4. Discuss the physical and psychological changes associated with normal ageing. How can one minimise pathological ageing?
The process of aging has been around as long as life itself. All living organisms pass through three broad stages from conception to death, which are maturation, maturity and aging. Aging affects everyone because nearly everyone has the potential to grow old and all the societies in which we live have older members (Macdonald, 1997). Gerontology is the use of reason to understand aging. The term was used to refer to the scientific study of aging, but nowadays it includes the study of aging using views from other disciplines such as humanities, social policy and human services. To correctly understand aging,
…show more content…
In order to counter act this one must maintain regular and also suitable exercise. One must take into consideration the exercise tolerance in relation to his/her current age. Change to healthier lifestyle by quitting smoking as this can have a direct relationship and can worsen the breathlessness. It is important to not mix mild shortness of breath that does not affect normal daily activities with shortness of breath at low exercise level and wheezing as these may be symptoms of chronic bronchitis, asthma or heart failure.
Digestive System
A common change related to normal aging is changes that affect the digestive system. The most common one observed in old age is constipation (Macdonald, 1997). In order to minimise constipation it is essential or eat a fibre rich diet with more vegetables and fruit. Also maintaining regular exercise can also reduce the chance of developing constipation. Stools with blood or mucus are not part of normal ageing.
Urination
In normal ageing changes in urination also occurs. It is seen that there is more frequent urination at night (Matteson et al., 1998). In order to minimise this pathological aspect of normal ageing, it is suggested to avoid fluid intake one hour before sleeping. It is important to distinguish between difficulty or pain while passing urine as this may be due to urinary tract infections and for men as well as
Changes due to the aging process also need to be addressed. Calcium reabsorption increases especially in women after the menopause, this decreases bone density. Lean tissue decreases as fat increases with age; there is also a decline in the percentage of body water meaning that body temperature is more difficult to control. Thirst decline and decreased renal function means that older people can become dehydrated (Copeman 1999). The function of the bowel reduces, meaning that the elderly are more susceptible to indigestion and constipation. The risk of constipation is also increased with Parkinson’s disease (Parkinson’s UK 2011). The final consideration is the deterioration of the sensory system. Taste, smell, vison, pain and touch all decline meaning that food may not be as appealing (Copeman 1999).
The humanity of aging is a concept sometimes hard to grasp. Understanding why we are
Unit 4 P5 Explain the physical and psychological changes which may be associated with ageing.
The main discussion of the article focuses on the topic of whether aging is a
Aging is an inevitable part of the lifecycle. At some point in their lifespan, every person will experience changes that occur during the process of aging. Many changes that occur, such as loss of muscle tone, decrease in vision, decrease in hearing, and decreased bone mass, can be attributed to the natural processes that occur as you age (Robnett, Bolduc, & Murray, 2015). The progression of these changes, however, can be influenced by many factors in an individual’s life. The effects of aging on an individual are not only dependent upon genetics, but also upon their physical and social environments and their cultural, personal, temporal, and virtual contexts (Brossoie & Chop, 2015).
From the very moment that you are born, you begin the process of aging and it is irrevocably unavoidable. As Denham Harman put it within his article The Aging Process, “Aging is the progressing accumulation of changes with time that are associated with or responsible for the ever increasing susceptibility to disease and death which accompanies advancing age” (1). Harman highlights what is often referred to as the two different paths of aging. The most minimalistic approach to categorizing our geriatric population is to divide them either into those “typically aging” and those “atypically aging”,. There are a multitude of factors that must be assessed in order to determine what is occurring
During life span and development, we learned about each of the stages of life. In this report I am going to focus on the final stage which is elderly. In today’s society the population of elderly people is rising. As the population of elderly people is rising, it means the need for health and social care services is rising too. As health care services have improved so much over the last number of years, it also means that elderly people will be able to live longer because of improved services and more awareness about health.
Normal aging is a gradual decline in certain processes (Gladyshev, & Gladyshev, 2016). The decline is not static and can be increased or reduced depending on choices made (Gladyshev, & Gladyshev, 2016). Changes commonly attributed to aging include declines in the five senses, most organ systems, appearance and brain function (Tully, 2016). The five senses include reduction in taste buds, smell, ability to hear high frequency sounds and speech discrimination, reduced ability to see in the dark and a reduction in tactile sensory (Tully, 2016). In the organ systems there is a reduction in the hearts response to work, bone mass, skin turgor, vital capacity in the lungs, renal and colon function (Tully, 2016). Most notable is the age-related changes
It is inevitable that as one ages their physical and mental abilities begin to deteriorate, however this is avoidable by simply making the time to perform regular moderate exercises. Such examples include walking, jogging, dancing, hiking, and swimming. Common aerobics such as these, are effective in providing physical strength, balance, and overall wellness. Additionally, the individual will be less likely to struggle in preforming his daily tasks independently, and will be able to prevent accidents such as falling. Furthermore, maintaining a proper diet is an essential quality required for successful aging. Older people living alone are usually unable to get their proper nutrition due the their lack of independence. Fortunately, if they have a caregiver, there is someone to provide nutritious and appealing meals. Also, they are more prone to dehydration, therefore, they should be drinking at least one and half to two liters every day. Well-balanced meals that incorporate all the essential nutrients will more likely give older person energy to sustain their physical exercise. As a result, when one integrates exercising and eating nutritiously, he will live longer and stronger by keeping his muscles, bones, organs and other
I’ve noticed that as a 90 year my body is starting to have different needs, so certain
Aging is the amount of changes in person overtime. It is a multidimensional process, which can affect a person physically and psychologically. With age, people weaken and affect their memory. There are four types of aging: intrinsic, universal, progressive and deleterious. Intrinsic aging is chronologic aging, it deals with internal factors, and it decreased fat cells size, and damaged fat cells differentiation. Deleterious aging connects with aging will only be considered as part of the aging process if it “poor” for the individual. Universal aging deals with the process of how aging occur differently in all individual of species.
A resilience framework for understanding cognitive aging implies a search for factors that buffer against existing risk, enabling one to thrive in what might otherwise be adverse circumstances. The cascade of biological processes associated with senescence and a cultural context that does not take into account this biological imperative each
As individuals age changes occur physiologically that are part of normal aging. These changes occur in all organ systems and can impact an individual’s quality of life. The changes related to aging can be attributed to an individual’s genetic make up, lifestyle, physical activity, and dietary lifestyle. Being able to differentiate between normal changes in aging against disease process is important because it can help clinicians develop a plan of care (Boltz, Capezuti, Fulmer, & Zwicker, 2012). Creating an accurate plan of care for older adults will greatly impact their quality of life.
With aging these impulses may be dulled, and as a result the older does not perceive the need to defecate.
This essay will focus on the internal (Intrinsic) and external (Extrinsic) factors that will have an effect on the aging process. Intrinsic ageing is when it is genetic or chronological ageing and extrinsic is environmental or their lifestyle. There is a range of internal effects including hormones and physiological decline, however, this essay will focus on genetics and ethnicity. The external factors that will be discussed are sun exposure and lifestyle.