Unit 6 Developmental Psych

Selective Optimization with Compensation

A process in which older adults adjust to aging by: Selection: Prioritizing important goals due to reduced resources. (e.g., only walking to hills instead of climbing them.) Optimization: Putting more effort into maintaining abilities (e.g., exercising daily to maintain physical and cognitive health.) Compensation: Using new methods or tools to accomplish goals despite limitations (e.g., using assistive devices for house cleaning).

Optimal Aging

Best possible physical and mental health in later life.

Normal Aging

Typical health conditions for one's age group.

Impaired Aging

Poor health and greater dependency due to disease or disability.

Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE)

Years a person can expect to live in good health.

Mortality

Rate of death within a population.

Morbidity

Rate of disease or illness.

Disability

Difficulty performing normal daily activities.

Vitality

How healthy and energetic a person feels.

Ageism

Discrimination based on chronological age, leading to harmful stereotypes about the elderly.

Elderspeak

Speaking to older adults in a simplified, exaggerated tone (short sentences, slow speech), similar to baby talk.

Primary Aging

Natural biological aging (e.g., wrinkles, hair graying).

Secondary Aging

Aging due to external factors like disease, lifestyle, and environment (e.g., smoking-related lung damage).

Vision Loss in Late Adulthood

Cataracts (cloudy lens), Glaucoma (fluid buildup damaging optic nerve), Macular Degeneration (retina deterioration).

Hearing Loss in Late Adulthood

Presbycusis — age-related hearing loss, often untreated for years.

Osteoarthritis

"Wear-and-tear" breakdown of joint cartilage. Managed with exercise, weight management, and treatments.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Autoimmune disease causing painful inflammation of joints and potential damage to organs.

Cognitive Slowing

Slower reaction times and difficulty multitasking.

Decreased Working Memory

Harder to hold multiple thoughts at once.

Tip-of-the-Tongue Phenomenon

Difficulty retrieving words, especially rare or low-use words.

Visual-Spatial Decline

Problems with judging distances (important for activities like driving).

Wear-and-Tear Theory

Aging results from accumulated body damage.

Genetic Adaptation Theory

Aging is pre-programmed in DNA (e.g., telomere shortening).

Cellular Theory

Aging from cellular accidents and free radicals damaging DNA.

Hormonal Stress Theory

Decline in body's ability to maintain hormonal balance (e.g., cortisol overproduction leading to brain damage).

Alzheimer's Disease

Caused by beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain.

Stages of Alzheimer's Disease

Absentmindedness, Confusion and memory lapses, Dangerous memory loss (e.g., leaving stove on), Full-time care needed, Loss of all cognitive function and responsiveness.

Vascular Dementia (VaD)

Caused by strokes (blockages in brain blood supply). Symptoms appear suddenly after strokes (e.g., FAST signs: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech slurring, Time to call 911).

Erikson's Integrity vs. Despair

Integrity: Feeling fulfilled and satisfied with life achievements. Despair: Feeling regret, fear of death, and dissatisfaction with one's life.

Hospice Care

Care focused on comfort, dignity, and quality of life at the end of life.

Advance Directives

Legal documents specifying what medical treatments a person wants if unable to communicate.

Kübler-Ross's Five Stages of Dying

Denial → Anger → Bargaining → Depression → Acceptance. Not necessarily linear; people can experience stages differently or skip stages.

Grief

Emotional response to loss.

Bereavement

The period after a loss.

Mourning

Process of adapting to loss.

Dual Process Model of Coping with Grief

Alternating between loss-oriented activities (grieving, remembering) and restoration-oriented activities (adjusting to new life roles).

Identity Assimilation

Ignoring new info to protect self-image.

Identity Accommodation

Over-adjusting identity in response to change.

Identity Balance

A healthy combination of maintaining self and adapting.

Disengagement Theory

Aging individuals withdraw from social roles.

Activity Theory

Staying active leads to better aging outcomes.

Continuity Theory

People maintain same habits and personality through aging.

Impact of Gender and Race on Aging

Women tend to have stronger social networks, better resilience after widowhood. Minority elders often benefit from multigenerational family support but face systemic health disparities.

Granny Dumping

Abandoning frail elders at hospitals.

Elder Abuse

Physical, emotional, or financial mistreatment, often by family members or understaffed nursing homes.

Successful Aging

Avoiding disease. Maintaining high physical and cognitive function. Staying socially and productively active (e.g., volunteering, hobbies).