Psych words

Basic self-care tasks required to live on one's own, such as bathing, dressing, getting in and out of bed or a chair.

The most common form of dementia, in which structual and chemical deterioration in the brain is associated with gradual loss of man aspects of thought and behavior, including memory, skilled and purposeful movements, and speech production.

A structural change in the brain associated with Alzheimer's disease in which dense deposits of a deteriorated protein called amyloid are surrounded by clumps of dead nerve and glial cells.

A homelike housing arrangement for seniors who require more care than can be provided at home but less than is usually provided in nursing homes. Cos-effective alternative to nursing homes that prevents unnecessary institutionalization

A set of disorders occurring almost entirely in old age in which many aspects of thought and behavior are so impaired that everyday activities are disrupted. Rises sharply with age, strikes both sexes equally.

Weakened functioning of diverse organs and body systems, which profoundly interferes with everyday competence and leaves the older adults highly vulnerable in the face of an infection, extremely hot or cold weather, or an injury. A person of extreme infirmity who displays wasted muscle mass.

Actual competence and performance of an older adult.

Tasks necessary to conduct the business of daily life and also requiring some cognitive competence, such as telephoning, shopping, food preparation, housekeeping, and paying bills.

Recall that involves remembering to engage in planned actions at an appropriate time in the future.

Marked acceleration in deterioration of cognitive functioning prior to death.

When reminiscing over one's life one feels positive and successful. The result of positive resolution of final life crisis. Have a sense of integrity and feel whole, complete and satisfied with their achievements. Coming to terms with their life. They have adapted to the mix of triumphs and dissapointments that are inevitable part of life. The capacity to view ones life in the larger context. The ego's assurance of its capacity to order and bestow meaning. Coming to terms with your life.

Become preoccupied with past experiences. Manifests itself as fear of death, that life is too short, concentrates on failures. Feel they have made too many wrong decisions, yet time is too short to find an alternate route to integrity. Hard to accept death is near and is overwhelmed with bitterness, and hopelessness.

The ability to age in one's home. To live a desirable lifestyle by participating in their communities, remaining independent as their health allows, having access to educational, cultural, and recreational facilities, feeling safe, and living in an intergenerational environment.

The process of telling stories about people and events from the past and reporting associated thoughts and feelings.

A model of age related changes in social networks, which views the individual within a cluster of relationships moving through life. Close ties are in the inner circle, less close ties on the outside. With age, people change places in the convoy, new ties are added, and some are lost entirely.

Refers to the period after midlife when older people are freed from work and parenting responsibilities and have more time to invest in lifelong learning.

A written statement of desired medical treatment should a person become incurably ill. There are two kinds: a living will, and durable power of attorney for health care.

A type of advance directive, where people specify the treatments they do or do not want in case of a terminal illness, coma, or other near death situation.

Authorizes appointment of another person to make health care decisions on one's behalf in case of incompetence.

Greek word for it means "struggle" . The primary phase of dying in which gasps and muscle spasms occur during the first moments in which the body can no longer sustain life.

A short interval follows in which heart-beat, circulation, breathing , and brain functioning stop but resuscitation is still possible.

The individual passes into permanent death. Within a few hours, the newly lifeless being appears shrunken, not at all like the person he or she was when alive.

Before a prolonged, expected death, acknowledging that the loss is inevitable and preparing emotionally for it.

Fear and apprehension of death

The practice of ending the life of a person suffering from an incurable condition

Intense physical and psychological distress following the loss of a loved one.

A comprehensive program (a philosophy) of support services that focuses on meeting terminally ill patients' physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs as they prepare for death and that offers follow up bereavement services to families. Work on controlling pain, retaining dignity and self-worth, care provided by interdisciplinary team.

Also called "comfort care"; care for terminally ill, suffering patients that relives pain and other symptoms aimed at protecting the patients quality of life rather than prolonging life. Work on reducing pain and severity of symptoms.

A state produced by absence of brain wave activity at the cortex in which the person is unconscious, displays no voluntary movements, and has no hope of recovery

The academic study of death among humans. It investigates the circumstances surrounding a person's death, the grief experienced by the deceased's loved ones, and larger social attitudes towards death such as ritual and memorialization. It works to develop guidelines to ease the process of dying. Thanatology also studies the similarities and differences of various cultures around the world and their manner of dealing with death of themselves or a loved one