CH. 12: LATE ADULTHOOD

ego integrity vs despair

(Erikson) People in late adulthood either achieve a sense of integrity of the self by accepting the lives they have lived or yield to despair that their lives cannot be relived

What major components decline in the brain?

- brain mass - decreases in myelination - decrease in neurons - decrease in neuron-transmitters

What are the reasons for retirement?

1. financial consideration 2. physical health 3. job satisfaction

What is the median retirement?

60-63 yrs a cross developed countries

Changes in hearing in late adulthood

75% of old old have impairments; effects social functioning b/c no engaging with others

A century ago, the elderly were the ____ segment of the population; however, currently, in developed countries they are now the ____ segment. A. poorest; most affluent B. most educated; least educated C. least educated; most educated D. most affluent; poorest

A

A condition that entails losses in cognitive functioning severe enough to interfere with daily life is ____. A. dementia B. biological decrement C. catastrophic illness D. cognitive impairment

A

According to Erikson, an individual who experiences ego despair has _______. A. reflected upon his or her life and is experiencing regret and bitterness B. reflected upon his or her life and has accepted its outcomes C. feels as if he or she is not a productive member in society D. developed a sense of mistrust for individuals in their life

A

Impairments in taste and smell in older adults can sometimes lead to _____. A. malnutrition B. obesity C. alcoholism D. excessive gum chewing

A

In Western countries, who consistently is more likely to provide care for elderly parents? A. a daughter B. a geriatric nurse-practitioner C. a son D. an orderly in a nursing home

A

In general, marital satisfaction tends to be the highest during _____. A. late adulthood B. quarterly adulthood C. young adulthood D. early adulthood

A

Neurons are dying and being generated anew throughout life. What happens in late adulthood? A. More neurons die than are being generated. B. There are slightly more neurons being generated to assist with the loss of brain functioning. C. Many more neurons are being generated to assist with the loss of brain functioning. D. There are no changes in the number of neurons being generated.

A

On the skin, many people develop "age spots," or pools of dark pigment. Age spots are due to the accumulation of _____. A. decades of exposure to the sun B. low levels of iron C. undue stress and anxiety D. an overabundance of calcium

A

Research on emotions and the self-concept of individuals during late adulthood has speculated that positive emotions and self-esteem tend to be high because older adults _____. A. tend to be more accepting of their past and present selves B. have a mature parietal lobe of the brain C. have greater financial stability D. have successfully completed an identity crisis

A

As cited in your text, which of the following best describes why few people in India or Africa are affected by dementia? A. They have lower levels of calcium in their diet. B. Relatively few people live into late adulthood. C. Their diets are primarily made of fish, which is high in the B vitamins. D. There are less environmental teratogens, which are known to cause dementia.

B

If an older adult is 82 years old, what developmental group would he or she be in? A. oldest-old group B. old-old group C. middle-old group D. young-old group

B

Individuals in late adulthood are more likely to have high status in cultures where _____. A. older adult women are the head of the families B. extended families are common C. older adults are quite virile D. older adult men have very young wives

B

Older adults seek to maintain and develop relationships that are low in conflict and high in mutual enjoyment, and drop the rest. This is as also known as _________. A. knowledge-based social relationships B. emotions-based social relationships C. people-based social relationships D. task-based social relationships

B

One national American study of adults ages 18 and over found that adults over age 55 were less likely than any younger age group to report symptoms that fit the diagnosis of _____. A. obsessive-compulsive disorder B. generalized anxiety disorder C. paranoid schizophrenia D. major depressive disorder

B

The ability to keep track of more than one information source simultaneously is referred to as _____. A. sustained attention B. divided attention C. on-task attention D. selective attention

B

After age 60 years, the olfactory bulbs in the brain begin to _____. A. start to dissected B. enlarge C. shrivel D. become cancerous

C

In some people, fluid builds up in the eye and the pressure damages the optic nerve, leading to loss of peripheral vision. What is the name of this condition? A. a cataract B. macular degeneration C. glaucoma D. tetanus

C

In what condition is there a loss of clarity in the center of the visual field? A. glaucoma B. tetanus C. macular degeneration D. a cataract

C

Loss of bone mass is considered ____. A. secondary aging B. vertical aging C. primary aging D. tertiary aging

C

What can be done to lessen the decline and preserve brain functioning? A. Enjoy life. B. Take mega-doses of vitamins C and E. C. Stay physically and cognitively active. D. Drink red wine.

C

What neurotransmitter, which is especially involved in the functioning of memory, declines in late adulthood? A. dopamine B. norepinephrine C. acetylcholine D. serotonin

C

Which of the following are examples of factors that influence secondary aging? A. decreased estrogen, loss of bone density, and nearsightedness B. neurogenesis, maturation, and cell death C. smoking, exercise, and cognitive stimulation D. white blood cells, red blood cells, and capillaries

C

You are speaking with your 67-year-old grandfather, who is jokingly telling you that he is about as old as one can get. Remembering your developmental class, what do you know about his age in reference to the lifespan? He is actually in the ____. A. oldest-old group B. middle-old group C. young-old group D. old-old group

C

Your 78-year-old grandmother is having difficulty with memories of her grandchildren, whom she dearly loves. She has difficulty with simple tasks that she has performed hundreds of times, such as remembering the route to the grocery store. She is also quite a bit different in her personality than she used to be. There are several types of dementia; what type is your grandmother most likely experiencing? A. Huntington's disease B. Lou Gehrig's disease C. Alzheimer's disease D a negative medical interaction effect

C

Your grandfather has Alzheimer's Disease and your grandmother is the sole person taking care of him. She does not want outside help at this point. As a result, your grandmother is at risk for _________. A. memory loss B. also acquiring Alzheimer's Disease C. depression D. exhaustion

C

Erik Erikson, in his theory of the lifespan, proposed that late adulthood is when the central challenge is _____. A. industry vs. inferiority B. identity achievement vs. confusion C. trust vs. mistrust D. ego integrity vs. despair

D

What concept signifies the actual competence and performance of older adults? A. competency age B. chronological age C. geriatric age D. functional age

D

What type of memory is involved when an individual remembers how to perform a task or activity involving motor skills? A. instructional memory B. performance memory C. task memory D. procedural memory

D

What type of memory, which involves memory for information that is the current focus of a person's attention, declines with age? A. episodic memory B. lexical memory C. semantic memory D. working memory

D

Which is following best describes the type of attention where individuals must tune out irrelevant information? A. divided attention B. sustained attention C. deprived attention D. selective attention

D

Your grandfather works on the New York Times crossword puzzle every day. He has been very good at solving the puzzle and nearly always does. His ability to remember the meaning of words has shown no decline as he has aged, and really shows very little decline for most older adults. What type of memory is this? A. episodic memory B. lexical memory C. procedural memory D. semantic memory

D

____ is a sleep disorder in which breathing actually stops for 10 seconds or more numerous times in the course of a typical night, as the air passage to the lungs closes, resulting in a sudden loud snore as the airway opens again and the sleeper awakens. A. Sleepwalking B. Narcolepsy C. Insomnia D. Sleep apnea

D

socioemotional selectivity theory

The theory that older adults become more selective about their social networks. Because they place a high value on emotional satisfaction, older adults often spend more time with familiar individuals with whom they have had rewarding relationships.

selective optimization with compensation

The theory, developed by Paul and Margaret Baltes, that people try to maintain a balance in their lives by looking for the best way to compensate for physical and cognitive losses and to become more proficient in activities they can already do well.

sleep apnea

a sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings; treatment is CPAP

young old

ages 65-74

old old

ages 75-84

oldest-old

ages 85+

Alzheimer's disease

an irreversible, progressive brain disorder, characterized by the deterioration of memory, language, and eventually, physical functioning; brain feature of disease: - amyloid plaques accumulates - and neurofibrillary tangles appear in neurons; risk factors: - ApoE gene indicates risk - lower cognitive ability - poor physical health - sleep apnea protective factors: - diet - education - exercise - cognitive engagement

cataracts

causes vision to become cloudy, opaque, and distorted

Changes in taste and smell in late adulthood

declines --> making food less enjoyable; increases the risk of harm due to dangerous smells not being detected

death of spouse

grief/ depression can last years; mean are affected more b/c have less connections; experience loneliness but cope with it by having "conversation" with deceased spouse

Changes in appearance in late adulthood

hair becomes gray and thinner; hair grows in surprising areas; development of age spots; height and weight decline; teeth become yellow

old-age dependency ratio (OADR)

in a population, the ratio of persons age 65 and over to persons age 20-64; bottom number pays into gov't or directly financial support for elders

How do western cultures view late adulthood?

it is becoming favorable

How do collective culture view late adulthood?

it is quite favorable

arthritis

joint inflammation; affects women more than men

macular degeneration

loss of clarity in the center of the visual field, due to aging of the visual system

glaucoma

loss of peripheral vision due to buildup of fluid that damages the optic nerve

who has higher suicide rates?

males

Marital satisfaction _____ in late adulthood b/c _____, _______, ______, _______.

peaks; 1. trouble marriage ended, 2. have fewer major responsibilities, 3. have retired or cut back on work, 4. solve disagreements

ageism

prejudice or discrimination on the basis of a person's age

osteoporosis

reduction in bone mass; higher risk foo broken bones among women

Changes in vision in late adulthood

reduction in visual acuity --> difficulty performing daily activities; develop cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma

Stress can ______ telomeres

shorten

________ can lengthen or grow telomeres

support

postive emotions

time of contentment and peace in late adulthood; positive emotions increase in late adulthood