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the field of study that focuses on understanding the bilogical, psychological, social, and political factors that influence people's lives

clinical study and treatment of older people and the diseases that affect them

• chronological aging
• biological aging
• psychological aging
• social aging

changes that occur to an organism during its life span, from development to maturation to senescence

• young old (ages 65 -74)
• old old (ages 75 - 84)
• oldest old (ages 85 and older)

• the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation, and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age
• emphasis on autonomy/choice with aging
• model of viewing aging as a positive experience of continued growth and participation in family, community, and social activites, regardless of physical and cognitive decline

• those who are frail
• disabled
• or require assistance with daily living

the importance of physical, psychological, and social well being in later years

• health and social services
• behavioral determinants
• personal determinants
• physical environment
• social determinants
• economic determinants
• ^outside of these^
• gender
• culture

the individuals behavior throughout life

personality, style, and how we cope and adapt to change as we age

family, friends, informal and formal support networks

economic / financial security

access to and use of health and social services across the life cycle

a model that suggests that the environment is not a static backdrop, but changes continually as the elder takes from it what he/she needs, controls what can be modified, and adjusts to conditions that cannot be changed

• females born in 2005 are expected to reach 80+ years
• males born in 2005 are expected to reach 75.2 years
• even in 2050, male life exp. will be less than 80 years, females will achieve 84.3 years

• grows more rapidly than any other age group in the US
• in 2005, 36.8 million were over age 65
• centenarians (age 100+)

aggregate of individuals who experienced the same events within the same time interval

aging based on a persons years lived from birth

• refers to physical changes that reduce the efficiency of organ systems, such as the lungs, heart, and circulatory system
• (functional aging)

includes the changes that occur in sensory and perceptual processes, cognitive abilities (memory, learning, intelligence), adaptive capacity, and personality

refers to an individuals changing roles and relationships with family, friends, and other imformal supports, both paid and unpaid productive roles, and within organizations such as religious and political groups

the area of gerontology that is concerned with the impact of social and sociocultural conditions on the process of aging and its social consequences

• after age 30, additional changes occur that reflect normal declines in all organ systems
• happens gradually throughout the body, reducing the viability of different bodily systems and increasing their vunerability to disease.
• final stage in development of an organism

an individuals ability to thrive despite adversity in their lives

this approach captures how earlier life experiences and decisions affect opportunities in later life and for future generations within and across cultures and time

useful way to view the dynamic interactions between the person's physical and psychological characteristics and the social and physical environment

may refer to the larger society, the community, the neighborhood, or the home

the demands that social and physical environments make on the individual to adapt, respond, or change.

• the theoretical upper limit of an individuals abilities to function in different areas
• good health
• effective problem solving
• learning skills
• ability to manage the basic activites of daily living

the maximum number of years a given species could expect to live if environmental hazards were eliminated.

"ideal curve"

• majority are women at 71 percent
• their educational level is lower than for those age 65 to 74
• most women widowed compared to men (78.3 vs. 34.6 percent)

illustrates the changing proportions of young and old persons in the population

• experiencing only a few years of major illness in very old age
• implies that premature death is minimized because disease and functional decline are compressed into a brief period of 3 to 5 years before death

distinguish between merely living a long life and living to a healthy old age

the collection of data on people of different ages at one time

the study of the same person over a period of months of years

ways that one generation differs from another

ways that people normally change over time

joint effect of two variables on an outcome of interest

• permit inferences about age changes
• eliminate cohort effects by studying the same people over time

• problem: affects most studies of older people
• the birth cohort loses members so that those who remain are not necessarily representative of all members of the original group

the combine the strengths of cross sectional and longitudinal research designs: cohort-sequential, time sequential, cross sequential methods

• an extension of the longitudinal design
• two or more cohorts are followed for a period of time so that measurments are taken of different cohorts at the same ages but different points in time

• useful for distinguishing between age and time of measurment or historical factors
• can be used to determine if changes obtained are due to aging or to historical factors
• compare two or more cross sectional samples at two or more measument periods

• combines cross sectional and longitudinal designs
• becoming more widely used

• the rapid growth of the population age 60 and older
• expected to grow by more than 50 percent btw 2009 and 2050

conferred respect and authority to older adults who controlled these resources or skills

advances in technology, applied sciences, urbanization, and literacy which, in this context, are related to a decline in the status of older people

reduced infant mortality and maternal deaths and prolonged adult life, thereby increasing the number of older persons

creates new jobs primarily for the young, with older workers more likely to remain in traditional occupations that become obsolete

older parents and grandparents remain on the family farm or in rural communities

a sense of reverence and deference toward elders

grandparents caring for grandchildren after the parents had relocated to urban areas for employment

the process of integrating two cultures into one's lifestyle

the performance ability of the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs

suggests that, like a machine, the organism simply wears out over time

suggests that aging occurs as cells slow their number of replications

makes use of findings of cellular aging theory in its observations that replicative senescence occurs with aging, defined as the declining ability of T cells in aging organisms to replicate

• series of protective DNA structures at the end of human chromosomes
• shorten with multiple cell divisions
• as they reach very short lengths, the cell cycle ends

• a gene with the catalytic component of human telomerase to various cell types.
• experiments succesful in stabilizing the length of telomeres, normalizing cell function and replication, and not causing tumor growth

the progressive and irreversible accumulation of oxidative damage to cells explains the age related loss of physiological function

• chemical inhibitors that can safely absorb the extra electron and prevent oxygen from combining with susceptible molecules to form free radicals and damage DNA.
• created by cells in the body, but aging results in slower productions of antioxidants

• evidence that mutated forms of mitochondrial DNA accumulate in the body with aging.
• unclear whether this is a cause or a byproduct of age related deterioration and death

the idea that the length of healthy life can be extended and some diseases associated with aging eliminated.

alterations in muscle mass, fat tissue, and water, skin, hair

decline in muscle mass and increase fat

older people who maintain a vigorous exercise program can prevent a significant loss of muscle tone

wrinkled, dried, and tougher texture of older people's skin

darker pigmentation of the skin

harmless from a health standpoint but of concern for their appearance

second layer of skin

deepest skin layers which tend to lose fat and water with aging

low body temperature sometimes resulting in brain damage or death

heat stroke

a disease that makes the bones less dense, more porous, and hence more prone to fractures

crush fractures of the spine cause the vertrbrae to collapse, to such an extent that over time, some people (esp women) appear to be stoop shouldered or hunched

adjustment in body positions become known through kinesthetic cues

touch

• the maximum amount of oxygen that can be brought into the lungs with a deep breath
• this declines as people age

an age pigment composed of fat and protein

abnormal swelling in veins that are under high pressure

the arterial and vessel walls become increasingly lined with lipids (fats) which makes it more difficult for blood to be pumped through the vessels and arteries

level of blood pressure during the contraction phase (systole)

refers to the stage when the chambers of the heart are filling with blood

high intensity training can lead to this

the rate at which blood is filtered through the kidneys

difficulties with bladder control

a chronic inflammation of the stomach lining

reduced production of two important hormones in women

a type of sugar found in plants and animals, serves as a major energy source and circulates in blood

nerve cells

diminished ability to remember, make accurate judgements, etc

a 5 to 10 second cessation of breathing

a neuromuscluar disturbance affeting the legs during sleep

a fatty yellow ring may form around the cornea

a disease in which there is insufficient drainage or excessive production of aqueous humor, the fluid in the front portion of the eye

muscles that help stretch the lens also deteriorate with age, thereby compounding the problem of changing the shape of the lens

• clouding of the lens to the point that the lens prevents light from entering
• the fourth leading cause of blindness in the US and the primary basis for blindness worldwide

lose acuity in the center of their visual field

a condition in which the stapes becomes fixed and cannot vibrate

sensorineural loss that accompanies aging

• a high pitched ringing
• affects older people but can also occur early in life

a state of complete physical, mental, and social well being

• the presence or absence of disease
• the degree of disability in an individual's level of functioning.

impairments in the ability to complete multiple daily tasks

• unintended weight loss
• slow walking speed
• low physical activity levels
• weak grip strength
• chronic exhaustion
• (a person must exhibit at least three of these to have this condition)

the coexistence or two or more chronic systemic or psychiatric condition

combination of an individuals functional health, feelings of competence, autonomy in performing ADL's and satisfaction with one's social circumstances

temporary

• long term (more than 3 months)
• often permanent, leaving a residual disability that may require long term management or care rather than a cure

reduced resistance to environmental carcinogens, viruses, and bacteria

fatty deposits begin early in life and accumulate to reduce the size of the passageway of the large arteries

• during this stage life developemental tasks are mostly psychological
• retirement and lower income
• living with your spouse in retirement
• associating with your age group or with older people
• maintaining interest in friends and family ties
• continuing social and civic responsibilities
• coping with illness and/or loss of a spouse or friend
• finding satisfactory living arrangements at different stages of later adulthood
• adjusting to changing physical strength and health and overcoming bodily preoccupation
• accepting the prospect of death

• focus on the changing roles and
• relationships that accompany aging. These theories discuss how these changing
• roles, relationships, and status impact the older individual’s ability to
• adapt

• One of the earliest and most
• controversial theories of aging, views aging as a process of gradual withdrawal
• between society and the older adult. This mutual withdrawal or disengagement is
• a natural, acceptable, and universal process that accompanies growing old
• benefits both the older population and the social system

• Asserts that
• remaining active and engaged with society is pivotal to satisfaction in old
• age. This mentality is diametrically opposed to the disengagement theory.
• Successful aging equals active aging. Activity can be physical or intellectual
• in nature.

• To
• maintain a positive self-image, the older person must develop new interests,
• hobbies, roles, and relationships to replace those that are diminished or lost
• in late life.

• Personality,
• values, morals, preferences, role activity, and basic patterns of behavior are
• consistent throughout the life span, regardless of the life changes one
• encounters