U1-learning aim c

• physical changes of ageing


  body functions begin to decline.
• cardiovascular Disease


  Disease of heart and blood vessels.

  risk of cardiovascular problems increase with ageing, but other factors can reduce or increase the likelihood.
• changes in the heart with ageing

  1. the heart may increase in size, causing the heart wall to thicken, making it more difficult for heart muscles to relax and fill with blood.

  2. artery walls narrow due cholesterol - harder for blood pumping

  3 heart has to work harder
• cholesterol


  a fatty substance that travels through the blood and is found in all parts of the body. Can prevent blood from passing easily around the heart.
• changes in the heart can increase likelihood of

  angina, hypertension, heart murmurs, heart attacks and heart failure
• health Factors that can exacerbate cardiovascular problems

  - obesity

  - hypertension

  - genetic inheritance

  - diabetes

  - high blood cholesterol
• lifestyle factors that can exacerbate cardiovascular problems

  - smoking

  - alcohol consumption

  - diet high in sat fat

  - diet high in salt

  - lack of exercise
• negative effects of cardiovascular disease

  loss of independence, anxiety about health, depression, frustration, reduced mobility & loss of opportunities.
• positive effects of cardiovascular disease


  choosing to improve lifestyle and closer relationships with family and friends
• atherosclerosis


  clogging of the arteries
• degeneration of the nervous tissue causes

  - effects on sense

  - decline in short-term memory

  - decline in verbal capability

  - difficulty in receiving and processing information

  - increase in time taken to react

  - reduction in reflexes and movements
• facts about nervous tissue

  - the pace of degeneration varies between older people

  - the brain can produce new brain cells into older age (stroke patients learn to speak again)

  - the same symptoms may be caused by illness such as Alzheimer's Disease.

  - new connections between nerve cells can develop
• ways to reduce/slow degeneration of the nervous tissue

  - Regular exercise

  - Stopping smoking

  - cognitive activity e.g playing chess
• physical effects Parkinson's disease

  tremor: uncontrollable shaking, beginning in the hand and arm

  mobility: slowness of movement and muscle stiffness
• cognitive effects of Parkinson's disease

  anxiety, depression and impairment in thinking and problem solving
• sight


  By 65 there may be little ability to focus - small print becomes more difficult to read.

  -cataracts
• cataracts


  caused by changes to the lens - become hard/cloudy - stops light transmission - blurred vision.

  Those with diabetes are 60% more likely to get cataracts.
• hearing


  - difficulty in hearing high pitched (frequency) sounds.

  -sensitivity of nerve cells in inner ear decreases

  - loss of nerve cells - hearing loss

  - increase in wax can block sound transmission
• taste


  - the number of taste buds decreases, reducing the enjoyment of food and perhaps resulting in poor diet

  - production of saliva decreases; affecting taste of food.

  - ability to smell decreases - reduced ability to detect dangerous fumes
• touch


  a decrease in the number of receptor cells in older age leads to:

  - reduced sensitivity to temperature: can lead to hypothermia, burns

  - reduced sensitivity to injury: lead to untreated pressure sores or ulcers

  - increased sensitivity to sun
• social and emotional effects of degeneration of sense organs

  isolation, anxiety, depression, difficulty in joining in conversation, low self-image, reduced opportunities as difficulty travelling/driving, difficulty in taking part in leisure activities e.g listening to music
• osteoarthritis


  inflammation of the bone and joint. Physical effects include: swelling and pain in joints, damage to the soft tissue around the joint and difficulty in walking.
• the risk of osteoarthritis is increased by

  - being female

  - injury to joints

  - obesity

  - genetic inheritance

  - joint abnormality

  - being over 40
• dementia


  a terms used to describe symptoms associated with damage to the function of the brain, such as memory loss.
• about dementia


  - a stroke may cause dementia

  - Alzheimer's disease is most common form of dementia

  -a progressive disease - more part of brain are damaged overtime

  - lifestyle factors such as smoking can increase the risk
• alzheimer's disease


  a progressive and irreversible brain disorder characterized by gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and physical functioning.

  mainly affects people over the age of 65. Proteins called plaques and tangles build up in the brain. This leads to a shortage of chemicals in the brain, which affects the transmission of signals.
• EARLY STAGE: effects of Alzheimer's disease


  Decline in short-term memory

  difficulty completing routine tasks

  impairment in thinking/problem solving
• LATER STAGE: effects of Alzheimer's disease

  language impairment

  lack of judgement

  emotional outbursts

  changes in behaviour
• LAST STAGE: effects of Alzheimer's Disease

  unable to recognise family members

  unable to feed or care for self

  lack of control of bodily functions

  almost total loss of memory

  death
• support needs for those with Alzheimer's Disease

  Early stage:

  informal help with every day task

  medication

  counselling

  Later stage:

  respite care

  medication

  community nurse visits

  Last stage:

  hospice care

  end-of-life care (palliative care)
• absorption of nutrients


  with age, body is less efficient in absorbing nutrients. This can result in malnutrition. It is caused by:

  - reduced production a gastric acid which prevents the breakdown of proteins

  - deterioration of the function of the digestive organs and lining
• effects of illness that is common in ageing

  physical effects of ageing impact all other aspects of development, including:

  physical, emotional, intellectual and social.
• physical effects, illness may

  - make the body less able to fight infection

  - result in lost mobility

  - cause pain and discomfort

  - reduce stamina

  - impact on the senses
• social effects, illness may

  -reduce the opportunity and ability to socialise with friends

  - impact on sense or neural capacity

  - affect ability to communicate in groups.
• Intellectual effects, illness may

  - cause short-term memory

  - affect decision making skills

  - cause difficulty with verbal communication

  - slow the ability to respond and react to information
• emotional effects, illness may

  - cause emotional distress

  - result in dependence pf others for personal care

  - cause feelings of lack of control

  - bring families closer

  - result in low self-esteem;
• lifestyle choices may improve or exacerbate the impact of ill health

  Healthy diet - provides additional nutrients needed to reduce a decline in health, maintains a healthy weight to reduce stress on organs

  Exercise - maintain muscle and strength, keep the heart healthy

  Drugs - medication prescribed correctly should be used to control illness not make it worse, not smoking reduces impact on age-related illness.
• Psychological effects of ageing

  -effects on confidence and self-esteem

  -effects of social change

  -financial concerns

  -effects of culture and religion

  -social disengagement theory

  -activity theory
• Effects of social change

  - loss of independence: reliance on others increases a feeling of helplessness

  - Loss of job/status: reduce self-esteem because of a feeling of lack of purpose BUT increases leisure time and opportunities to try new things

  - reduced access to social networks: lack of social activity prevents development of brain, cause or worsen depression
• financial concerns


  Research by AGE UK in 2016, show 29% retired do not have concerns, 26% said they're just getting by. Meaning almost half of older people have financial concerns.

  This can result in:

  - less opportunities to socialise

  - less money to buy food

  - less money to pay for adequate heating

  - worry and stress