2. Physical Development in Late Adulthood Health and Wellness in Late Adulthood

3. Physical Development in Late Adulthood

4. What is old age?

5. Gerontologists Specialists who study aging –Late adulthood as a period of considerable diversity in which people change –Growth in some areas, decline in others

6. How is old age divided? Some researchers divide aging people into three groups –Young old are healthy and active –Old old have some health problems and difficulties –Oldest old are frail and need care

7. The Flourishing Elderly The percentage of people over the age of 65 is projected to rise to almost 25 percent of he population by the year 2050. Can you name two factors that contribute to this? Source: Adapted from U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2008.

8. Who are the oldest old? Fastest growing segment of the populationPeople who are 85 or older Group's size has nearly doubled in the last 20 years Trend is occurring in every developed country in the world

9. The Elderly Population Worldwide Longer life is transforming population profiles worldwide, with the proportion of those over the age of 60 predicted to increase substantially by the year 2050. Source: Based on United Nations Population Division, 2002.

10. What do you see when you look at this woman?

11. Ageism Prejudice and discrimination directed at older people is manifested in several ways –Negative attitudes about older people, especially about competence and attractiveness –Job discrimination Today’s ageism is, in some ways, a peculiarly modern and Western cultural phenomenon. Do you know why?

12. Discrimination Identical behavior by an older person and a younger person is interpreted differently People talk baby talk to persons in nursing homes Most negative views are based on misinformation

13. Physical Transitions Primary AgingSecondary Aging

14. You know you are aging when…

15. A Double Standard Although gray hair is often characterized as “distinguished” in men, the same trait in women is viewed more often as a sign of being “over the hill”—a clear double standard.

16. Double Standard Women, especially in Western cultures, suffer from the double standard for appearance Women who show signs of aging are judged more harshly than are men Women are more likely to dye their hair Women are more likely to have plastic surgery The double standard is diminishing and becoming more a concern for both sexes.

17. Changes in Internal Function Brain becomes smaller and lighter with age –Reduction of blood flow to the brain –Space between the skull and the brain doubles between age 20 and age 70 –Number of neurons, or brain cells, declines

18. All Systems Go…or Gone? 75-year-old's heart pumps less than three- quarters of the blood it pumped during early adulthood Efficiency of the respiratory system declines with age Digestive system produces less digestive juice and is less efficient in pushing food through the system

19. Osteoporosis Bones become brittle, fragile, and thin –Often brought about by a lack of calcium in the diet –25 percent of women over 60 have osteoporosis –Largely preventable with sufficient calcium and exercise

20. Peripheral Slowing Hypothesis Older adults’ reaction time slows significantly –Suggests that overall processing speed declines in peripheral nervous system (nerves that branch from spinal cord and brain to body’s extremities)

21. Generalized Slowing Hypothesis Processing in all parts of the nervous system, including the brain, is less efficient –Older people have more accidents –Decision process is slowed down

22. Senses Old age brings a distinct declining in the sense organs of the body Vision –Lens becomes less transparent and the pupils shrink –Optic nerve becomes less efficient –Distant objects are seen less clearly

23. Vehicle Fatalities Across the Life Span Drivers over age 70 have a fatal accident record comparable to that of teenagers when crashes re calculated per mile of driving. Why is this the case? Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1994.

24. The Eyes Have It! Cataracts –Cloudy or opaque areas of the lens of eye that interfere with passing light, frequently develop –Cataracts can be surgically removed and replaced with intraocular lens implants

25. Glaucoma Pressure in the fluid of the eye Glaucoma can be corrected with drugs or surgery Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) Macular Degenerations This is an example of what a person with macular degeneration might see. Source: AARP, 2005, p. 34.

26. Hearing 30 percent of adults between 65 and 74 have some hearing loss 50 percent of adults over 75 have hearing lossHigh frequencies are the hardest to hear

27. Taste and Smell Both senses become less discriminating in old age –Due to decline in taste buds on tongue –Olfactory bulbs in the brain shrink and reduce the ability to smell People eat less and get poor nutrition Older people may over-salt their food and develop hypertension, or high blood pressure

28. Older people are often the victims of ageism—prejudice and discrimination against people based on their age. Old age brings many physical transitions, internal changes, and changes in sensory perception. Many of the changes associated with aging can cause social and psychological difficulties for older people.

29. Old age brings declines in vision, hearing, taste, and smell. The declines in the senses can have major psychological consequences.

30. The fastest growing segment of the elderly population is the oldest old, or people who are 85 and older. True False

31. ______________ aging involves universal and irreversible changes that, due to genetic programming, occur as people get older. a. Secondary b. Internal c. Inactive d. Primary

32. According to the ______________ slowing hypothesis, for elderly individuals processing in all parts of the nervous system, including the brain, is less efficient. a. automated b. global c. generalized d. peripheral

33. Should older people be subject to strict examinations to renew their drivers’ licenses? Should such tests cover more than eyesight (e.g., response time, mental abilities)? What issues should be taken into consideration?

34. Health and Wellness in Late Adulthood

35. Health Problems in Older People: Physical Disorders Common physical disorders –Leading causes of death are heart disease, cancer, and stroke –Higher incidence of infectious disease –Arthritis –Hypertension

36. Health Problems in Older People: Psychological and Mental Disorders Common psychological disorders Major depression Drug-induced psychological disorders Common mental disorders Major neurocognitive disorder (dementia)

37. Alzheimer’s Disease Progressive brain disorder Produces loss of memory and confusion Incidence and projection

38. Alzheimer’s disease: A step toward prevention? New discovery provides hope for a cure. Scientists have idenitfied a rare gene mutation that keeps plaque from forming in the brain, preventing the symptoms of the disease. If a drug can be found to mimic the effects of the mutation, a cure for Alzheimer’s may be found. Cognitive fitness and innovative therapies Intervention that makes modifications in lifestyle factors thought to prevent the disease from getting a toehold in the first place, or at least slowing it down.

39. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease Develop gradually Start with forgetfulness Affect recent memories first and then older memories fade. Causes total confusion, inability to speak intelligibly or recognize closest family members Loss of voluntary muscle control Brain scans of a patient with Alzheimer’s disease show twisted clumps of nerve cells that are characteristic of the disease.

40. The Biology of Alzheimer’s Disease Production of beta amyloid precursor protein goes awry Produces large clumps of cells that trigger inflammation and deterioration of nerve cell Brain shrinks Neuron death leads to shortage of various neurotransmitters

41. What about a genetic link? Inherited disorder Nongenetic factors such as high blood pressure or diet may increase susceptibility Cross-cultural influences The brains at the top are a composite of those at risk; the brains in the middle are a composite of normal brains. The bottom row indicates areas of difference between the first two.

42. Treatment and Cure

43. Caring for people with Alzheimer’s Disease Make patients feel secure Provide labels for everyday objects Keep clothing simple Put bathing on a schedule Prevent people with the disease from driving Monitor the use of the telephone Provide opportunities for exercise Take care of caregiver!

44. Relationship Between Aging and Illness Certain diseases, such as cancer and heart disease, have clear genetic component Economic well-being also plays role Psychological factors play important role in determining people’s susceptibility to illness— and ultimately likelihood of death

45. Chronic Illness Most older people have at least one chronic, long-term condition –Arthritis Inflammation of one or more joints, is common, striking around half of older people –Hypertension High blood pressure, striking about one-third of older people

46. Psychological Illness 15 to 25 percent of those over age 65 show some symptoms of psychological malady –Depression –Dementia

47. Can well-being improve? People can do specific things to enhance their physical and psychological well-being and their longevity – their active life spans — during old age –Eat a proper diet –Exercise –Avoid threats to health, such as smoking

48. Sexuality in Old Age: Use It or Lose It Related to physical and mental health and previous sexual activity Evidence suggests that people are sexually active well into their 80s and 90s Previous sexual activity increases the desire for sex

49. Approaches to Aging Genetic preprogramming theories of aging Wear-and-tear theories of agingLife expectancy

50. According to genetic preprogramming theories of aging, our DNA genetic code contains a built-in limit on the length of life.

51. Reconciling Theories of Aging Each is supported by some research Each seems to explain certain aspects of aging Why the body begins to deteriorate and die remains something of a mystery

52. How long will YOU live?

53. Living to Age 100 If increases in life expectancy continue, it may be a common occurrence for people to live to be 100 by the end of this century. What implications does this have for society? Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1997

54. Finding the Fountain of Youth Telomere therapy Unlocking longevity gene Drug therapy Reducing free radicals through antioxidant drugs Reducing calories Bionic solution: replacing worn-out organs

55. Gender, Race, and Ethnic Differences in Average Life Expectancy: Separate Lives, Separate Deaths Average white child born in the U.S. is likely to live 76 years. The average African American child is likely to live 5 years less. A male born in the U.S. today is most likely to live to the age of 76; a female will probably live some 5 years longer. Why does this gender gap still occur?

56. Proper diet, exercise, and avoidance of health risks can lead to prolonged wellness during old age, and sexuality can continue throughout the life span in healthy adults. Whether death is caused by genetic programming or by general physical wear and tear is an unresolved question. Life expectancy, which has risen for centuries, varies with gender, race, and ethnicity.

57. New approaches to increasing life expectancy include telomere therapy, reducing free radicals through antioxidant drugs, restricting caloric intake, and replacing worn-out organs.

58. Although we may expect the elderly to be in poor health or sickly, approximately ______________ of people 65 and older rate their health as good, very good, or excellent. a. one-half b. three-fourths c. two-thirds d. one-fourth

59. Which of the following is NOT a physical change in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s? a. The hippocampus shows deterioration. b. The frontal and temporal lobes show deterioration. c. Specific neurons die, leading to a shortage of transmitters such as acetylcholine. d. The brain enlarges.

60. A strong relationship exists between economic well-being and illness in that those individuals who can afford to maintain good health care in their later years remain in better health. True False

61. In what ways is socioeconomic status related to wellness in old age and to life expectancy?