Final Exam Study Guide - Modules 9, 10, & 11

Flashcards of vocabulary terms and definitions from Modules 9, 10, & 11.

Sarcopenia

Loss of muscle tissue and function as we age.

Osteosarcopenia

When someone has both sarcopenia (muscle tissue loss) and osteoporosis (bone tissue loss).

Osteoporosis

"Silent disease" characterized by the decline and loss of bone density and the increasingly fragile and brittle condition of bones from a loss of tissue, until a fracture occurs.

Presbyopia

As we age, the lens of the eye gets larger but the eye loses some of the flexibility required to adjust to visual stimuli. This is known as presbyopia.

Presbycusis

The most common cause of hearing loss, afflicting one out of four persons between the ages 65 and 74, and one out of two by age 75.

Climacteric

One biologically based change during midlife where; men may experience a reduction in their ability to reproduce, and women lose their ability to reproduce once they reach menopause.

Menopause

Refers to a period of transition in which a woman’s ovaries stop releasing eggs and the level of estrogen and progesterone production decreases.

Andropause

Describes the experience of men during the climacteric where they have a decrease in libido and lower testosterone (androgen) levels.

Personal control beliefs

The idea that the individual can dictate outcomes in a specific situation.

Fluid intelligence

Refers to information processing abilities, such as logical reasoning, remembering lists, spatial ability, and reaction time.

Crystallized intelligence

Encompasses abilities that draw upon experience and knowledge.

Tacit knowledge

Pragmatic or practical and is knowledge that cannot be codified, transferred in a written form, or even properly verbalized, and, therefore, difficult to transfer.

Generativity versus Stagnation

Erikson’s seventh conflict in his 8 stages, and it is a characterization of the fundamental conflict of adulthood.

Generativity

Focused on establishing and guiding the next generation.

Stagnation

The feeling of lethargy and a lack of enthusiasm and involvement in both individual and communal affairs.

Socioemotional Selectivity Theory

Maintains that as time horizons shrink, people become increasingly selective with their time and invest greater resources in emotionally meaningful goals and activities

Mortality salience

Means that time is a valuable commodity requiring careful consideration and investment.

Plaster hypothesis

Reflects the belief that most of us have our character set like plaster by the age of 30.

Leader generativity

A desire to pass on skills and experience, a process researchers have described as leader generativity - or mentoring.

Sandwich generation

Middle-aged parents are spending time, money, and energy taking care of their adult children, and they are also increasing time taking care of their own aging and ailing parents.

Empty nest

When parents experience sadness when their adult children leave the home.

"Young old"

People between the ages of 65 and 74 years, especially since they are usually healthier and more active.

"Old old"

People between 75 and 84 who are more frail and often in need of care.

Normal aging

Refers to those who seem to have the same health and social concerns as most of those in the population.

Impaired aging

Refers to those who experience poor health and dependence to a greater extent than would be considered normal.

Senescence

Biological aging; the gradual deterioration of functional characteristics.

Centenarians

People aged 100 or older and are both rare and distinct from the rest of the older population.

"Graying of America"

Refers to the fact that the American population is steadily becoming more dominated by older people.

Life expectancy

A statistical measure of the average time an organism is expected to live, based on the year of birth, current age and other demographic factors including gender.

Primary aging

The process by which cells irreversibly stop dividing and enter a state of permanent growth arrest without undergoing cell death.

Photoaging

Exposure to the sun which accelerates changes in skin as it ages.

Glaucoma

The fluid in the eyes cannot be drained properly, causing too much pressure in the fluid in the eyes.

Hayflick limit

Refers to the limited number of times cells divide and then stop (human cells can divide about 50 times before stopping).

Free radical theory of aging

States that organisms age because cells accumulate free radical damage over time.

Working memory

A cognitive system with a limited capacity responsible for temporarily holding information available for processing.

Dementia

The umbrella category used to describe the general long-term and often gradual decrease in the ability to think and remember that affects a person’s daily functioning.

Alzheimer's disease

The most common form of dementia and is incurable, but there are also non organic causes of dementia which can be prevented.

Integrity versus despair

Erik Erikson referred to the psychosocial task in late adulthood where the goal is to look back over life with satisfaction.

Activity theory

Supports avoidance of a sedentary lifestyle and states that the more active older adults are the more stable and positive their self-concept will be, which will then lead to greater life satisfaction and higher morale.

Ageism

Prejudice and discrimination that is directed at older people. This view suggests that older people are less in command of their mental faculties.

"Good death"

A dying process that allows an individual to make choices about treatment, to say goodbyes and to take care of final arrangements.

Physiological death

Occurs when the vital organs no longer function. The digestive and respiratory systems begin to shut down during the gradual process of dying.

Agonal breathing

Refers to gasping, labored breaths caused by an abnormal pattern of brainstem reflex.

Brain dead

When there is no longer brain activity, referred to as clinically dead.

Vegetative state

Occurs when the cerebral cortex no longer registers electrical activity but the brain stems continues to be active.

Social death

Occurs when individuals withdraw from the dying individual.

Psychological death

Occurs when the individual withdraws from others.

Bereavement

The outward expressions of grief and mourning and funeral rites are expressions of loss reflecting personal and cultural beliefs.

Anticipatory grief

Occurs when a death is expected and survivors have time to prepare to some extent before the loss.

Fading affect bias

Suggests that negative events tend to lose their emotional intensity at a faster rate than pleasant events.

Denial

Often the first reaction to overwhelming, unimaginable news and protects us by allowing the news to enter slowly.

Acceptance

Involves learning how to carry on and incorporate this aspect of the life span into daily existence.

Bargaining

Involves trying to think of what could be done to turn the situation around.

Palliative care

An interdisciplinary approach to specialized medical and nursing care for people with life-limiting illnesses.

Hospice care

Involves palliation without curative intent and is typically used by people without further options or who have decided not to pursue further options

Total pain

Focusing on the patient rather than the disease.

Euthanasia

Refers to helping a person fulfill their wish to die and can happen through voluntary euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide.

Passive euthanasia

Involves no longer feeding someone or giving them food.

Physician-Assisted Suicide

Occurs when a physician prescribes the means by which a person can end his or her own life.