psyc 241 - exam 5

middle age

early - 40-55 years
late - 55-65 years
no clear cutoff
changes in sensory abilities, stamina, + sexuality
peak for mental abilities
stressors - kids getting old, jobs, entering retirement, etc

late adulthood

young - 65-74 years
old - 75-84 years
oldest - 85+ years
increases in life expectancy to 80+ years
functional vs subjective age (age performed vs actual age)

longevity

length of a persons life

life expectancy

how long a person is statistically likely to live based on average longevity of their cohort
trend of longer life due to decreases in childhood disease, starting to rise again due to overdose

life span

longest a species can live
humans - 122 years

vision (middle adulthood)

develop presbyopia (farsightedness)
cornea flattens, lens loses flexibility, muscle that permits lens to change shape weakens
ability to see dim light declines, night vision reduced
color discrimination becomes limited

presbyopia

farsightedness / vision loss

vision (late adulthood)

vision acuity, color vision, + depth perception decline
cataracts - clouding/thickening of lens
glaucoma - optic nerve damage
macular degeneration - loss of cells in retina

hearing

develop presbycosis - old hearing, first limited to high pitch noises then extends to all frequencies
age related + genetic
contextual factors - headphone use, concerts, etc.
impacts successful aging

presbycosis

old age hearing loss

skin

becomes less taut, loss of elasticity

thinner in later adulthood

women ages sooner - hormones + thinner dermis than men

factors influencing - sun exposure + smoking

muscles

sarcopenia

cartilage becomes less flexible

decreases in metabolism + endurance

weight drops after 60 yrs

sarcopenia

age related loss of muscle mass + strength

can be delayed by physical activity

bones

density peaks in mid 30s, loss increases in 50s (women especially)

height increases as disks in spinal column collapse

loss of 1+ inch by age 60

osteoporosis

osteoporosis

low bone mass - about 1/4 us adults affected

at least 15 genes contribute

prevention - calcium/vitamin d rich diet, regular exercise, avoid smoking

lifestyle factors can slow changes

perimenopause

transition to + out of menopause (3 years before + after)

menopause

cessation of ovulation + menstruation

42-58 years (average 51 yrs)

reach 1 year after last menstrual period

symptoms - hot flashes, irregular cycles, sexual functioning

most women view positively

male sexuality changes

reproductive ability declines gradually

bodies produce less testosterone + become less fertile gradually

can father into 80 yrs

testosterone deficiency in 6-10% men

connections between testosterone levels + health related outcomes weak

mortality in middle adulthood

increasing midlife mortality rate

response to opined epidemic (unintentional poisoning/overdose)

cancer + heart disease

cancer

leading cause of death - 1/3 deaths ages 45-64

15% middle aged adults will develop

risk factors - genetics, environment, alcohol, low socioeconomic status

all studies done on white men - low data on women + minorities

gender differences in cancer types

w - lung, breast, colon/rectum

m - lung, prostate, colon/rectum

men diagnosed at higher rate than women

skin most common type for everybody

cardiovascular disease

2nd most common cause of death

high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack, irregular heartbeat, plaque buildup in arteries

risk factors - age, diet, smoking, hypertension

men more likely to have condition

women more likely to die from condition (heart attack)

diabetes

disease marked by high levels of blood glucose

managing - monitoring diet + glucose levels, injecting insulin

25% adults develop by age 65

5th leading cause of death ages 55-64

risk factors - genes, diet, exercise

risk for heart attack, stroke, depression, cognitive declines

changing nutritional needs (middle adulthood)

diet/nutrition plays important roles in illnesses + prevention

metabolism slowing down

importance of maintaining health weight, avoiding smoking, + consuming more vitamins

vitamin b, magnesium (420 mg men, 320 mg women), antioxidants, + omega-3

changing nutritional needs (late adulthood)

fewer calories, 2/3 at risk for malnutrition

meds impact absorption of minerals

declines in smell + taste influence food choice

exercise = increased blood flow to brain = better cognitive function

stress + health

fight or flight response

effects of chronic stress

varied sensitivity to stress

risk factors for stress sensitivity - childhood trauma

hardiness + resilience

sense of control, orientation towards positive growth, + commitment to life choices

ability to adapt to life changing demands

individuals who display hardiness tend to have higher sense of self-efficiency

better able to adapt to physical changes of midlife + stress

morality in late adulthood

chronic illness - cancer, heart disease, stroke, alzhiemers

injuries

common illnesses in late adulthood

cardiovascular disease

respiratory disease

cancer - rate of survival increasing

cardiovascular disease

arteries stiffen + cholesterol builds, reduced blood flow

respiratory disease

lungs lose elasticity, less oxygen in blood

minorities + racial differences in health

influence of socioeconomic status + education

osteoporosis - 3/4 cases in white women, less likely in black women due to higher bone density

longevity - African Americans more likely to live longer

dementia

neurological disorder - deterioration of mental functioning

loss of ability to care for self or recognize familiar surroundings + people

last in / first out hypothesis - last developed = first to lose function (prefrontal cortex)

alzheimers

most common cause of dementia

progressive neurodegenerative disorder

general cognitive decline - personality/behavior changes, motor complications, severe dementia, death

risk grows with age

diagnosed through exclusion + brain imaging

women, African American, + hispanic at greater risk

prevention - education (promotes neural activity + thickens cortex) and exercise (increases hippocampal area)

deterioration of whole brain

vascular dementia

multi-infarct dementia, second most common form

caused by strokes or blockages of blood vessels in brain

brain cells die w/ each small stroke - immediate loss of mental functioning

plasticity - tend to show improvement w/ time

men at greater risk

deterioration of specific part of brain

parkinsons disease

chronic, progressive disease

onset - damage to dopamine neurons

treatment - enhance affect of dopamine

symptoms - physical, tremors

lewy body dementia

as common as vascular dementia

visual hallucinations, fluctuating cognitive symptoms, sleep disorders

delirium

dementia symptoms caused by psychological or behavioral factors

reversible

causes - psychological factors, medication, nutrition, dehydration

symptoms of anxiety + depression in older adults

fluid intelligence

processing abilities, such as working memory + processing speed

discovering patterns + making memories

declines w/ age

crystallized intelligence

accumulated knowledge acquired through experiences + learning

continues w/ age

flynn effect

cohort effects suggest people are getting smarter w/ each generation

increases thought to be due to contextual factors

expertise

elaborate + integrated knowledge base

extraordinary proficiency in an area, supports gains in practical problem solving

with age most adults develop + expand

peaks in middle adulthood

increases in autonomy increases processing speed for tasks related

encapsulation

fluid intelligence + processing that is dedicated to specific knowledge making that knowledge easier to access + use

cognitive performance stable in an area of expertise - speed + problem solving

selective optimization w/ compensation

as people age, they select valued parts of their functioning + find ways to off set age related declines so they can adapt + maintain/improve abilities

career development (middle adulthood)

job satisfaction increases w/ age - professionals more than blue collar

gender + age discrimination (around 50 years, but age discrimination act prohibits)

most us adults not financially ready for retirement - most don’t start planning early enough

attention (late adulthood)

difficulty of dividing attention

difficulty of selective attention

memory (late adulthood)

working memory declines (starts in early adulthood, continues into late)

proactive interference - previous info interfering w/ development of new memory

episodic memory declines - names + faces, encoding new info

semantic memory improves - vocab + knowledge, deeper comprehension on facts + feelings

wisdom (late adulthood)

expertise in conduct + meanings of life

applies to working on real world problems

not always an outcome of age

age + experience predict development of wisdom

generatively vs stagnation

g - guiding the next generation

s - self-centered, self indulgent, self absorbed

middle adulthood, develops virtue of care

mid life crisis

idea that people enter a time of self doubt + stress as they evaluate their lives at mid life

not universal

only 20% report mid life as a crisis

presence of crisis more related to personal history of having crises at earlier transitions in life

45-65 years old

gender identity (middle adulthood)

early adults tend to adopt more traditional roles when becoming parents

women show more changes

gender identity more fluid for those w/ no kids

friendships in mid life

important for feelings of well being + self esteem

females closer w/ friends

time limitations - family, career

buffer against stress

parenting adolescents

early adolescence = increase in conflict

emotional impacts on parents

middle aged parents may revise own sense of identity

adult children + empty nest

important milestone for parents + children

mothers report more stress than fathers

parent well being tied to success/ neediness of adult children

majority of parents (90%) reports having positive regular interactions w/ adult children

negative interactions w/ adult children very stressful for parents

midlife parents give more assistance than they receive

caring for elderly parents

sandwich generation - providing financial + material support to aging parents + young children (only 15% midlife adults)

midlife adults gain appreciation of parents sacrifices

daughters report closer relationships + likely to be caregivers of parents

grandparenthood

most adults become grandparents by late 40s/early 50s

women avg age 49, men 52

role could last 1/3 of life

involvements of grandparent associated w/ adolescent wellbeing

relationships influenced by proximity, ses, culture

role of generativity

relationships show continuity + emotional closeness over time

subjective age

ones perceived age / how old one feels

middle - identify w/ younger self

late - most feel younger than chronological age, don’t categorize self as being old

ego integrity vs despair

late adulthood, develops virtue of wisdom

integrity - feel whole, complete, + satisfied w/ achievements, serenity + contentment

despair - feel many decisions were wrong, but now time is too short, bitter + unaccepting of coming death

reminiscence

process of telling stories from ones past to oneself or others

life review

reflection on past experiences + ones life, permitting greater self understanding + the assignment of meaning to their lives

rumination (sharing negative experiences) associated w/ poor adjustment

religion + aging

in us, religiosity increases across lifespan

buffer against stressful life events + depression

black ppl have stronger positive outcomes + importance of religiosity

friendships in late adulthood

quality higher, quantity lower

more meaningful than young adulthood

better health outcomes

similarities in values, activities, + demographics

sibling relationships (late adulthood)

share long-term common history

reported as close friends, regardless of geographic distance

provide emotional support + physical health

widowed adults rely more on siblings

marriage (late adulthood)

satisfaction increases, less conflict, more positive emotions, more humor + respect

divorce (late adulthood)

less likely compared w/ younger couples

adjustment more difficult

women face financial hardships, remarriage less likely

men more likely to remarry

cohabitation (late adulthood)

increasingly common

positive outcomes for older adults vs younger adults

benefits similar to marriage

grandchildren + great-grandchildren

tend to have less contact as families move away

most older adults find role fulfilling

fosters sense of longevity (never thought they’d live to see it)

1/3 rate relationships as close

factors of proximity, positive relationships w/ parents + grandparents, helping out

elder maltreatment

acts or omissions of care that cause harm to older person

accurate within context of trusting relationship

6-10% older adults report abuse in last month

believed to be under reported

prevention - dealing w/ caregiver stress + burnout

disengagement theory

assumes natural decline in social interaction as older adult anticipates end of life

mutual declines by both individual + societies demands to make aging smoother

theories of social contact

feeling connected socially associated w/ positive characteristics

social interaction tends to decline in older adulthood

activity theory

declines in social interaction are a function of social barriers to engagement

older adults attempt to engage in civic + social activities to boost morale + satisfaction

more activity = better

continuity theory

older adults work to maintain continuity + consistency in self despite changes due to aging

desire to maintain their habits + lifestyle, adapting as needed

effort to minimize losses + optimize strengths to maintain sense of self

socioemotional selectivity theory

increased awareness of time/limited time left

selecting out relationships that are not as important or that are downers

emphasizing relationships that are important/meaningful

neighborhoods

1/4 adults live in rural areas

urban areas - more access to services, less safe

rural - closer relationships

preference to age in own home - sense of control, importance of support systems

nursing homes

small number of older adults reside here

poorer outcomes

importance of sense of control + social interaction (restrictive)

retirement

decide to retire - financial readiness, health status, working conditions

adjustment - common honeymoon phase, most adjust positively

influences on adjustment - health, financial security, voluntary, social integration

gradual retirement to supplement income is common

successful aging

avoid disease/disability, maintain physical + cognitive function, active engagement in social activities

clinical death

absence of heartbeat

whole brain death

irreversible loss of functioning in entire brain

both higher + lower brain areas (cortex + brainstem)

resuscitation not possible

persistent vegetative state

intact brainstem

awake but not responsive or aware

living will

created by person of sound mine to describe their desires about medical care

durable power of attorney

setting up health care proxy to make medical decisions

advance directives

allow person to control medical care + address actions after death

all 50 states accept advance directives

euthanasia

painlessly ending lives of individuals who are suffering from an incurable disease of severe disability

active - physician assisted suicide (illegal in most states)

passive - alled to die naturally by withdrawing life support

hospice

receive care to be comforted during death

palliative care

reducing pain + suffering, allowing individuals to die w/ dignity

nonfunctionality

end of all life defining abilities of functionality

irreversibility

the physical body cannot be made alive again

inevitability

death is universal, that all living things will die someday

biological causality

death is caused by natural processes, not by bad behavior or thoughts

infant understanding of death

sensitive to towers emotions, separation anxietye

early childhood understanding of death

death reversible/temporary, magical causes

grief - increased activity, bed wetting, anger, nightmares, crying

transduction - I was bad

good to speak to child in concrete terms

middle childhood understanding of death

death understood as final + irreversible + not universal

crying

good to be included in funerals

internalization - headaches, stomachaches

late childhood understanding of death

death seen as final + irreversible + universal

morbid curiosity about death

help child to connect emotions to loss

adolescent understanding of death

able to think abstractly

consider meaning of death

intense emotion

may engage in high risk behaviors - personal fable

young adult understanding of death

think about how death applies to themselves, less risky behavior

middle adult understanding of death

awareness of death increases, assess priorities, increased focus on generativity

older adult understanding of death

may be outliving family/friends, may talk about own death/funerals

less anxiety around death, better management of negative emotions, religiosity increases

kubler-ross stages of death

denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance

not chronological, can move throughout

research support - positive impact, more conversation about death

children connection to own death

child w/ terminal illness may have more mature view of death than older, healthy children

handle questions concretely