WEEK 11

Question 1

What is the largest growing age group in Canada?

Answer 1

Late Adulthood (65+)

• 1 in 5 Canadians are over the age of 65+

Question 2

What are some factors contributing to the age increase?

Answer 2

• Lots of people born
• Living longer

Question 3

What is “Ageism”?

This means you can treat someone differently based on what?

Answer 3

discrimination/prejudice towards seniors because of their age

Can treat someone differently based on:
1) How they look (hearing aids, wrinkles, etc.)
2) Competence – ability to do something well

Question 4

When testing on ageism was done in Asian and Indigenous societies/cultures, they found:

What ethic principle does this show?

Answer 4

1) Better memory
2) Better scores in intellectual tests

There is a link between how we are treated/feel and affect the brain

Ethic principle = justice
 treat everyone the same
 reflect on your own biases

Question 5

Primary aging VS Secondary aging

Answer 5

Primary Aging
Things that change as we get older naturally = senescence

Secondary Aging
Things that change due to lifestyle (diet, alcohol, disease)

Question 6

What physical changes in internal function occurs with age (late adulthood)

Answer 6

1) brain
- Brain becomes smaller and lighter with age
- exercise = increases blood flow to the brain

2) Atrophy – decreased number of neurons/brain cells
- We have brains to spare however
- We can’t grow new neurons in the CNS,
- But we can increase the number of connections by completing a number of activities/variety is key

3) heart
 exercise

4) Lungs
 exercise

5) digestive system

6) muscle size

7) 5 senses

Question 7

T/F: Cataracts can’t be fixed. There is not currently a cure.

Answer 7

False

Can be fixed, has a cure

Question 8

True/False: Macular degeneration is not fixable.

Answer 8

True

This is the #1contributor to vision loss.

Macula – center of retina effected

Question 9

What are some clinical implications you as an OTA/PTA can do to help someone with macular degeneration?

Answer 9

• Remove obstacles
• Descriptive words
• Larger text
• High contrast

Question 10

What is High frequency sound loss called?

Answer 10

Presbycusis

Question 11

What is the only thing lost in middle adulthood?

Answer 11

Presbycusis

• High frequency sound loss

Question 12

What are some things you can do/clinical implications to help someone with Presbycusis (high frequency sound loss)

Answer 12

1) Quiet space

2) Face them so they can see your mouth moving/see that you are speaking

3) Clear, low voice

Question 13

Why do only 20% of people wear hearing aids, what social impact does this have?

Answer 13

Only 20% of people wear them, why?
- How they look/denial
- Cost
- Education
- Way too loud all the time, need to adjust

Has social impact
- Decreased brain connection
- Linked to dementia

Question 14

Reduced taste and smell in late adulthood lead to:

Answer 14

• less variety of food
• lack of a desire to try new food

Question 15

3/4 of death over the age of 65+ is related to what three diseases?

Answer 15

1) Higher incidence of infectious diseases

2) Arthritis

3) Hypertension

Question 16

“Why are seniors more at risk of infection”

Answer 16

• poor digestion
• diet (variety change)
  Going to get less nutrients to fight infection
• Sedentary
• Heart strength = less blood flow
• Decreased lungs

Question 17

T/F: fever is absent or blunted in 20 to 30 percent of older adults

Answer 17

True

Falls / delirium / anorexia = signs of a fever
(confusion) (not eating)

Question 18

Depression VS Dementia

Answer 18

Depression:
- dealing with loss
- characterized by intense sadness, pessimism, and hopelessness
- may be a result of cumulative losses in life
- declining health may contribute

Dementia
- decrease in memory
- decrease in judgement
- decrease in intellectual capabilities
- the most common mental disorder of old people
- 1/3 of those over 85 suffer from some sort of dementia

Question 19

True/False: Researchers no longer see cognitive abilities of older people as inevitably declining

Answer 19

TRUE

• not inevitable
• with appropriate practice and exposure to certain kinds of environmental stimuli, cognitive skills can actually improve

Question 20

What is “Implicit memory”?

Answer 20

“do it”
- procedural memory = no thinking required (ex: tying shoes, walking)

Question 21

Explicit memory

Answer 21

”say it”

• conscious (brain has to retrieve the memories)
• semantic = general knowledge (letters of the alphabet, the sky is blue, etc.)
  • episodic = lived experiences (what did you do last night vs what did you eat for breakfast last Monday)

Question 22

Which type of memory is the most affected in the 65+ age group?

Answer 22

Episodic

Question 23

Memory loss occurs primarily in which type of memory, which relates to specific life experiences.

Answer 23

Episodic memory

Question 24

Biological factors vs Environemntal factors in terms of late adulthood

Answer 24

Biological factors
- related to primary ageing (ex: changes to brain)

Environmental Factors
- prescription drugs (affect the brain)

Question 25

Why is the 65+ age group more at risk of falling?

Answer 25

• more sedentary – (because they don’t do as much)
• loss of muscles mass – exercise can help
• Decreased reaction time
• Decreased balance – exercise can help
• Fear of falling ( so they don’t go outside/exercise as much which leads to muscle atrophy which leads to a greater risk of falling)

Question 26

How do you as an OTA/PTA keep your patient’s safe from falling?

Answer 26

when doing balance exercises - be close to the wall or something they can grab too

• wear proper footwear, shoes
• Don’t assume that they can do it (may need a nap, haven’t eaten, medication)