Physical and Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood Flashcards
What are the eight potentially modifiable lifestyle factors associated with good health in Canadians aged 65 years and older?
- Never smoked daily/quit for 15 or more years
- Not obese
- Five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day
- Regular physical activity
- Moderate alcohol consumption
- Social engagement
- Good sleep quality
- Stress management
Adapted from Statistics Canada, 2010, 2009 Canadian Community Health Survey—Healthy Aging.
What four main changes occur in the brain during late adulthood?
- A reduction of brain weight
- A loss of grey matter
- A decline in the density of dendrites
- Slower synaptic speed
Loss of dendrites is linked to education; less cerebral cortex atrophy occurs in those with more education.
What is presbyopia?
Farsightedness that increases with age.
What common vision defects are experienced by older adults?
- Increased presbyopia
- Enlarged blind spot on the retina
- Decreased ability of the pupil to adjust to brightness
- Diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, or macular degeneration
Vision loss impacts seniors’ sense of well-being.
What is presbycusis?
Age-related hearing loss that typically becomes functionally limiting in late adulthood.
What are some behavioral effects of physical changes in late adulthood?
- General slowing of behavior
- Changes in sleeping patterns
- Impaired satiety leading to overeating
- Decreased ability to identify smells
More frequent awakenings and decreased REM sleep occur after age 65.
What are Basic Activities of Daily Living (BADLs)?
Self-help tasks such as bathing, dressing, and using the toilet.
What are Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)?
More complex daily living tasks such as doing housework, cooking, and managing money.
What is gerontology?
The scientific study of aging.
What are the subgroups of late adulthood?
- Young-old (60 to 75)
- Old-old (75 to 85)
- Oldest-old (85 and up)
The oldest-old is the fastest-growing group.
What is senescence?
The gradual deterioration of body systems that happens as an organism ages after reaching maturity.
What is the Hayflick Limit?
The theoretical proposal that each species has a genetically programmed time limit for cell replication.
What role do telomeres play in aging?
Telomeres serve as a timekeeping mechanism, shortening with each cell division.
What is one consequence of cellular damage as part of the aging process?
Loss of cellular function due to inability to repair DNA strands.
What is the relationship between aging and stem cells?
Stem cells lose their ability to sustain the body’s cells as aging occurs.
What is self-rated health?
An individual’s perception of their health status.
What is the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease among Canadian adults over age 65?
Roughly 1 in 11 show significant symptoms of dementia; by age 85, about 1 in 3 suffer from moderate to severe symptoms.
What characterizes wisdom in older adults?
Accumulated knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge to practical problems.
What are the signs of depression in older adults?
- Chronic depressed mood
- Symptoms mistaken for dementia
- Dismissed as old-age grumpiness
Ageism can lead to underdiagnosis.
What is the impact of lifestyle factors on life expectancy?
Five modifiable factors account for ~60% of all deaths and short life expectancy.
What is the primary cause of placement into long-term care for the elderly in Canada?
Dementia.
What are the limitations of functional status in late adulthood?
It measures the ability to perform self-help tasks and chores of daily living.
True or False: The speed of accessing wisdom-related knowledge declines with age.
False.
Fill in the blank: The ability to taste the five basic flavours does not seem to decline over the years of _______.
[adulthood].
