Post on 28-Dec-2015
Aging: Myth and RealityAging: Myth and Reality
Ageism: stereotyping and judging a group of people solely on the basis of their age.
Gerontology: the study of aging and the special problems associated with it.
Geropsychology: the study of the behavior and needs of the elderly.
Older Adults: Who are They?Older Adults: Who are They?
Future Growth: United States– In 1990: 35,808 people were 100 years old; in
1998: 66,000– Projection: 60 million people living beyond 70
years by the year 2050.
Increased dependency ratio Increased demand for resources Emergence of older people as a political
force and social movement
EffectsEffects
MythsMyths
Most persons age 65 and over live in hospitals, nursing homes
The elderly are incapacitated and in bed because of illness
Most elderly people are “prisoners of fear” by virtue or their fear of crime
MythsMyths
Most people over 65 are in serious financial straits
Most grown children live away from their elderly parents and abandon them
HealthHealth
Nutrition and Health Risks Osteoporosis: a condition associated with a
slow, insidious loss of calcium that results in porous bones
Drug Dosages and Absorption Effects Health problems result from overmedication
and mixing medications
Mental HealthMental Health
Mental Health and Depression Depressed elderly often do not seek
treatment.
Biological AgingBiological Aging
Biological aging: changes that occur in the structure and functioning of the human organism over time.
Primary aging: time-related changes; a continuous process that begins at conception and ceases at death.
Physical ChangesPhysical Changes
Hair grows thinner and turns gray Skin changes Fat and muscle bulk decrease Wrinkling Collagen: a substance that constitutes a very
high percentage of the total protein in the body, appears to be implicated in the aging process
Vision and Hearing Vision and Hearing
Retinal detachment: a serious condition in which the retinal layer at the back of the eyeball begins to “peel away.”
Hearing loss– Loss of memory ability linked with loss of
hearing
A condition in which body temperature falls more than 4 degrees Fahrenheit and persists for a number of hours.
HypothermiaHypothermia
Sleep ChangesSleep Changes
Sleep patterns change Sleep apnea: a disorder in which the person
occasionally stops breathing during sleep
Biological Theories of AgingBiological Theories of Aging Genetic Preprogramming Aging Effects of Hormones Accumulation of Copying Errors Error in DNA Autoimmune Mechanisms Accumulation of Metabolic Wastes Stochastic Processes Longevity Assurance Theory
Cognitive FunctioningCognitive Functioning
The Varied Courses of Different Cognitive Abilities
Perceptual speed decreases Depends on whether the elderly use their
abilities
Cognitive DeclineCognitive Decline
Factors that reduce risk of cognitive decline in old age:– Good health: no chronic diseases– Environmental circumstances : education,
interests, income and family– Stimulating lifestyle– Flexible and adaptable personality– Marriage to spouse with high cognitive capabilities
Death DropDeath Drop
Overestimating the Effects of Aging Death drop: a marked intellectual decline,
or the terminal decline phenomenon, occurs just a short time before a person dies
Memory and AgingMemory and Aging
Characteristics of older learners:– Preference for a slower pace– More errors of omission due to cautiousness– More disrupted by emotional arousal– Less attentive– Less willing to deal with irrelevant material– Less likely to use imagery
Information ProcessingInformation Processing
Phases in Information Processing When information is remembered, three
things occur– Encoding– Storage– Retrieval
Memory FailureMemory Failure
Decay Theory: forgetting is due to deterioration of the memory traces in the brain.
Interference theory: retrieval of a cue becomes less effective as more and newer items come in to be classed or categorized in terms of it.
Learning and AgingLearning and Aging
Older learners benefit when given more time to learn something.
Older learners are more reluctant to venture a response.
Medications can diminish mental functions.
SenilitySenility
Senility: progressive mental deterioration, memory loss, and disorientation regarding time and place
Multiinfarcts: “little strokes” that destroy a small area of brain tissue– 20-25% of all senility results from these
Alzheimer’s DiseaseAlzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s Disease: a progressive, degenerative disorder that involves deterioration of brain cells.– 50% of all senility results from Alzheimer’s
Disease.
Moral DevelopmentMoral Development
James Fowler’s Stages of Faith – Primal– Intuitive-Projective– Mythic-Literal– Synthetic-Conventional– Individuative-Reflective– Conjunctive Faith and the Interindividual Self– Universalizing Faith