Elderly
Content
ELDERLY
-
Group 10
-
Years encompassing the age of 65 and
beyond are considered as the late
adulthood period
Other developmental psychologists
further divide later adulthood into youngold (ages 65–85) and old-old (ages 85
and beyond) stages.
In the Philippines, senior citizens or those
aged 60 years old and over in 2010
comprised 6.8 percent (6.3 million) of the
household population.
Gerontology - the study of old age and
aging
Gerontologists are particularly interested
in confronting ageism, or prejudice and
discrimination against older adults.
Aging depends in part on the family
(genetic) patterns of aging but is mostly
depending on the lifestyle choices of an
individual.
As your age increases, changes also
increase. (directly proportional )
Physical Effects of Aging:
-
Skin
less elastic and more lined and wrinkled
slow fingernail growth
drier skin due to less oil production of
oil glands (recommended use of
moisturizers and sunscreens)
Hair
Thinning of hair on the scalp, pubic
area, and armpits.
Gray hair growth due to declining of
pigment cells
Height
Loosing of as much as 2 in. (5 cm) in
height by the age of 80 due to normal
changes in posture and compression of
joints, spinal bones, and spinal discs.
Hearing
-
high-frequency sounds are harder to
hear
changes in tone
speech less clear
Vision
lenses in the eyes become less flexible
(presbyopia) (need for reading glasses)
night vision and visual sharpness
decline
glare increasingly interferes with clear
vision
Sleep
Changes in circadian rhythm
Probability of sleeping less at night
May not sleep as deeply as you did
when you were younger
Waking up during the night and/or
waking up earlier in the morning
Bones
bones get less dense and strong due to
loosing some of the mineral content
(recommend getting regular exercise,
taking enough calcium and vitamin D,
and avoid smoking)
Metabolism and Body Composition
slow metabolism
more body fat and less muscle mass due
to hormonal changes (regular exercise
and less intake of cholesterol)
Brain and Nervous System
Decreasing of brain's weight, the size of
its nerve network, and its blood flow
Growth of new patterns of nerve
endings
Memory changes (challenge yourself to
learn new things, be physically active,
engage in regular social activity)
Heart and Blood Circulation
Heart becomes less efficient and has to
work a little harder during activity than
it did in the past
Heart muscle gets a little larger
Gradual decline in energy or endurance
from one decade to the next
Lungs
-
-
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
lungs become less efficient, supplying
the body with less oxygen (regular
physical activity)
Kidneys
kidneys decline in size and function
don't clear wastes and some medicines
from the blood as quickly
don't help the body handle dehydration
as well as in the past (minimize toxins,
alcohol, and unnecessary medicine;
drink plenty of water)
Urinary incontinence
decrease of mobility
some medicine side effects can all lead
to urinary incontinence (need of
doctor’s help)
Sexual function
production of lower levels of hormones
Men produce less sperm, and their
sexual response time slows
Women stop ovulating and have a
number of menopausal changes linked
to lower estrogen production
As you get older, an inactive lifestyle
increases your risk of chronic disease.
Conversely, getting regular aerobic exercise
is one of your best defenses against diseases,
such as:
Coronary artery disease.
Osteoarthritis.
High blood pressure.
Obesity.
Osteoporosis (weight-bearing exercise is
necessary).
Type 2 diabetes.
Cancer.
If you already have a chronic disease,
becoming physically active may reduce your
need for medicine to treat or control it.
8 Unhealthy Habits That Make
You Age Faster
by Chris Iliades, MD
1. Smoking
2.
-
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
-
8.
-
Increase risk for heart and lung
disease
Can activate enzymes that break
down the elasticity of your skin
Crash Dieting
Reduction of energy level
Messing with your concentration
Depression and irritability
Causes wrinkles and sagging because
aging skin, which has less elasticity,
doesn’t have time to adjust to the
weight loss
Not Getting Enough Sleep
can keep you from functioning well
during the day
can lead to weight gain, another drag
on senior health
Skipping Fruits and Veggies
drawn complexion with wrinkles
Holding On to Grudges
resulting in less productive years
Appearance of wrinkles from
frowning
Benefits include lower blood
pressure, less depression, less stress,
and less anxiety.
Carrying Around Stress
mental decline
letting go of stress helps in avoiding
cognitive impairment and keeping
the mind young
Becoming a Couch Potato
Regular physical activity can stave
off heart disease to keeping stress at
bay
Exercise can prevent injury that can
limit mobility and, in turn, your
independence is a potentially lifethreatening blow to senior health
Drinking Alcohol
More than one drink a day for an
older man and half of one for an
older woman can be too much
Excessive alcohol consumption can
cause cognitive decline and may
contribute to falls.
-
Alcohol can also interfere with some
medications
Goals and Achievements
By the time that clients have
reached an elderly age, many have
already achieved many things.
These involve graduating from
school, getting a job, getting
married, raising a family, and
retiring from their jobs. It can be
said that they have already
reached what many younger
people aim to do. Apart from these,
the elderly have contributed to
society in countless ways. With an
increasing number of elderly clients
each year, the number of programs
or services that they require have
increased, leading to a rise in the
spending of healthcare. The
increased spending attributed to
these has given benefit to the
economy, at the same time,
providing job opportunities for
other people. The elderly are also
still allowed to vote, and have
participated in the voting of
government officials. With that
said, the elderly continue to have
goals that they set themselves on
accomplishing. It can be perceived
that many of them prioritize their
health, and achieve satisfaction
through regular exercise and help
from the medical community.
Another goal is that of selfrelevance. Community service
provides a sense of that, which
results in positive feelings that
further empower the elderly.
Finally, a continued, strong, and
healthy relationship with friends
and family is something that they
also aim to have. Constant
travelling and visiting, and
participation in family-bonding
activities are just some of the ways
to help in achieving that.
REFERENCES:
http://www.everydayhealth.c
om/senior-healthpictures/bad-habits-thatmake-you-age-faster.aspx#09
http://www.emedicinehealth.c
om/healthy_aginghealth/page3_em.htm
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/sc
iences/psychology/developm
ent-psychology/physicalcognitive-development65/physical-developmentage-65
https://openlibrary.org/
books/OL17892240M/LI
FE_GOALS_IN_ELDERLY_
WOMEN_A_PHENOMEN
OLOGICAL_STUDY_(GO
AL_ACHIEVEMENT_WO
MEN_ELDERLY)
http://www.medrounds.
org/encyclopedia-ofaging/2005/12/achieve
ments-at-advancedage-action.html
http://www.bloomberg.c
om/apps/news?
pid=newsarchive&sid=
axV6K65QoAg8
http://www.who.int/agei
ng/publications/global_
health.pdf
http://www.theguardian
.com/society/2013/mar/
11/increasing-social-
care-demands-ageingpopulation
ELDERLY
-
Group 10
-
Years encompassing the age of 65 and
beyond are considered as the late
adulthood period
Other developmental psychologists
further divide later adulthood into youngold (ages 65–85) and old-old (ages 85
and beyond) stages.
In the Philippines, senior citizens or those
aged 60 years old and over in 2010
comprised 6.8 percent (6.3 million) of the
household population.
Gerontology - the study of old age and
aging
Gerontologists are particularly interested
in confronting ageism, or prejudice and
discrimination against older adults.
Aging depends in part on the family
(genetic) patterns of aging but is mostly
depending on the lifestyle choices of an
individual.
As your age increases, changes also
increase. (directly proportional )
Physical Effects of Aging:
-
Skin
less elastic and more lined and wrinkled
slow fingernail growth
drier skin due to less oil production of
oil glands (recommended use of
moisturizers and sunscreens)
Hair
Thinning of hair on the scalp, pubic
area, and armpits.
Gray hair growth due to declining of
pigment cells
Height
Loosing of as much as 2 in. (5 cm) in
height by the age of 80 due to normal
changes in posture and compression of
joints, spinal bones, and spinal discs.
Hearing
-
high-frequency sounds are harder to
hear
changes in tone
speech less clear
Vision
lenses in the eyes become less flexible
(presbyopia) (need for reading glasses)
night vision and visual sharpness
decline
glare increasingly interferes with clear
vision
Sleep
Changes in circadian rhythm
Probability of sleeping less at night
May not sleep as deeply as you did
when you were younger
Waking up during the night and/or
waking up earlier in the morning
Bones
bones get less dense and strong due to
loosing some of the mineral content
(recommend getting regular exercise,
taking enough calcium and vitamin D,
and avoid smoking)
Metabolism and Body Composition
slow metabolism
more body fat and less muscle mass due
to hormonal changes (regular exercise
and less intake of cholesterol)
Brain and Nervous System
Decreasing of brain's weight, the size of
its nerve network, and its blood flow
Growth of new patterns of nerve
endings
Memory changes (challenge yourself to
learn new things, be physically active,
engage in regular social activity)
Heart and Blood Circulation
Heart becomes less efficient and has to
work a little harder during activity than
it did in the past
Heart muscle gets a little larger
Gradual decline in energy or endurance
from one decade to the next
Lungs
-
-
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
lungs become less efficient, supplying
the body with less oxygen (regular
physical activity)
Kidneys
kidneys decline in size and function
don't clear wastes and some medicines
from the blood as quickly
don't help the body handle dehydration
as well as in the past (minimize toxins,
alcohol, and unnecessary medicine;
drink plenty of water)
Urinary incontinence
decrease of mobility
some medicine side effects can all lead
to urinary incontinence (need of
doctor’s help)
Sexual function
production of lower levels of hormones
Men produce less sperm, and their
sexual response time slows
Women stop ovulating and have a
number of menopausal changes linked
to lower estrogen production
As you get older, an inactive lifestyle
increases your risk of chronic disease.
Conversely, getting regular aerobic exercise
is one of your best defenses against diseases,
such as:
Coronary artery disease.
Osteoarthritis.
High blood pressure.
Obesity.
Osteoporosis (weight-bearing exercise is
necessary).
Type 2 diabetes.
Cancer.
If you already have a chronic disease,
becoming physically active may reduce your
need for medicine to treat or control it.
8 Unhealthy Habits That Make
You Age Faster
by Chris Iliades, MD
1. Smoking
2.
-
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
-
8.
-
Increase risk for heart and lung
disease
Can activate enzymes that break
down the elasticity of your skin
Crash Dieting
Reduction of energy level
Messing with your concentration
Depression and irritability
Causes wrinkles and sagging because
aging skin, which has less elasticity,
doesn’t have time to adjust to the
weight loss
Not Getting Enough Sleep
can keep you from functioning well
during the day
can lead to weight gain, another drag
on senior health
Skipping Fruits and Veggies
drawn complexion with wrinkles
Holding On to Grudges
resulting in less productive years
Appearance of wrinkles from
frowning
Benefits include lower blood
pressure, less depression, less stress,
and less anxiety.
Carrying Around Stress
mental decline
letting go of stress helps in avoiding
cognitive impairment and keeping
the mind young
Becoming a Couch Potato
Regular physical activity can stave
off heart disease to keeping stress at
bay
Exercise can prevent injury that can
limit mobility and, in turn, your
independence is a potentially lifethreatening blow to senior health
Drinking Alcohol
More than one drink a day for an
older man and half of one for an
older woman can be too much
Excessive alcohol consumption can
cause cognitive decline and may
contribute to falls.
-
Alcohol can also interfere with some
medications
Goals and Achievements
By the time that clients have
reached an elderly age, many have
already achieved many things.
These involve graduating from
school, getting a job, getting
married, raising a family, and
retiring from their jobs. It can be
said that they have already
reached what many younger
people aim to do. Apart from these,
the elderly have contributed to
society in countless ways. With an
increasing number of elderly clients
each year, the number of programs
or services that they require have
increased, leading to a rise in the
spending of healthcare. The
increased spending attributed to
these has given benefit to the
economy, at the same time,
providing job opportunities for
other people. The elderly are also
still allowed to vote, and have
participated in the voting of
government officials. With that
said, the elderly continue to have
goals that they set themselves on
accomplishing. It can be perceived
that many of them prioritize their
health, and achieve satisfaction
through regular exercise and help
from the medical community.
Another goal is that of selfrelevance. Community service
provides a sense of that, which
results in positive feelings that
further empower the elderly.
Finally, a continued, strong, and
healthy relationship with friends
and family is something that they
also aim to have. Constant
travelling and visiting, and
participation in family-bonding
activities are just some of the ways
to help in achieving that.
REFERENCES:
http://www.everydayhealth.c
om/senior-healthpictures/bad-habits-thatmake-you-age-faster.aspx#09
http://www.emedicinehealth.c
om/healthy_aginghealth/page3_em.htm
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/sc
iences/psychology/developm
ent-psychology/physicalcognitive-development65/physical-developmentage-65
https://openlibrary.org/
books/OL17892240M/LI
FE_GOALS_IN_ELDERLY_
WOMEN_A_PHENOMEN
OLOGICAL_STUDY_(GO
AL_ACHIEVEMENT_WO
MEN_ELDERLY)
http://www.medrounds.
org/encyclopedia-ofaging/2005/12/achieve
ments-at-advancedage-action.html
http://www.bloomberg.c
om/apps/news?
pid=newsarchive&sid=
axV6K65QoAg8
http://www.who.int/agei
ng/publications/global_
health.pdf
http://www.theguardian
.com/society/2013/mar/
11/increasing-social-
care-demands-ageingpopulation
