Final Review
12. What indicates that Alzheimer's disease is partly genetic?
(Genetic=early onset) can be caused by abnormalities in the genes responsible for the production of two proteins. Apparently some families transmit these mutations and the onset of the disease is set into motion. The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease does vary somewhat across cultures. A common finding is that Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed more in Western countries, where about 50 to 75 percent of all dementias are attributed to this disorder. Vascular dementia is diagnosed more in Eastern countries and especially Asia, however, where about 30 to 60 percent of all dementias are attributed to this disorder *down syndrome often get ALZ by 40-50* Alzheimer's disease is more prevalent among African Americans than Nigerian Africans. European Americans appear to have a higher prevalence of Alzheimer's disease if a specific genetic predisposition is present. If a specific genetic predisposition is not present, however, the risk for Alzheimer's disease is greater for African Americans and Hispanics than European Americans.
5. How does heart disease illustrate both primary and secondary aging?
-primary: gradual, inevitable changes that happen to all when we age (weakening or failing heart/organs) -secondary: sudden changes resulting from disease, poor health habits, environmental influences
2. What changes have occurred in adult exercise habits over recent decades?
...
4. Which type of stratification is most burdensome, economic, ethnic, or gender?
...
3. What is elderspeak and how is it used?
A condescending way of speaking to older adults that resembles baby talk, with simple and short sentences, exaggerated emphasis, repetition, and a slower rate and a higher pitch than used in normal speech. **Reduces communication**
5. How can disengagement be mutual?
A social theory of aging that states that declines in social interaction in late adulthood are due to mutual withdrawal between elders and society in anticipation of death. Distinguished from activity theory, continuity theory, and socioemotional theory Elderly disengage because they are sullen/tired/anti-social etc & society disengages because of ageism/prejudice against elderly.
6. If activity theory is correct, what does that suggest older adults should do?
A social theory of aging that states that declining rates of interaction in late adulthood reflect social barriers to engagement, not the desire of elders. Older people will try to preserve life satisfaction by finding roles that allow them to remain about as active and busy as they were in the middle age
4. How might the personality trait of extraversion affect people's choice of colleges, friends, and community involvement?
A tendency to be talkative, sociable, and to enjoy others, a tendency to have a dominant style, people with this are the "life of the party", active, optimistic
7. What aspects of the brain slow down with age?
All. the brain slows down with age. neurons fire more slowly and messages sent from the axon of one neuron are not picked up as quickly by the dendrite of another neuron so reaction time lengthens. brain size decreases with fewer neuron synapses in middle adulthood than earlier. multitasking becomes harder processing takes longer and complex working-memory tasks may become impossible.
10. What are Sternberg's three intelligences?
Analytical intelligence: includes all the mental processes that foster an academic proficiency, draws on abstract planning, strategy selection, focused attention, memory and information processing, as well as verbal and logical skills. Creative intelligence: the capacity to be intellectually flexible and innovative, include writing a short story or planning an advertising campaign, high score for unusual ideas Practical intelligence: the capacity to adapt to the demand of a given situation, includes an accurate grasp of the expectations and needs of the people involved and an awareness of the particular skills that are called for, along with the ability to use insights effectively "Street smarts"
9. What are the benefits and liabilities for elders who want to age in place?
Better at making connections. adjusting but not leaving when health fades. interrupting social connections might be harmful especially to women..pros-may surround themselves with friends and acquaintances, people who are difficult to replace.
1. How is ageism similar to racism?
Both are a social issue and stem from prejudicial judgements, institutionalized
8. How is the brain affected by aging during adulthood?
Brain slows down with age, Reaction time lengthens, multitasking becomes harder, processing takes longer
2. How is benevolent ageism harmful?
Changes in age-related beliefs, discrimination
6. How and why does marital happiness change from the wedding to old age?
Changes vary by culture, ways to understand love, cross culturally and over time. Affected by many factors including childhood experiences economic stability, and partners personality
16. What factors distinguish a good nursing home from a bad one?
Cleanliness, activities, client care/health of elders
10. Why is ecological validity especially important for prospective memory?
Eco Val:cognition should be measured in everyday tasks; abilities that are measured should be those that people need. Everyday tasks are important, if elders cannot remember them or remember to complete them, they should not live alone.
11. In what situations is emotion-focused coping the best?
Emotion-focused coping: a strategy to deal with stress by changing feelings about the stressor rather than changing the stressor itself. Embarrassment, fear, anxiety,excitement, frustration and depression
15. What are some extrinsic and intrinsic rewards of work?
Extrinsic: usually form of compensation, one receives for doing a job Intrinsic: intangible gratification that come from within oneself as a result of doing a job
9. Why would someone want greater crystallized intelligence than fluid intelligence?
Fluid intelligence is basic intelligence such as short term memory, abstract thought, and speed thinking. Fluid intelligence seems to change as people get older, fluid intelligence is associated with openness to new experiences and overall brain health. Crystallized intelligence is reflected through accumulated learning, accumulation of facts, information and knowledge as a result of education. Crystallized intelligence reflects fluid intelligence.
10. Who benefits most from relationships between older adults and their grown children?
For older adults, adult parent-child relationships can play a vital role in well-being, with regard to the development of generativity and particularly for women.
14. What three factors increase the likelihood of elder abuse?
Frailty, confusion, and depression=risk factors The more dependent the elder, the more they are vulnerable to abuse.
6. What is the relationship between cancer and aging?
In fact ageing, a process marked by physiologic and psychosocial decline, may itself create a tissue microenvironment conducive for cancer initiation and progression.
1. What are other names for Erikson's intimacy stage?
Intimacy vs isolation, generativity vs stagnation, integrity vs despair
11. How does exercise affect the brain?
It increases heart rate, which pumps more oxygen to the brain. It also aids the bodily release of a plethora of hormones, all of which participate in aiding and providing a nourishing environment for the growth of brain cells.
Its an expression used of someone who is too involved in the details of a problem to look at the situation as a whole
Its an expression used of someone who is too involved in the details of a problem to look at the situation as a whole
4. Why might a society consider it harmful for people to live past a certain age?
More harm/stress/suffering than help/health/happiness, $$$, Who's to take care of them (in-home or hospice)
3. How might the personality trait of openness affect people's choice of jobs, mates, lifestyle, and neighborhood?
Openness is the ability to appreciate new art, ideas, values, feelings and behaviors. An openness to experience, a personality trait that reflects a person's tendency to seek out and appreciate new things.
2. Why does personality change as people grow older?
Openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism Personality changes due to career choices, education, marriage, divorce, fertility, IQ, basically any life changes can adapt a personality
6. How does osteoporosis illustrate compression of morbidity?
Osteo: fragile bones that result from primary aging; makes bones more porous, especially if a person is at genetic risk. Tobacco,alcohol, low calcium, insufficient weight-bearing exercise can compress morbidity.
12. In what situations is problem-focused coping the best?
Problem-focused coping:a strategy to deal with stress by tackling a stressful situation directly. Problem solving and time management
8. What are the usual consequences of divorce?
Reduced income, lost friendships and weakened relationships with children, custody battles
1. How does Erikson's use of the word integrity differ from its usual meaning?
Reminiscence will reveal a picture of a life well spent- integrity the word integrity is often used to mean honesty, but it also means a feeling of being whole, not scattered, comfortable with oneself.
7. How do same-sex marriages compare to heterosexual marriages?
Same sex marriages are much like heterosexual marriages, they are faithful and supportive of each other, thrives on intimacy
11. What usually happens to sibling relationships over the course of adulthood?
Siblings tend to be closer in adulthood than in adolescence. Adult siblings help one another cope with children, marriage, and elderly relatives.
12. Why do people have fictive kin?
Some adults who are not close to their own families become fictive kin of another family
13. How does the progression of Alzheimer's differ from vascular disease?
Stages of Alz= aware of memory loss; generalized confusion; memory loss becomes dangerous; suffered cannot care for themselves; unresponsive- recognizes no one Vascular disease= might not be aware, not dangerous to others, not cognitive
7. Why would a person keep working after age 65?
Stay active (activity theory^) and social
8. Who is more likely to volunteer and why?
Teens/Young adult (14-30) because they have the time and energy. 30+ does not have time and 60+ doesn't have energy
11. Why do older people tend to have fewer friends as they age?
The friends die off, the elderly have less opportunity to go out and make friends or go out and continue a friendship.
14. Why are middle-aged adults mistakenly called the "sandwich generation?"
The sandwich generation is the generation of middle-aged individuals who are pressured to support both aging parents and growing children. The sandwich generation is named so because they are effectively "sandwiched" between the obligation to care for their aging parents - who may be ill, unable to perform various tasks or in need of financial support - and children, who require financial, physical and emotional support.
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the positivity effect?
The tendency for elderly people to perceive prefer and remember positive images and exp more than negative ones.--selective memory is a way to compensate for whatever troubles occur -- unpleasant experiences are interpreted as inconsequential. helps preserve the self. Enables elderly person to be undisturbed by whatever happens; maintain emotional health via positive self-perception.
5. How might the trait of conscientiousness affect a parent's interactions with his or her children?
The tendency to be careful, on-time for appointments, to follow rules and be hard working, organized and self disciplined
12. Why are people who have never married not likely to be lonely and sick?
They were never used to having a spouse around, so there is no difference. They have always known how to function and be alone.
14. How does automatic processing contribute to expertise?
Thinking that occurs without deliberation, conscious thought. Experts process most tasks automatically, saving conscious thought for unfamiliar challenges
9. Why do remarriages have a higher divorce rate than first marriages?
Women with children are less likely to remarry, initially remarriage restores intimacy, health and financial security, however due to personality changes and unhappiness people divorce.
8. How does sensory loss affect cognition?
as senses become dulled, some stimuli do not reach sensory memory; affects Input(sensing) {Some things either go unnoticed OR never make it to long term memory}
5. How does the body shape change between ages 25 and 65?
body shape changes between 25 and 65. middle age spread increases waist circumferences muscles weaken pockets of fat settle. people lose about an inch of height 2-3 centimeters by age 65
3. How does immigrant status impair elderly people, according to stratification theory?
elderly:Age stratification refers to the hierarchical ranking of people into age groups within a society. Age stratification which is based on an ascribed status is a major source inequality, and thus may lead to ageism. Immigrant elderly: inequality in old age is caused by political and economic forces and especially by the distribution of societal resources through the welfare state. - politicians need to come in and shift the wealth from young to old.
13. What can be done to increase mobility in the aged?
exercise/stretching . To engage in lifelong activity to maintain optimal mobility. 30 min a day is beneficial, but doing this even 3 times a week is better than not walking at all. Strength training with resistance devices, using free weights or weight machines, has been shown to decrease risk of osteoporosis, muscle wasting, low back pain, and diabetes and to improve the ability to perform ADLs needed to function independently. Dancing, gardening, home maintenance, and swimming can also promote mobility.
13. What is the basic idea of generativity?
generativity refers to "making your mark" on the world through caring for others as well as creating and accomplishing things that make the world a better place.
1. What diseases and conditions are less likely in people who exercise every day?
heart disease, obesity, diabetes, lung cancer, breast cancer
15. Why are scientists hesitant to say that wisdom comes from age?
not widely accepted; empirical test of wisdom; wisdom is not reserved for the old. {Ex. Child Refugee has been though more and could therefore be more wise than middle/older aged American}
3. What factors (food- and nonfood-related) affect the rate of obesity?
over eating habits
7. What are the sex differences in the decline of sex hormones with age?
sex arousal occurs more slowly with age and orgasms take longer High levels of emotional satisfaction and physical pleasure from sex with in their relationships
4. How are people affected by the visible changes in the skin between ages 25 and 65?
skin becomes rougher and dryer Collagen decreases by about 1% every year after age 20 skin becomes thinner and less flexible, wrinkles form around the eyes around face skin loses elasticity, and firmness
9. Which kinds of things are harder to remember with age?
storage (memory); only some aspects of memory fade -(recalling names, identifying objects); anxiety impairs memory- (dreading dementia, more education-more anxiety); notice losses more than gains
15. What are the advantages and disadvantages of assisted living for the elderly?
structured social activities, meet new people to bond with in their generation, a community setting, there is always some around to assist seniors with various activities. Disadvantages may include cost for the services provided, the senior may not adapt well to a new environment, they could also feel neglected by family if they don't visit them often.
10. Why do people need a "social convoy?"
that states that we are in the middle of a set of concentric circles, and that the composition and closeness of those circles change as we journey through our life. In childhood the close circle consists of family, middle childhood- circle is friends, therefore we never actually lose relationships that are meaningful to us, rather there is an ebb and flow in the emotional importance of those relationships.
14. How can older people help to improve their own cognitive abilities?
❖ Mentally active people are likely to maintain strong cognitive abilities as they enter old age, healthy status contributes to strong cognitive abilities, if nothing can stimulate an older adult after retirement, cognitive ability may decrease **Programs, such as ACTIVE and ADEPT, may benefit older adults who have gone through cognitive decline. (programs consists of tasks to help promote strong cognitive functions)**