Theories on Ageing Flashcards
what is subjective ageing (vs chronological age)
-subjective age is more of a phenomenological exeperience of age (personal experiences, how you feel, activity lvl etc)
What are the diff categories of old age
young-old (65-74) old old (75-80) oldest old (80/85 and older)
What is considered successful ageing
physical, psychological and social functioning in old age w/o major diseases
–no accelerated drops as you approach physical frailty and sarcopenia
what is accelerated ageing
an accelerated drop into disability/loss of independence
what are the 4 primary domains that describes successful ageing
- avoidence of disease and disability
- a high level of cognitive, mental, physical funtion
- being actively engaged in life
- being psychologically well adapted
what are the biomedical aspects of successful ageing
health and ADL
Physical function
cognitive function
What are the psychosocial factors of successful ageing
- psychologically well adaped
- avitely engaged in life (in comuninity, social aspects, having a role/job etc)
normal aspects of ageing that you will experience in mobility, sense organs, cog function, memory, immune, sleep, nut
Mob (loss of strength, slower, loss of reflexes/balance)
Sense (sight and hearing)
Cog (reduction of conc and learning ability)
Memory (occasional forgetfulness, ability to pick words)
Immune (slower response)
Sleep (lighter)
Nut (loss of appetite, taste for food )
What are the two major theories of ageing
Programmed theories + damage/error theories
What is the programed theory of aging
- Ageing follows a timeline
- regulated by changes in gene expression impacting body systems responsible for maintenance, repair, defence
what is the damage/error theory of ageing
- Environmental effects to living organisms that induce damage
- damage is accumulated over a lifetime
what are the subcategories of programmed theory of ageing
- Programed longevity
- endocrine theory
- immunological theory
- telomere theory
what is programed logenvity
-the result of sequential on/off of certain genes
-old age is defined as time when the age associated deficits are manifested phsyically
(when genes are switched off you notice the age associated deficits)
What is endocrine theory
Where the biological clock acts thru hormones to control the pace of ageing
What is immunological theory
The immune system is programmed to decline over time, leading to an increased vulnerability to inf and disease
What is telomere theory
Telomeres will shorten with successive cell divisions, at a critical length the cell will stop dividing leading to death of that cell and eventual death of the organism
What are the subcategories of damage/error theories
Wear + tear theory
Rate of living theory
Cross linking theory
Free radical theory
What is the wear and tear theory
where vital parts in our cells and tissues wear out, resulting in ageing
what is rate of living theory
where the greater an organisms rate of oxygen metabolism, the shorter its lifespan will be
-hypothessized that your damage accumulation, is in direct relation to your rate of oxygen metabolism
What is the cross linking theory
Where there is an accumulation of cross linked proteins which damages cells and tissues, slows down the bodily processes
what is the free radical theory and what other theory is it similar to
where superoxide and other free radicals cause damage to the components of the cell
(similar to the rate of living theory)
What are the two psychosocial theories of aging
Disengagement thory
Activity theory
what is disengagement throy
Process where many of the relationships are severed and remaining are altered in quality
- older people have become less involved w life
- as people age they experience greater distance from society
what is activity theory of aging
A persons self concept is related to the roles held by that person
- professional roles, familial roles etc
- if an individual doesn’t have a role they may feel a lack of direction
