Human Growth Exam 4

Influences of life expectancy of the older adult

Longevity tends to run in families, gender, decline in infant mortality, advances in medical technologies, socioeconomic status/education, diet/lifestyle/physical fitness

Ages of late adulthood

Over the age of 65

Average life expectancy in the US

77.6 years

Geriatrics

Studies the biological, psychological, psychosocial, and sociological aspects of aging

Senescence

Period in which the body begins to age and weaken

Physical changes in the older adult: bones and cartilage

Decrease in height, decrease in muscle mass, loss of body water, and increase in fat deposits, collagen becomes rigid and elastin becomes brittle, loss of estrogen, change in posture and balance

Physical changes in the older adult: blood vessels

Arterial walls thicken, heart muscle and muscle lining in arteries are less elastic, oxygen exchange slows and blood pressure rises secondary to compensation, high blood pressure

Physical changes in the older adult: lungs

Ribs and cartilage become more rigid, smaller chest cavity, decrease in lung volume, oxygen exchange impairment, vulnerability to respiratory infections

Physical changes in the older adult: kidneys and bladder

Decreased blood flow and scarring in kidneys, kidneys are more susceptible to failure, bladder capacity is reduce, physical stress on bladder can lead to urinary incontinence, enlarged prostate in men

ADLs

Activities of daily living

ADLs that become increasingly more difficult with age

Transferring in and out of bed, feeding, dressing

IADLs that become increasingly more difficult with age

Housekeeping, shopping, medication use

IADLs

Instrumental activities of daily living

Age effects on rest and sleep

Less time in REM sleep, increased nighttime awakening, takes longer to fall asleep

Cognitive changes in the older adult

Memory loss, decrease in conceptual reasoning, decrease in processing speed, decrease in perceptual reasoning, language, visuospatial abilities, executive functioning/reasoning

Difficulty with episodic memory

Retrieval of everyday experiences, tells the same stories over and over again

Memory that increases with age

Semantic memory (general knowledge), remote (long-term) memory

Memory that declines with age

Explicit memory (learning new things), associative memory (remembering an item and where they saw it), prospective memory (remembering to engage in an upcoming event)

Alzheimer’s

Memory loss that disrupts daily activities, difficulty completing familiar tasks, disengagement

Erikson’s stage for the older adult

Ego integrity vs. despair

Positive outcomes of Erikson’s stage for the older adult

Coming to terms with one’s life, sense of integrity leads to feelings of being whole, complete, and satisfied with achievements

Negative outcomes of Erikson’s stage for the older adult

Occurs with adults feeling regret, time becomes too short to find an alternate route to integrity, may exhibit contempt, anger, bitterness, stress, or illness

Grandparenting

Provides a sense of purpose, fulfillment

Older adult spirituality

Source of strength, comfort, and hope, contributes to well-being and quality of life

Sexuality in older adults

Personality and behavior are key dimensions in sexuality

Most common cause of sexual dissatisfaction in older adults

Lack of a partner

Sexual responses in older women

Dryness in the vaginal mucosa, hot flashes

Dyspareunia

Intercourse in older women becoming uncomfortable

Sexual responses in older men

Testosterone levels decrease, decrease in size and firmness in penis, difficulty in ability to attain erection, reduced production, motility, and lifespan of sperm

Ageism

Negative views or myths about aging

Myths of aging

Expectations of senility, loneliness, poor health, and lack of interest in sexual activity

Negative stereotypes of aging

Decrepit, confused, causes greater help seeking behaviors, more feelings of loneliness, and worse self-efficacy

Positive stereotypes of aging

Enlightened, wise, source of pride in some cultures, leads to fostered physical and mental competence, reduced stress

Aging in place

Needing help with personal care, household chores, meals, money management, health care, transportation, and safety

Living situations

Independent living, assisted living, memory care unit, skilled care

Threatening factors to independent living

Physical disabilities, frailty, unintentional injuries, mental disabilities

Mental health in older adults

Increase in depression and suicide rates

Health promotion in the older adult

Promote mobility and independence, early diagnosis and management of dementia, reduce the occurrence of hip fractures, reduce the number of illnesses and deaths related to vaccine-preventable illness, treatment of disease, prevention of illness, focus on wellness and healthy behaviors, increase the lifespan and quality of life

Thanatology

Study that examines death studies and correlates an interdisciplinary approach to practice

Goal of thanatology

Define a scientific understanding of death, its rites, and its meanings

Purpose of thanatology

To integrate concepts of life and death together instead of death separate from life

Role of the healthcare provider when caring for those who are dying

Therapeutic presence, communications, meeting the needs of the family of the patient