Here’s 10 ways you can tell if you’re over the hill:

1. Happy hour is a nap.

2. Your joints are more accurate than the National Weather Service.

3. You have to cross your legs before you can laugh at something funny.

4. You get propositioned by AARP.

5. You have a party and the neighbors don't even realize it.

6. You begin every other sentence with, "Nowadays..."

7. People are constantly putting a mirror under your nose to see if you’re breathing.

8. You take a metal detector to the beach.

9. Flowers scare you.

10. Getting lucky means you find your car in the parking lot.

Sources: http://www.c-boom/humor2.htm

The Personal Context of The Personal Context of Later LifeLater Life

Chapter 14Chapter 14

Let’s do the activity on the first page Let’s do the activity on the first page of your chapter……………….of your chapter……………….

Take out a piece of paper and write down Take out a piece of paper and write down all the adjectives you can think of that all the adjectives you can think of that describe aging and older adults, as well describe aging and older adults, as well as the “facts” about aging that you as the “facts” about aging that you know.know.

What is it like to be old?What is it like to be old?

The population of older adults in The population of older adults in industrialized nations has been industrialized nations has been increasing rapidly in the 20th century.increasing rapidly in the 20th century.

Their research predicts that in the year Their research predicts that in the year 2030 the number of people over 65 2030 the number of people over 65 will equal the number in other age will equal the number in other age groups.groups.

(MORE THAN ANY OTHER GROUP)(MORE THAN ANY OTHER GROUP)

As studied by demographers!

The US is unprepared for this shift!

Older women outnumber older men in all Older women outnumber older men in all ethnic groups in the U.S.ethnic groups in the U.S.

The number of older people in ethnic The number of older people in ethnic minority groups in the U.S. is increasing minority groups in the U.S. is increasing faster than in European Americans.faster than in European Americans.

Currently, 50% of people over 65 have Currently, 50% of people over 65 have high school diplomas and 10% have high school diplomas and 10% have college degrees. By 2030, 75% will have college degrees. By 2030, 75% will have college degrees.college degrees.

Longevity – the number of years a Longevity – the number of years a person can expect to life person can expect to life Determined by genetics AND environmentDetermined by genetics AND environment

Average life expectancy – the age at Average life expectancy – the age at which half of the people born in a which half of the people born in a particular year will have diedparticular year will have died The average life expectancy for people in The average life expectancy for people in

the United States has increased steadily the United States has increased steadily during the 20during the 20thth century century

Three types of longevity.Three types of longevity. Average life expectancy is the age at Average life expectancy is the age at

which half the people born in a which half the people born in a particular year will have died.particular year will have died.

Useful life expectancy is the number of Useful life expectancy is the number of years a person is free from debilitating years a person is free from debilitating chronic disease.chronic disease.

Maximum life expectancy is the oldest Maximum life expectancy is the oldest age to which any person lives.age to which any person lives.

Genetics programs in a period of time Genetics programs in a period of time that you are likely to live but…….that you are likely to live but…….

Environment impacts how long you Environment impacts how long you actually live.actually live. Social class is among the greatest Social class is among the greatest

influenceinfluence Health insuranceHealth insurance DietDiet Job exposures Job exposures

The Third-Fourth Age The Third-Fourth Age DistinctionDistinction

Third Age adults are between the ages Third Age adults are between the ages of 60 to 80. (young-old)of 60 to 80. (young-old) Many advances in knowledge and Many advances in knowledge and

technology have contributed to the better technology have contributed to the better quality of life for this group.quality of life for this group.

Fourth Age adults are over 80. (old-Fourth Age adults are over 80. (old-old)old) Few interventions have been developed to Few interventions have been developed to

hold back cognitive and physiological hold back cognitive and physiological declines in this group.declines in this group.

Why do we age?Why do we age?

Biological TheoriesBiological Theories Wear-and-Tear TheoryWear-and-Tear Theory

Years of use causes deteriorationYears of use causes deterioration Cellular TheoryCellular Theory

There is a set number of times cells can divide before dying There is a set number of times cells can divide before dying (Hayflick’s Number)(Hayflick’s Number)

Free Radicals cause cellular damageFree Radicals cause cellular damage Metabolic theoriesMetabolic theories

Decreased caloric intake increases life expectancyDecreased caloric intake increases life expectancy Hormonal regulatory system decreases ability to respond to Hormonal regulatory system decreases ability to respond to

stressstress Programmed cell deathProgrammed cell death

Aging is genetically programmed or prewiredAging is genetically programmed or prewired

Physiological ChangesPhysiological Changes

Neurons:Neurons: The fibers in the axon form spiral-shaped The fibers in the axon form spiral-shaped

masses called neurofibrillary tangles, which masses called neurofibrillary tangles, which interfere with transmission of signals.interfere with transmission of signals.

Damaged or defective neurons collect and Damaged or defective neurons collect and form neuritic plaques, which interferes with form neuritic plaques, which interferes with other, healthy neurons.other, healthy neurons.

Structural and functional imaging show age-Structural and functional imaging show age-related changes in the brain associated with related changes in the brain associated with cognitive processes.cognitive processes.

The number of neurotransmitters declineThe number of neurotransmitters decline Responsible for many behavior changes!Responsible for many behavior changes!

Cardiovascular and Respiratory SystemsCardiovascular and Respiratory Systems Cardiovascular diseases increase dramatically with Cardiovascular diseases increase dramatically with

advancing age.advancing age. By young adulthood collection of fat in the arteries and By young adulthood collection of fat in the arteries and

in and around the heart decrease the efficiency of the in and around the heart decrease the efficiency of the circulatory system.circulatory system.

These changes increase the chances of cerebral These changes increase the chances of cerebral vascular accidents (CVAs), which results in hemorrhage.vascular accidents (CVAs), which results in hemorrhage.

Vascular Dementia (from strokes, heart attacks, Vascular Dementia (from strokes, heart attacks, hemorrages, etc.)hemorrages, etc.)

The most common respiratory disease in older adults is The most common respiratory disease in older adults is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) such as emphysema caused by smoking.emphysema caused by smoking.

Strokes are of major concern in older Strokes are of major concern in older adultsadults Recovery depends on many factorsRecovery depends on many factors

Amount of lossAmount of loss Abilities other areas can compensate withAbilities other areas can compensate with Personal motivationPersonal motivation

Parkinson’s DiseaseParkinson’s Disease Caused by deterioration of neurons in the Caused by deterioration of neurons in the

midbrain that produce dopaminemidbrain that produce dopamine 30 to 50% involve severe cognitive 30 to 50% involve severe cognitive

deficitsdeficits That other 70 to 50% have NO decline in That other 70 to 50% have NO decline in

Mental Capacity!!!!Mental Capacity!!!! Estimated that approximately 1% of the Estimated that approximately 1% of the

population over age 60 has PD population over age 60 has PD Treated with L-Dopa to raise dopamineTreated with L-Dopa to raise dopamine

Sensory ChangesSensory Changes Need for more light to do tasks such as Need for more light to do tasks such as

reading increasesreading increases Decline in ability to adjust to illuminationDecline in ability to adjust to illumination Cataracts may developCataracts may develop Glaucoma is commonGlaucoma is common Macular degeneration – progressive Macular degeneration – progressive

destruction of receptorsdestruction of receptors

Hearing loss is the most common Hearing loss is the most common normative change with agenormative change with age

Taste, touch, temperature, and pain Taste, touch, temperature, and pain sensitivity sensitivity do notdo not decline as significantly decline as significantly in older years.in older years.

The ability to detect and distinguish The ability to detect and distinguish smells declines after the age of 70 in smells declines after the age of 70 in many people. many people.

Older people fall more often due to Older people fall more often due to changes in the sense of balance.changes in the sense of balance.

Health IssuesHealth Issues Older adults have more trouble sleepingOlder adults have more trouble sleeping Older adults have slower metabolisms, Older adults have slower metabolisms,

yet consume the same amount of foodyet consume the same amount of food Deficits in necessary nutritional needsDeficits in necessary nutritional needs

Chances of getting cancer increases Chances of getting cancer increases with agewith age

Cognitive ProcessesCognitive Processes

Three main components of attentionThree main components of attention Vigilance – maintaining attention over timeVigilance – maintaining attention over time

Difference with age is uncertain, but visual cues Difference with age is uncertain, but visual cues decrease impact of agedecrease impact of age

Selection – separating relevant from irrelevantSelection – separating relevant from irrelevant Young adults have more selective attention, but older Young adults have more selective attention, but older

adults do well if searching for target information or adults do well if searching for target information or have practicehave practice

Control – ability to focus, switch , and/or divide Control – ability to focus, switch , and/or divide atteintionatteintion

Cues make this easier with ageCues make this easier with age

Psychomotor speed (reaction time)Psychomotor speed (reaction time) The speed at which a person can make a The speed at which a person can make a

specific motor response may slow with specific motor response may slow with advancing age.advancing age.

This finding may be due to taking longer to This finding may be due to taking longer to decide what response to make, especially decide what response to make, especially when faced with an ambiguous situation. when faced with an ambiguous situation.

These changes make driving with advancing These changes make driving with advancing age a controversial issue.age a controversial issue.

SHOULD OLDER ADULTS HAVE TO PASS A SHOULD OLDER ADULTS HAVE TO PASS A DRIVING TEST LATER IN LIFE?DRIVING TEST LATER IN LIFE?

Working MemoryWorking Memory Processes and structures that hold information Processes and structures that hold information

in the mind and simultaneously use it to solve in the mind and simultaneously use it to solve a problem, make a decision, perform some a problem, make a decision, perform some function, or learn new informationfunction, or learn new information

Working memory and psychomotor speed Working memory and psychomotor speed together predict cognitive performance!together predict cognitive performance!

Ambiguous questions – older adults take longer Ambiguous questions – older adults take longer to process and answerto process and answer

MEMORYMEMORY

Two typesTwo types Explicit - remembering learned information and Explicit - remembering learned information and

specific timesspecific times Episodic - recollection of times and eventsEpisodic - recollection of times and events Semantic – meaning of words or conceptsSemantic – meaning of words or concepts

Implicit – unconscious remembering of Implicit – unconscious remembering of information learned some earlier timeinformation learned some earlier time

Few declines in semantic memoryFew declines in semantic memory Older adults perform worse on tests of episodic Older adults perform worse on tests of episodic

memorymemory

The Impact of Beliefs About Memory The Impact of Beliefs About Memory AgingAging Stereotypes about older people and Stereotypes about older people and

memory loss impacts what elderly memory loss impacts what elderly people believe about their own abilities, people believe about their own abilities, affecting their strategies for affecting their strategies for remembering.remembering.

The E-I-E-I-O methodThe E-I-E-I-O method Utilizes two types of memoryUtilizes two types of memory

External aids (environmental)External aids (environmental) Internal aids (imagery and mental Internal aids (imagery and mental

processes)processes) Then the Oh, I remember! ( O )Then the Oh, I remember! ( O )

Help’s older Help’s older

adults adults maintain maintain

independence!independence!

Creativity and WisdomCreativity and Wisdom Creativity – ability Creativity – ability

to produce work to produce work that is novel, high that is novel, high in demand, and in demand, and task appropriatetask appropriate Number of creative Number of creative

ideas a person has ideas a person has tends to increase tends to increase through one’s 20s through one’s 20s plateau in one’s 30s plateau in one’s 30s and decline and decline thereafterthereafter

WisdomWisdom Orchestration of mind and virtueOrchestration of mind and virtue Postformal thinkingPostformal thinking Action-oriented knowledge acquired without Action-oriented knowledge acquired without

direct help from others direct help from others Four characteristics (Baltes & Staudinger)Four characteristics (Baltes & Staudinger)

Important/difficult matters of life and the human Important/difficult matters of life and the human conditioncondition

Truly “superior” knowledge, judgment, and adviceTruly “superior” knowledge, judgment, and advice Knowledge with extraordinary scope, depth, and balanceKnowledge with extraordinary scope, depth, and balance When used, well intended and combines mind and virtueWhen used, well intended and combines mind and virtue

No association between age and No association between age and wisdomwisdom

Dependent on life experiences Dependent on life experiences Integrates thinking feeling, and acting Integrates thinking feeling, and acting

into a coherent approach to a probleminto a coherent approach to a problem Empathy and compassion are Empathy and compassion are

important characteristics of wisdom!!important characteristics of wisdom!!

Mental Health and Mental Health and InterventionIntervention

DepressionDepression The rate of severe depression declines from The rate of severe depression declines from

young adulthood to old ageyoung adulthood to old age Higher in Latino/a older adultsHigher in Latino/a older adults Older adults describe depression as “feeling Older adults describe depression as “feeling

helpless” or “feeling tired”helpless” or “feeling tired” CausesCauses

Biological/physiologicalBiological/physiological PsychosocialPsychosocial Gatz (2000) comprehensive view that depression Gatz (2000) comprehensive view that depression

depends on balance between biological, stress, and depends on balance between biological, stress, and protective. As you age, biological increases as stress protective. As you age, biological increases as stress decreases. Coping skills increase……explaining a decreases. Coping skills increase……explaining a decrease with age.decrease with age.

Dementia : Alzheimer’s DiseaseDementia : Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia – family of diseases involving Dementia – family of diseases involving

serious impairment of behavioral and serious impairment of behavioral and cognitive functioningcognitive functioning

Incident of AD increases with age (from low Incident of AD increases with age (from low rate in 50s to almost 25% in those 85)rate in 50s to almost 25% in those 85)

Decline varies from one patient to the nextDecline varies from one patient to the next No way to diagnose AD until deathNo way to diagnose AD until death

Don’t know for sure what causes ADDon’t know for sure what causes AD Genetic linkGenetic link Estrogen levels in womenEstrogen levels in women Neuritic plaquesNeuritic plaques Apolipoprotein E Apolipoprotein E Current drugs being developed to Current drugs being developed to

stall the progression of ADstall the progression of AD