Psychology lifespan
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Physical and Cognitive Development in
Late Adulthood
DISCUSSION
How long we live
When / why we “change”
How well we live
How we view aging
OVERVIEW
Physical Development
Cognitive Development
Review Questions
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
AGE / AGING
Biologic: Cellular
Chronologic: Age at birth / Conception
Functional: Level of competence / performance – Level of function
Early late versus late-late – 80 years of age
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqCo-McgHLw
LIFE EXPECTANCY
The average number of years we are likely to live based on our year of birth. Interesting calculation(s)…
Generally going up (If you live past 65)
Men - 84.3
Women - 86.6
Overall – 78.8
1 out of every 10 will live past 95
Maximum Life Span:
Maximum (to Date) = 122 (biologic aging)
Women tend to live longer
Female births end of the 1900’s – live to 100
Significant variations
Life expectancy in the U.S. dropped for the second year in a row, according to the CDC.
The new average life expectancy for Americans is 78.7 years, which puts the U.S. behind other developed nations such as Canada, Germany, Mexico, France, Japan, and the U.K.
Average Healthy Life Expectancy: The average years expected to live in good health.
PHYSICAL CHANGES, p.1
Nervous System:
Brain weight drops (ventricular spaces)
Loss of neurons
***We can form new neural fibers (neurogenesis)
Sensory Functions:
Declines start in our 20s
Declines become more pronounced
Cardiovascular System:
Decreased elasticity of the cardiac muscle
Nervous system control decline
Artery wall stiffens
PHYSICAL CHANGES, p.2
Motor Function:
General decline
Immune System:
T-cells become less effective (immune system)
Varies greatly between individuals
Appearance:
Height loss (osteoporosis and compression of the disks)
Decrease muscle tone
Hair changes (not just color)
Adaptations:
Plastic surgery, medication, coping, technology
HEALTH & FITNESS
Sleep:
The need for sleep is the same as in young adulthood
The twenty-four hour cycle shifts
Compression of Morbidity:
Healthier longer….infirm shorter…
Reasons
Exercise
Nutrition
Medicine
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
MEMORY
Dementia: (many forms)
Many aspects of thought and behavior become significantly impaired.
Hearing Loss
Parkinson’s Disease Dementia
Alzheimer’s
Enlarged ventricular spaces, neurofibrillary tangles
Fish oils, Education, Active life style
Wisdom:
Erikson / Stage Eight
Terminal Decline: A period of rapid deterioration prior to passing (~ 1 – 3 years)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HobxLbPhrMc
LANGUAGE
Tied to memory
A decline in what we say and how we say it
Retrieving words from long-term memory
planning what to say/how we say it
Majority of language production (e.g. content, grammar, social appropriateness) unaffected
REVIEW QUESTIONS
Do we determine the “start of life” the same around the world?
What is the effect of aging on T-cells?
To the best of our knowledge, what is the maximum, biological life span?