Pbh excercise

• Aging refers to the changes that occur in an organism over time
• Aging is an inevitable process that begins at birth and ends when we die
• There is no definitive age at which we become "old," but age 65 is commonly used in research and population statistics as the lower limit of old age
• Throughout this text, the terms "older" and "elderly" refer to people aged 65 years and up
• Biological aging


  Associated with a reduction in the body's potential to repair and regenerate tissue
• Programmed aging


  Hypothesizes that our bodies age because of a hardwired pattern of shifts in gene expression that have been programmed through evolution
• Psychological aging


  Refers to the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes that occur over time
• Social aging


  Refers to the shifts in relationships and societal roles as a person ages
• Even with the healthiest behavior and environment, biological aging inevitably occurs
• Gradual aging and impairment from disease cause physiological changes throughout the body
• Regular exercise is a key to successful, healthy aging
• Life-enhancing measures


  • Don't smoke
  • Challenge your mind
  • Develop physical fitness
  • Eat wisely
  • Control overdependence on medications
  • Schedule preventive care
  • Recognize and reduce stress
  • Nurture social connections
• Fluid intelligence


  The ability to find solutions to new problems
• Changing roles and relationships, increased leisure time, and the economics of retirement are challenges that may accompany aging
• Financial planning should begin early in life, especially critical for women
• Hearing loss occurs in virtually everyone as they age (presbycusis)
• Hearing loss is the result of gradual deterioration of the tiny hair cells in the cochlea
• Vision changes


  • Trouble distinguishing certain colors
  • Glaucoma: increase in pressure in the eye
  • Age-related macular degeneration (AMD): deterioration of the central area of the retina
  • Cataracts: clouding of the lenses
  • Diabetic retinopathy
• Arthritis is inflammation and swelling of a joint or joints, and osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form
• Cognitive impairment


  • Dementia: a general term for a loss of function that interferes with daily life and independence
  • Alzheimer's disease (AD): a progressive brain disorder that damages and eventually destroys brain cells
  • Vascular dementia, or vascular cognitive impairment: changes that occur due to cerebrovascular disease, when brain cells die due to inadequate blood flow
  • Lewy-body dementia (LBD): a form of dementia that partly resembles AD but may also cause unpredictable levels of cognitive ability, attention, or alertness
• Depression


  Distinguishing between depression and dementia can be difficult in older adults because the two conditions share many of the same symptoms
• Suicide is relatively common among older adults
• Grief


  An emotional response to loss
• Life expectancy is the average length of time a person is expected to live
• People of age 65 and over are a large minority in the United States
• Social Security is a government program that provides financial assistance to retirees, disabled persons, and families of retired, disabled, or deceased workers
• Health care remains the largest expense for older adults
• Most of the caregiving for older adults is provided by their spouse, grown daughter, or daughter-in-law, and this can be exhausting
• Government aid and policies for older adults

  • Food assistance
  • Housing subsides
  • Social Security
  • Medicare
  • Medicaid
• Clinical death


  The heart stops beating and breathing ceases
• Brain death


  The complete and irreversible loss of function of the entire brain, including the brain stem
• Cellular death


  A gradual process that occurs when heartbeat, respiration, and brain activity have stopped, and includes breakdown of metabolic processes
• Dimensions in coping with dying

  • Physical
  • Psychological
  • Social
  • Spiritual
• The most important thing in supporting a person in the last phase of life is to be present
• Grief


  The reaction to loss
• Bereavement


  The objective event of loss
• Mourning


  The process of adjustment
• When the duration and intensity of grief far exceed what is usually expected, it is often referred to as complicated grief
• Honesty and inclusion are key aspects in helping children cope with loss
• Encounters with dying and death help us appreciate the infinite preciousness of life and love