Chapter 17 - Physical and cognitive in late adulthood

Question 1

What is gerontology:

Answer 1

Scientific study of aging, includes great variability.

Question 2

What are the subgroups of late adulthood?

Answer 2

Young old = 60-75
Old-Old = 75-85
Oldest = 85+

Question 3

The gradual deterioration of body systems that happens after reaching maturity is called:

Answer 3

Senscence.

Question 4

The Hayflick Limit:

Answer 4

genetically programmed time where cells no longer have the capacity to replicate themselves accurately.

Question 5

What are telomeres?

Answer 5

Time keeping string of DNA thta decrease in size everytime a cell divides. Stress can increase shortening. As we age telomerase (restores telomeres) cannot be produced by our cells.

Question 6

Inability to repair breaks in DNA strands results in a loss of cellular functioning that leads to aging is called:

Answer 6

Cellular Damage

Question 7

What are the 2 ways cells are damaged:

Answer 7

Cross linking: undesireable chemical bonds between protiens or fats.
Free radicals: molecules or atoms that posses an unpaired electron.

Question 8

What gradually lose the ability to effectively sustain the bodies cells?

Answer 8

Stem Cells

Question 9

What are the 5 theories of biological aging?

Answer 9

1. Stem cells
2. telomeres
3. The hayflick limit
4. senscence
5. cellular damage

Question 10

Across all 3 subgroups adults relate their health as _____________ poor/ fair health reports are more common in the _____________ subgroup.

Answer 10

Good
Younger

Question 11

What is functional status?

Answer 11

Measure of an individuals ability to perform certian roles, self help tasks and chores.

Question 12

What are BADLS and IADLS?

Answer 12

Basic Activities of Daily living (self help)
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (chores)

Question 13

What are the most common health problems in this age group?

Answer 13

Arthritis and hypertension

Question 14

Seniors whose physical/ mental impairments effect their ability to care for themselves are called:

Answer 14

Frail elderly.

Question 15

What are the 5 main factors that decrease life expectancy?

Answer 15

1. Smoking
2. Diet
3. Exercise
4. alcohol
   5.stress
   Having all 5 is associated with a 20 year life expectancy difference.

Question 16

What are the 4 main brain changes:

Answer 16

1. Reducation of weight
2. loss of grey matter
3. slower synaptic speed
4. decline of density of dendrites

Question 17

What are the 4 main vision deficits that may be experienced:

Answer 17

1. Presbyopia (farsightedness)
2. Blind spot
3. Pupil not narrowing/ widening as quickly(causes problems with light)
4. cataracts, glucoma, or macular degeneration

Question 18

Hearing loss(presbycusis):

Answer 18

lose ability to hear high frequency sounds, distinguish between words, and ringing(tinnitus).

Question 19

What causes hearing loss?

Answer 19

Structural changes in the ear and functional changes in the brain.

Question 20

What are the changes that occur with taste?

Answer 20

less saliva and blander flavours, can lead to a loss in appetite/ nutrition problems.

Question 21

What are the changes that occur with touch?

Answer 21

Loss of sensitivity to cold/ heat which can create safety hazards.

Question 22

Decreased ability to retrieve knowledge and increased car accidents are caused by what?

Answer 22

General slowing due ti slowing of the brain, touch, and vision.

Question 23

What are the changes seen in sleep?

Answer 23

1. Increased interupted sleep and daytime naps.
2. decrease in Rem
3. More likely to wake up/ go to bed early

Question 24

Reducation in stamina, dexterity, and balnces causes:

Answer 24

More fractures/falls, increased problems with fine motor skills, and decreased ability to learn new skills.

Question 25

Sexual acitivity declines due to _______________ in men, state of health, medication side effects and ________________

Answer 25

Decreased testosterone. Stereotypes.

Question 26

Started by repetition of sentences/ disorientation in familiar environments, loss of short term memory, followed by the loss of long term memory and cognitive tasks, that is finalized with an inability to care for oneself and complete memory loss is called:

Answer 26

Alzhiemers

Question 27

What are the symptoms of Alzhiemers?

Answer 27

Overeating, depression, inability to control emotions, and inability to read others emotions.

Question 28

What are the causes of dementia?

Answer 28

Genetics, small stroke(vascular dementia), depression, brain injury, intoxication. Some are reversible or helped with therapy.

Question 29

What are the 2 reasons depression signs may be dismissed/undtreated?

Answer 29

1. Seen as old age grumpiness 2. Can be mistaken for dementia.

Question 30

What are the risk factors for depression?

Answer 30

Inadequate social support or income, emotional loss, poorly uneducated people, women and health problems

Question 31

Why are men 5x more likely to die by suicide than women?

Answer 31

Increased economic stress, see themselves as burden, not adjusting to partner loss, more successful in attempt.

Question 32

Younger adults perform better on _______________ and worse on _______________ in a natural setting then older adults.

Answer 32

Retrospective tasks Prospective tasks

Question 33

What are the reasons for memory loss in older age?

Answer 33

Change in the ratio of grey to white matter, reduction the the volume of the hippocampus, loss of nerve speed in the CNS, and changes in attention strategies.

Question 34

Cohens 4 stages of mid-late life creativity:

Answer 34

1. re-evaluation(50) 3. liberation(60) 3. Summing up (70) 4. Encore (80)