What are the two different classifications of theories that were discussed in your readings about older adulthood?
Biological and psychosocial theories
Psycho Theories of Aging
looks at behavioral capacities, including learning, perception, and memory
- Jung’s theory of individualism suggests that human aging is accompanied by transcendence from the inner self to an emphasis on the external world and the need to contribute to the good of the larger society
- Erikson proposes the final stage of ego integrity versus despair.
- Failing to see positives and suffering regrets over life decisions and outcomes renders the older adult with despair.
Biological theory of aging
eternal clock that when stops ticking, done. looking at length of live and viability of organs
- the wear and tear theory (where cells and tissues have vital parts that wear out)
- cross-linking theory (accumulation of crosslinked proteins damages cells and tissues, slowing down bodily processes)
- free radical theory (where accumulated damage caused by oxygen radicals leads cells and eventually organs to stop functioning)
Social Theories of Aging
life satisfaction, adjustment to role changes
- disengagement theory proposed
that “social equilibrium is achieved by a
mutually beneficial process of reciprocal withdrawal
between society and older people” - activity theory of aging,
however, suggests there is a positive relationship
between activity and life satisfaction. - Social exchange theories proposed that those
who maintain an active contribution to and
engagement with society, whether through paid or
unpaid employment, volunteering, or community
involvement, adapt most readily to aging.
Physical Signs of aging
Brain shrinks, dendritic loss, bone density decrease
Sensory loss: hearing, taste, smell, eye, hot/cold perception
Wear and tear theory
- Proposed that organs and tissues were damaged by continuous use and abuse.
- When a person ages, body’s mechanism to repair the damage caused by wear and tear is reduced.
- Hence, in old age people die of diseases which they could have resisted when they were young.
- . Like components of an aging car, parts of the body eventually wear out from repeated use, killing them and then the body.
Programmed Senescence
Cells have predefined suicidal pathways that are acrivated in case of cellular damage
Free Radicals
proposes that superoxide and other free radicals cause damage to the macromolecular components of the cell, giving rise to accumulated damage causing cells, and eventually organs, to stop functioning
The Hayflick Limit
- a normal human cell can only replicate and divide forty to sixty times before it cannot divide anymore, and will break down by programmed cell death or apoptosis.
Ie why lobsters are immortal since the telemers don’t break off during crossing over
Cross Linking
The cross-linking theory of aging was proposed by Johan Bjorksten in 1942 (8). According to this theory, an accumulation of cross-linked proteins damages cells and tissues, slowing down bodily processes resulting in aging.
Collagen protein crosslinking has been shown to lead to things like wrinkling of the skin, hardening of the arteries and tightening of ligaments and tendons
Plasticity
- if you don’t use it you will lose it.
- Refers to the brains ability to
reorganise neural pathways throughout the lifespan as a result of experience. - Put simply: The brains ability to change with learning.
- There is a change in the internal structure of neurons, notably the synapses & increase in the number of synapses
Integrity Vs Despair
Erikson believed that if we see our lives as unproductive, feel guilt about our past, or feel that we did not accomplish our life goals, we become dissatisfied with our lives and develop a sense of hopelessness which can lead to regret, depression and even anger.
However, if when we reminisce and do our life review, we feel we have had a life well lived and made good choices, then we can accept the idea of our own mortality and wisdom results. And this wisdom is something that we can pass on to others.
Population Profile of Older Canadians
-gender
-province
-more older females
-most in atlantic provinces least in BECAUSE
