone? • 75-year-old's heart pumps less than three-quarters of the blood it pumped during early adulthood • Efficiency of the respiratory system declines with age • Digestive system produces less digestive juice and is less efficient in pushing food through the system 428

16. Peripheral Slowing Hypothesis • Older adults’ reaction time slows significantly • Suggests that overall processing speed declines in peripheral nervous system (spinal cord and brain) 429

17. Generalized Slowing Hypothesis • Processing in all parts of the nervous system, including the brain, is less efficient • Older people have more accidents • Decision process is slowed down 429

18. Senses • Old age brings a distinct declining in the sense organs of the body • Vision • Lens becomes less transparent and the pupils shrink • Optic nerve becomes less efficient • Distant objects become less acute 430

19. The Eyes Have It! • Cataracts • Cloudy or opaque areas of the lens of eye that interfere with passing light, frequently develop • Cataracts can be surgically removedIntraocular lens implants 430

20. Pressure in the fluid of the eye Glaucoma can be corrected with drugs or surgery Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) Affects the macula Glaucoma

21. Hearing • 30 percent of adults between 65 and 74 have some hearing loss • 50 percent of adults over 75 have hearing loss • High frequencies are the hardest to hear 430

22. Hearing Aids • Hearing aids would be helpful 75 percent of the time • Only 20 percent of people wear them • Are imperfect and amplify all sounds so it is difficult to discern conversations • There is a stigma attached to wearing a hearing aid • Because they cannot hear, some people withdraw from society because they feel left out and lonely 431

23. Taste and Smell • Both senses become less discriminating in old age • Due to decline in taste buds on tongue • Olfactory bulbs in the brain shrink and reduce the ability to smell • People eat less and get poor nutrition • Older people may over-salt their food and develop hypertension, or high blood pressure 431

24. Review and Apply 431 REVIEW • Older people are often the victims of ageism—prejudice and discrimination against people based on their age. • Old age brings many physical transitions, internal changes, and changes in sensory perception. • Many of the changes associated with aging can cause social and psychological difficulties for older people.

25. Review and Apply APPLY • Should older people be subject to strict examinations to renew their drivers’ licenses? Should such tests cover more than eyesight (e.g. response time, mental abilities)? What issues should be taken into consideration? 431

26. HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN LATE ADULTHOOD

27. Physical Disorders • Common physical disorders • Leading causes of death are heart disease, cancer, and stroke. • Higher incidence of infectious disease • Arthritis • Hypertension 432

28. Psychological and Mental Disorders Common Psychological Disorders • Major depression • Drug-induced psychological disorders • Dementia 432

29. Progressive brain disorder Produces loss of memory and confusion Incidence and projection Alzheimer’s Disease 433

30. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease • Develop gradually • Start with forgetfulness • Affect recent memories first and then older memories fade. • Causes total confusion, inability to speak intelligibly or recognize closest family members • Loss of voluntary control of muscles occurs 433

31. The Biology of Alzheimer’s Disease • Production of the protein beta amyloid precursor protein goes awry • Produces large clumps of cells that trigger inflammation and deterioration of nerve cell • Brain shrinks • Neuron death leads to shortage of various neurotransmitters 433

32. What about a genetic link? • Inherited disorder • Nongenetic factors such as high blood pressure or diet may increase susceptibility • Cross-cultural influences 433

33. Treatment and Cure • No cure • Treatment deals only with the symptoms • Drugs effective in only half of Alzheimer’s patients • Many end in nursing homes 434

34. Becoming an Informed Consumer of Development Caring for People with Alzheimer’s Disease • Make patients feel secure • Provide labels for everyday objects • Keep clothing simple • Put bathing on a schedule • Prevent people with the disease from driving • Monitor the use of the telephone • Provide opportunities for exercise • Take care of caregiver! 434

35. Relationship Between Aging and Illness • Certain diseases, such as cancer and heart disease, have clear genetic component • Economic well-being also plays role • Psychological factors play important role in determining people’s susceptibility to illness—and ultimately likelihood of death 434

36. Chronic Illness • Most older people have at least one chronic, long-term condition • Arthritis • Inflammation of one or more joints, is common, striking around half of older people • Hypertension • High blood pressure, striking about one-third of older people 435

37. Psychological Illness • 15 to 25 percent of those over age 65 show some symptoms of psychological malady • Depression • Dementia 435

38. Can well-being improve? • People can do specific things to enhance their physical and psychological well-being and their longevity – their active life spans -- during old age • Eat a proper diet • Exercise • Avoid threats to health, such as smoking 435

39. Sex in Old Age: Use It or Lose It • Related to physical and mental health and previous sexual activity • Evidence suggests that people are sexually active well into their 80s and 90s • Previous sexual activity increases the desire for sex 435

40. Approaches to Aging • GENETIC PREPROGRAMMING THEORIES OF AGING • WEAR-AND-TEAR THEORIES OF AGING • LIFE EXPECTANCY 436

41. Reconciling Theories of Aging • Each is supported by some research • Each seems to explain certain aspects of aging • Why the body begins to deteriorate and die remains something of a mystery 436

42. How long will YOU live?

43. Living to Age 100 437

44. Diversity in Aging • Lifespan averages • Caucasian in the U.S. is likely to live 76 years • African American is likely to live 71 years • Japanese is likely to live 79 years • Gambian is likely to live less than 45 years • Gender averages • Male born in the U.S. is most likely to live 73 years • Female born in the U.S. is most likely to live 80 years 438

45. Finding the Fountain of Youth • Telomere therapy • Unlocking longevity gene • Reducing free radicals through antioxidant drugs • Reducing calories • Bionic solution: Replacing worn-out organs 437

46. Review and Apply REVIEW • Proper diet, exercise, and avoidance of health risks can lead to prolonged wellness during old age, and sexuality can continue throughout the life span in healthy adults. • Whether death is caused by genetic programming or by general physical wear and tear is an unresolved question. Life expectancy, which has risen for centuries, varies with gender, race, and ethnicity. • New approaches to increasing life expectancy include telomere therapy, reducing free radicals through antioxidant drugs, restricting caloric intake, and replacing worn-out organs. 440

47. Review and Apply APPLY • In what ways is socioeconomic status related to wellness in old age and to life expectancy? 440