Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Development Through the Lifespan Chapter 17 Physical and Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law:  Any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network;  Preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images;  Any rental, lease, or lending of the program.

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Functional Age  Actual competence and performance  May not match chronological age  Actual competence and performance  May not match chronological age

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Life Expectancy  Increasing in North America  Lower infant mortality  Lower adult deaths  Group differences  Women live longer  SES  Ethnicity  Nationality  Increasing in North America  Lower infant mortality  Lower adult deaths  Group differences  Women live longer  SES  Ethnicity  Nationality

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Life Expectancy Crossover

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Quality of Life  Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)  Basic self-care tasks  Bathing, dressing, eating  Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)  Basic self-care tasks  Bathing, dressing, eating  Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)  Conducting business of everyday life  Require cognitive competence  Shopping, food prep, housekeeping  Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)  Conducting business of everyday life  Require cognitive competence  Shopping, food prep, housekeeping

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Factors in a Long Life  Heredity  Environment/Lifestyle  Healthy diet, normal weight  Exercise  Low substance use  Optimism  Low stress  Social support  Community involvement  Learning  Heredity  Environment/Lifestyle  Healthy diet, normal weight  Exercise  Low substance use  Optimism  Low stress  Social support  Community involvement  Learning

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Aging and the Nervous System  Loss of brain weight accelerates after 60  Neurons lost in frontal lobes, corpus callosum, cerebellum (balance), glial cells  Autonomic nervous system less efficient  Brain can compensate  New fibers, neurons  New connections  Use more parts of brain  Loss of brain weight accelerates after 60  Neurons lost in frontal lobes, corpus callosum, cerebellum (balance), glial cells  Autonomic nervous system less efficient  Brain can compensate  New fibers, neurons  New connections  Use more parts of brain

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Visual Impairments and Aging  Lower visual acuity  Poor dark adaptation, sensitivity to glare  Decreased color, depth perception  Cataracts  Macular degeneration  Lower visual acuity  Poor dark adaptation, sensitivity to glare  Decreased color, depth perception  Cataracts  Macular degeneration

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Aging and Visual and Hearing Impairments

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Effects of Sensory Changes Vision problems  Changes in leisure activities  Possible problems in daily activities Hearing loss  Social isolation  Lower safety and enjoyment Decreased taste and smell  Nutritional, safety risks Less sensitive touch  Difficulties with leisure, daily activities

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Aging Systems of the Body  Cardiovascular/Respiratory  Heartbeat less forceful; slower heart rate, blood flow  Vital lung capacity cut by half  Less oxygen to tissues  Exercise helps  Immune  Effectiveness declines  More infectious, autoimmune diseases  Stress-related susceptibility  Cardiovascular/Respiratory  Heartbeat less forceful; slower heart rate, blood flow  Vital lung capacity cut by half  Less oxygen to tissues  Exercise helps  Immune  Effectiveness declines  More infectious, autoimmune diseases  Stress-related susceptibility

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Sleep and Aging  Need less sleep  Earlier bedtime and wake-up  More difficulties  Insomnia  Nighttime waking  Sleep apnea  Restless legs  Need less sleep  Earlier bedtime and wake-up  More difficulties  Insomnia  Nighttime waking  Sleep apnea  Restless legs

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Physical Appearance and Mobility  Skin thinner, rougher wrinkled, spotted  Ears, nose, teeth, and hair change  Lose height and weight after 60  Muscle strength declines  10–20% by 60–70  30–50% by 70–80  Bone strength drops  Less flexibility

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Adapting to Physical Changes of Aging  Multidimensional  Appearance versus functioning  Effective coping strategies  Prevention, compensation  Problem-centered coping  Assistive technology

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Stereotypes of Aging  Many assume deterioration is inevitable  Elders experience prejudice, discrimination  Assumptions affected by culture  Stereotype threat  Fear of confirming stereotype reduces functioning  May be changing  Positive media portrayals  Many assume deterioration is inevitable  Elders experience prejudice, discrimination  Assumptions affected by culture  Stereotype threat  Fear of confirming stereotype reduces functioning  May be changing  Positive media portrayals

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Aging and Perceptions of Health

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Factors in Good Health and Aging  Optimism  Self-efficacy  SES  Ethnicity  Sex  Nutrition  Exercise  Optimism  Self-efficacy  SES  Ethnicity  Sex  Nutrition  Exercise

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Nutrition in Late Adulthood  Need extra nutrients  Protect bones, immune system  Fight free radicals  Problems eating  Appetite, taste changes  Chewing, digestion  Shopping, cooking  Supplements, diet changes may help  Need extra nutrients  Protect bones, immune system  Fight free radicals  Problems eating  Appetite, taste changes  Chewing, digestion  Shopping, cooking  Supplements, diet changes may help

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Exercise in Late Adulthood  Continued exercise best, but never too late to start  Benefits  Physical capacities  Brain function  Self-esteem  Barriers  Unaware of benefits  Discomforts  Continued exercise best, but never too late to start  Benefits  Physical capacities  Brain function  Self-esteem  Barriers  Unaware of benefits  Discomforts

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Sexuality in Late Adulthood  Still important  Less desire and frequency; fewer male partners for women  Married couples: regular, enjoyable sex  Continue patterns from earlier years  Still important  Less desire and frequency; fewer male partners for women  Married couples: regular, enjoyable sex  Continue patterns from earlier years  Enjoy activities other than intercourse  Men sometimes stop all activities if erection problems  Cultural influences  Disapproval in West  Enjoy activities other than intercourse  Men sometimes stop all activities if erection problems  Cultural influences  Disapproval in West

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Primary and Secondary Aging Primary  Genetically influenced declines  Affects all members of species  Even happens if health is good Primary  Genetically influenced declines  Affects all members of species  Even happens if health is good Secondary  Declines due to heredity and environment  Effects individualized  Major contributor to frailty  Illnesses and disabilities  Arthritis  Diabetes  Mental disabilities Secondary  Declines due to heredity and environment  Effects individualized  Major contributor to frailty  Illnesses and disabilities  Arthritis  Diabetes  Mental disabilities

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Arthritis Osteoarthritis  Deteriorating cartilage in frequently used joints  Common, related to wear and tear Osteoarthritis  Deteriorating cartilage in frequently used joints  Common, related to wear and tear Rheumatoid Arthritis  Autoimmune response, affects whole body  Inflamed connective tissues  Membranes in joints  Cartilage grows  Can deform joints  Lost mobility

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Adult-Onset Diabetes  Too little insulin or cells insensitive to insulin  Increases in late adulthood  Genetics  Inactivity, abdominal fat  Risk of long-term damage  Circulatory system  Eyes, kidneys, nerves  Treatment  Lifestyle changes  Medicine  Too little insulin or cells insensitive to insulin  Increases in late adulthood  Genetics  Inactivity, abdominal fat  Risk of long-term damage  Circulatory system  Eyes, kidneys, nerves  Treatment  Lifestyle changes  Medicine

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Accidents in Late Adulthood  Motor vehicle  Vision problems, slower reactions  Falls  Vision, balance, strength problems  Risk of hip fracture  Prevention  Reduce driving, retrain  Exercise, use walking aids  Redesign of cars, streets, signs, structures  Motor vehicle  Vision problems, slower reactions  Falls  Vision, balance, strength problems  Risk of hip fracture  Prevention  Reduce driving, retrain  Exercise, use walking aids  Redesign of cars, streets, signs, structures

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Mental Disabilities in Late Adulthood  Parkinson’s disease  Alzheimer’s disease  Cerebrovascular dementia  Strokes  Misdiagnosis, reversible dementia  Depression  Medication side effects  Parkinson’s disease  Alzheimer’s disease  Cerebrovascular dementia  Strokes  Misdiagnosis, reversible dementia  Depression  Medication side effects Dementia - thought and behavior impairments that disrupt everyday life

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Alzheimer’s Disease Incidence  Higher with age - nearly 50% over 80 Symptoms Forgetting, disorientation, personality change, depression, motor problems, delusions, speech problems, infections Brain Changes Neurofibrillary tangles, amyloid plaques in cerebral cortex Risk Factors/ Protective Factors  Genetic predispositions  High-fat diet - Mediterranean diet may help  Education, active lifestyle may help

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Help for Caregivers of Elders with Dementia  Knowledge  About the diseases, available resources  Coping Strategies  Caregiving Skills  Respite  At least twice a week  Video Respite  Knowledge  About the diseases, available resources  Coping Strategies  Caregiving Skills  Respite  At least twice a week  Video Respite

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Long-Term Care in Late Adulthood  More with advanced age  Severe disorders  Loss of support network  Varies by SES, ethnic group  More with advanced age  Severe disorders  Loss of support network  Varies by SES, ethnic group  Alternatives  Home care by family  Publicly-funded help  Home care professionals  Assisted living  Alternatives  Home care by family  Publicly-funded help  Home care professionals  Assisted living

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Increasing Nursing Home Care with Age

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Selective Optimization with Compensation  Select  Choose personally valued activities, avoid others  Optimize  Devote diminishing resources to valued activities  Compensate  Find creative ways to overcome limitations  Select  Choose personally valued activities, avoid others  Optimize  Devote diminishing resources to valued activities  Compensate  Find creative ways to overcome limitations

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Deliberate versus Automatic Memory Deliberate  Recall more difficult  Context helps retrieval, but slower processing, smaller working memory make context harder to encode Deliberate  Recall more difficult  Context helps retrieval, but slower processing, smaller working memory make context harder to encode Automatic  Recognition easier than recall  More environmental support  Implicit memory better than deliberate  Without conscious awareness  Depends on familiarity

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Associative Memory Declines in Late Adulthood  Difficulty in creating or retrieving links between pieces of information  Using memory cues, enhancing meaningfulness of information, can help  Difficulty in creating or retrieving links between pieces of information  Using memory cues, enhancing meaningfulness of information, can help

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Remote and Prospective Memory Remote  Very long-term recall  Autobiographical memory Remote  Very long-term recall  Autobiographical memory Prospective  Remembering to engage in planned actions  Event-based easier than time-based  Use reminders, repetition to help

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Aging and Autobiographical Memories

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Language Processing in Late Adulthood  Comprehension changes very little  Problems retrieving specific words  Tip-of-the-tongue  Use more pronouns, pauses in speech  Problems planning what to say  Hesitations, false starts, repetition, sentence fragments  Statements less organized  Compensation  Simpler grammar, more sentences, gist  Comprehension changes very little  Problems retrieving specific words  Tip-of-the-tongue  Use more pronouns, pauses in speech  Problems planning what to say  Hesitations, false starts, repetition, sentence fragments  Statements less organized  Compensation  Simpler grammar, more sentences, gist

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Problem Solving in Late Adulthood  Real problems include family relations, IADLs  Extend strategies from middle adulthood  Avoid uncontrollable problems  Use experience to decide quickly when can  Consult others  Collaborate  Real problems include family relations, IADLs  Extend strategies from middle adulthood  Avoid uncontrollable problems  Use experience to decide quickly when can  Consult others  Collaborate

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Wisdom  Depth and breadth of practical knowledge  Reflect on knowledge  Apply knowledge to improve life  Listening and evaluating  Advice  Altruistic creativity  Depth and breadth of practical knowledge  Reflect on knowledge  Apply knowledge to improve life  Listening and evaluating  Advice  Altruistic creativity

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Who is Wise?  Life experience  Age is no guarantee  Combined with life experience, it helps  Human service training, practice  Overcoming adversity  Life experience  Age is no guarantee  Combined with life experience, it helps  Human service training, practice  Overcoming adversity

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Factors Related to Cognitive Change  Mentally active life  Education, stimulating leisure, social participation, flexibility  Health  Retirement  Distance to death  Terminal decline  Cognitive interventions  ADEPT, ACTIVE  Mentally active life  Education, stimulating leisure, social participation, flexibility  Health  Retirement  Distance to death  Terminal decline  Cognitive interventions  ADEPT, ACTIVE

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Lifelong Learning  Educational participation increasing  Elderhostel  College courses  Community classes  Many benefits  New facts, ideas  New friends  Broader world perspective  Improved self-image  Educational participation increasing  Elderhostel  College courses  Community classes  Many benefits  New facts, ideas  New friends  Broader world perspective  Improved self-image