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Aging and Late Adulthood
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Aging and Late Adulthood
Aging and Late Adulthood
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Question
What are some common physiological changes in the lungs and heart associated with old age?
Answer
Lungs become less effective due to reductions in lung volume, muscle atrophy involved in breathing, and reduced ability of cilia. Elderly adults are more likely to suffer from arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), thickened heart muscle walls, and valves that no longer open completely.
Question
Define 'Reserve Capacity' and its significance in late adulthood.
Answer
Reserve Capacity is the backup capacity that helps body systems function to their utmost limits in times of stress. It diminishes in late adulthood, which contributes to reduced physiological resilience.
Question
What brain changes occur in late adulthood, particularly affecting memory?
Answer
The brain gradually diminishes in volume and weight, especially in the frontal and temporal regions; the hippocampus (memory area) shrinks and there is a decrease in dopamine neurotransmitters due to synapse loss, affecting memory formation and retrieval.
Question
List three common vision problems in older adults and briefly describe them.
Answer
1. Cataracts: Cloudy or opaque areas in the lens of the eye. 2. Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Degeneration of retinal cells in the macula, leading to loss of sharp central vision. 3. Glaucoma: Irreversible damage to the optic nerve caused by increased pressure in the eye.
Question
Explain the 'Classic Aging Pattern' observed in intelligence testing of older adults.
Answer
Scores on intelligence tests such as the WAIS drop with age mainly in the performance scale (processing speed and nonverbal tasks) and slightly on other scales. Tasks requiring speed show more decline, while declines for tasks without speed demands are less pronounced.
Question
What is the difference between Cognitive Mechanics and Cognitive Pragmatics?
Answer
Cognitive Mechanics refers to the hardware of the mind, such as speed, accuracy, sensory memory, and processing abilities, which decline starting in midlife. Cognitive Pragmatics refers to culture-based software like reading, writing, language, and life skills, which are acquired over time and tend to decline only in old age.
Question
Describe how selective, divided, sustained, and executive attention function and how they relate to aging.
Answer
- Selective Attention: Focusing on specific aspects of experience relevant to a task. - Divided Attention: Concentrating on more than one activity simultaneously. - Sustained Attention: Maintaining focused, extended engagement with a task. - Executive Attention: Planning actions, allocating and monitoring attention, and detecting errors. Older adults tend to have more difficulty with switching attention and divided attention tasks.
Question
What are the different types of memory affected in old age and how?
Answer
- Episodic Memory (linked to specific events) deteriorates most with age. - Semantic Memory (meanings, facts, concepts) shows little decline. - Procedural Memory (motor skills and habits) is relatively unaffected. Older adults may have trouble accessing and retrieving information, leading to language problems and false memories.
Question
What is wisdom in the context of old age, and how is it related to ego integrity?
Answer
Wisdom is an exceptional breadth and depth of knowledge about life conditions, accompanied by an informed and detached concern with life itself, especially in facing death. For Erik Erikson, achieving ego integrity—accepting one’s life without major regrets—is the crowning achievement of late adulthood linked to wisdom.
Question
Summarize the psychosocial theories of aging: Disengagement Theory, Activity Theory, and Continuity Theory.
Answer
- Disengagement Theory: Aging involves gradual reduction in social involvement and greater preoccupation with self. - Activity Theory: The more active older adults are, the better they age. - Continuity Theory: Maintaining connections between past and present lifestyles is important; activity continues previous patterns rather than being valuable on its own.
Question
Explain the concept of 'Selective Optimization with Compensation' in aging.
Answer
It involves older adults choosing meaningful goals to conserve resources, optimizing their abilities to maximize gains, and compensating for declines by developing new abilities that help maintain function and independence.
Question
Describe the phases of retirement and the emotional or psychological changes associated with each.
Answer
1. Pre-Retirement: Planning and thinking about retirement life and finances. 2. Retirement: Transition from full-time work to retirement. 3. Contentment (Honeymoon phase): Positive enjoyment of retirement. 4. Disenchantment: Possible feelings of loneliness, disillusionment, and uselessness. 5. Reorientation: Reassessing identity and purpose as a retiree. 6. Routine: Settling into new, stable retirement routines.
Question
What factors influence how well a person adjusts to retirement?
Answer
Five broad categories: 1. Individual attributes (health, finances). 2. Pre-retirement job-related variables (stress). 3. Family-related variables (marriage quality, dependents). 4. Retirement transition-related variables. 5. Postretirement activities (e.g., volunteering, which is linked to better health and less depression).
Question
How do social relationships and networks typically change or function in late adulthood according to Social Convoy and Socioemotional Selectivity theories?
Answer
Social Convoy Theory suggests older adults maintain social support by retaining a network of important people. Socioemotional Selectivity Theory states that as perceived remaining time shortens, older adults prioritize relationships and activities that meet immediate emotional needs.
Question
What are some common trends in marital relationships and widowhood in late adulthood?
Answer
Married couples in late adulthood tend to report higher satisfaction and fewer adjustment problems compared to middle-aged couples. Close marriages can reduce psychological distress from disabilities. Widowhood is associated with increased mortality risk and emotional challenges.