Old Age

Question 1

Life Expectancy

Answer 1

-Average healthy LE – number of years person can expect to live in full health, without disease/injury

• In 1900, LE average age 50; NOW - 76 (men), 81(women)
• –Improved nutrition, medical treatment, sanitation, safety
• –Varies with SES, ethnicity, nationality
• How many live to be 100 out of 10,000 (US)?– 1.7!
• Salomon et al., 2012 –Where does US fall on list?

Question 2

It was the best of times

Answer 2

• Older people prioritize positive emotional states
• –Positivity effect – shut out negative emotions
• —-Hardest to remember upsetting images, words, facts
• Older people live less stressful lives
• –Report fewer daily stresses
• –Outside world treats you with special care

Question 3

It was the worst of times

Answer 3

• Miserable, left to languish, lonely, impoverished?
• Economic cutbacks in elderly entitlements
• Social connectedness – losing friends, spouse
• –Upsurge in depression beyond 70s

Question 4

Aging happens

Answer 4

Progressive signs of physical deterioration intrinsic to aging process

Onset varies, but it is universal  genetically preprogrammed into DNA

Question 5

Aging Happens: Three Principles

Answer 5

Three principles:

1. ) Normal aging turns into disease  difficulties handling life
   - –Bone density loss  Osteoporosis
   - –Atherosclerosis (plaque build-up in arteries)  Heart disease
   - –Wear and tear on body  Arthritis
   2) Disease turns into disability daily activities affected
   - -Instrumental problems – cooking, cleaning, driving to store (independent living)
   - —Half of 85+ who are living in homes experience these
   - -Basic limitations – self-care, standing, getting to bathroom (affect 1 in 6 of oldest old)

3) Disability into universal death  Lifespan has a limit.
- -More people than ever are living to 100

Question 6

Sensory Changes

Answer 6

• Further declines in eyesight, hearing
• –Elderspeak – think elderly look physically (and therefore mentally) impaired – like infant-directed speech
• Taste and smell - Reduced sensitivity to sweet, salty, sour, bitter (common after 60)
• –Can be caused by smoking, dentures, medications, pollutants

Question 7

Memory

Answer 7

• Declines with age; more difficult the task, more differences we see between younger adults and elderly
• –Neural deterioration of frontal lobes, cortical shrinkage
• –Memory type matters –
• —-Episodic most fragile (e.g., “10 years ago, I went…”)
• —-Semantic can be as good as young adult (e.g., 7 days are in one week)
• —-Procedural longest lasting (e.g., tie shoes)

Question 8

Dementia

Answer 8

Alzheimer’s disease – neurons wither away, replaced by neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques

• –Cortical decay, but early diagnosis can help
• –Genetic link – 15% of US has two copies of genetic marker, doubles chances of getting it

Question 9

Dementia: Causes

Answer 9

-Vascular dementia – impairments in vascular system (network of arteries feeding brain) – multiple small strokes

• Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB)
• –Third most common form of dementia
• –Movement symptoms (akin to Parkinson’s) early on
• –Hallucinations & misidentification of familiar people common in early stages
• –No known genetic component
• To prevent dementia (broadly) – heart healthy diet, well-educated, regular exercise