LATE ADULTHOOD:

Physical and cognitive development

Aging: Myth and RealityAging: Myth and Reality

Ageism: stereotyping and judging a group of people solely on the basis of their age.

Gerontology: the study of aging and the special problems associated with it.

Geropsychology: the study of the behavior and needs of the elderly.

Older Adults: Who are They?Older Adults: Who are They?

Future Growth: United States– In 1990: 35,808 people were 100 years old; in

1998: 66,000– Projection: 60 million people living beyond 70

years by the year 2050.

Increased dependency ratio Increased demand for resources Emergence of older people as a political

force and social movement

EffectsEffects

MythsMyths

Most persons age 65 and over live in hospitals, nursing homes

The elderly are incapacitated and in bed because of illness

Most elderly people are “prisoners of fear” by virtue or their fear of crime

MythsMyths

Most people over 65 are in serious financial straits

Most grown children live away from their elderly parents and abandon them

GenderGender

Women Live Longer Than Men The ratio of women to men is 4 to 1 in

people over 65

HealthHealth

Nutrition and Health Risks Osteoporosis: a condition associated with a

slow, insidious loss of calcium that results in porous bones

Drug Dosages and Absorption Effects Health problems result from overmedication

and mixing medications

Mental HealthMental Health

Mental Health and Depression Depressed elderly often do not seek

treatment.

Biological AgingBiological Aging

Biological aging: changes that occur in the structure and functioning of the human organism over time.

Primary aging: time-related changes; a continuous process that begins at conception and ceases at death.

Physical ChangesPhysical Changes

Hair grows thinner and turns gray Skin changes Fat and muscle bulk decrease Wrinkling Collagen: a substance that constitutes a very

high percentage of the total protein in the body, appears to be implicated in the aging process

Vision and Hearing Vision and Hearing

Retinal detachment: a serious condition in which the retinal layer at the back of the eyeball begins to “peel away.”

Hearing loss– Loss of memory ability linked with loss of

hearing

A condition in which body temperature falls more than 4 degrees Fahrenheit and persists for a number of hours.

HypothermiaHypothermia

Sleep ChangesSleep Changes

Sleep patterns change Sleep apnea: a disorder in which the person

occasionally stops breathing during sleep

SexualitySexuality

Many factors may influence a decline in sexual activity as individuals age.

Biological Theories of AgingBiological Theories of Aging Genetic Preprogramming Aging Effects of Hormones Accumulation of Copying Errors Error in DNA Autoimmune Mechanisms Accumulation of Metabolic Wastes Stochastic Processes Longevity Assurance Theory

Cognitive FunctioningCognitive Functioning

The Varied Courses of Different Cognitive Abilities

Perceptual speed decreases Depends on whether the elderly use their

abilities

Cognitive DeclineCognitive Decline

Factors that reduce risk of cognitive decline in old age:– Good health: no chronic diseases– Environmental circumstances : education,

interests, income and family– Stimulating lifestyle– Flexible and adaptable personality– Marriage to spouse with high cognitive capabilities

Death DropDeath Drop

Overestimating the Effects of Aging Death drop: a marked intellectual decline,

or the terminal decline phenomenon, occurs just a short time before a person dies

Memory and AgingMemory and Aging

Characteristics of older learners:– Preference for a slower pace– More errors of omission due to cautiousness– More disrupted by emotional arousal– Less attentive– Less willing to deal with irrelevant material– Less likely to use imagery

Information ProcessingInformation Processing

Phases in Information Processing When information is remembered, three

things occur– Encoding– Storage– Retrieval

Memory FailureMemory Failure

Decay Theory: forgetting is due to deterioration of the memory traces in the brain.

Interference theory: retrieval of a cue becomes less effective as more and newer items come in to be classed or categorized in terms of it.

Learning and AgingLearning and Aging

Older learners benefit when given more time to learn something.

Older learners are more reluctant to venture a response.

Medications can diminish mental functions.

SenilitySenility

Senility: progressive mental deterioration, memory loss, and disorientation regarding time and place

Multiinfarcts: “little strokes” that destroy a small area of brain tissue– 20-25% of all senility results from these

Alzheimer’s DiseaseAlzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease: a progressive, degenerative disorder that involves deterioration of brain cells.– 50% of all senility results from Alzheimer’s

Disease.

Alzheimer’s DiseaseAlzheimer’s Disease

Phases of Alzheimer’s– Forgetfulness– Confusion– Dementia

Moral DevelopmentMoral Development

James Fowler’s Stages of Faith – Primal– Intuitive-Projective– Mythic-Literal– Synthetic-Conventional– Individuative-Reflective– Conjunctive Faith and the Interindividual Self– Universalizing Faith