The Challenge Of Aging Chapter 18 PDF

Because learning changes everything. ® The Challenge of Aging Chapter 18 © McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No...

Because learning changes everything. ® The Challenge of Aging Chapter 18 © McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.  Perspectives on Aging Aging: a normal process of getting older, which includes physical, mental, and social changes: Biological aging is associated with a reduction in the body’s potential to repair and regenerate tissue. Gerontology: scientific study of the physical changes that occur with aging. Programmed aging hypothesizes that our bodies age because of a hardwired pattern of shifts in gene expression that have been programmed through evolution. Psychological aging refers to the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes that occur over time. Social aging refers to the shifts in relationships and societal roles as a person ages. Even with the healthiest behavior and environment, biological aging inevitably occurs: Gradual aging and impairment from disease cause physiological changes throughout the body. © McGraw Hill LLC 2  Life-Enhancing Measures 1 Don’t smoke. Challenge your mind: Reading, writing, doing puzzles, learning a language, and studying music stimulate the brain. More complex the activity, the more protective it may be. Some effects of mental exercise may help delay the onset of symptoms caused by dementia. © McGraw Hill LLC 3  Life-Enhancing Measures 2 Develop physical fitness. Exercise significantly enhances both psychological and physical health. Studies cited in the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Committee Report found: Physically active people have a significantly lower risk of dying prematurely. About 150 minutes of physical activity a week are often sufficient. The stimulus that exercise provides also protects against the loss of fluid intelligence: the ability to find solutions to new problems. © McGraw Hill LLC 4  Life-Enhancing Measures 3 Eat wisely: Eat a varied diet full of nutrient-rich foods. Maintain a healthy weight. Control drinking and overdependence on medications. Schedule preventive care. Recognize and reduce stress. Nurture social connections. © McGraw Hill LLC 5  Dealing with the Changes of Aging 1 Changing roles and relationships Increased leisure time Economics of retirement: Financial planning should begin early in life. Especially critical for women. Adapting to physical changes Hearing loss: Loss of hearing occurs in virtually everyone as they age (presbycusis). Hearing loss is the result of gradual deterioration of the tiny hair cells in the cochlea. © McGraw Hill LLC 6  Dealing with the Changes of Aging 2 Vision changes: Trouble distinguishing certain colors. Glaucoma: increase in pressure in the eye. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD): deterioration of the central area of the retina Cataracts: clouding of the lenses Diabetic retinopathy Arthritis: inflammation and swelling of a joint or joints: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form © McGraw Hill LLC 7  Dealing with the Changes of Aging 3 Osteoporosis: loss of bone density: Makes the body more prone to fractures, especially at the hip, spine, or wrist. Weight-bearing exercises beginning early in life are important. Increased risk for falls Changes in sexual functioning: It is still important to practice safe sex. © McGraw Hill LLC 8  Dealing with the Changes of Aging 4 Psychological and cognitive changes Cognitive impairment: Many ultimately develop dementia: a general term for a loss of function that interferes with daily life and independence. Alzheimer’s disease (AD): a progressive brain disorder that damages and eventually destroys brain cells. Most common disease leading to dementia. Vascular dementia, or vascular cognitive impairment: changes that occur due to cerebrovascular disease, when brain cells die due to inadequate blood flow. Lewy-body dementia (LBD): a form of dementia that partly resembles AD but may also cause unpredictable levels of cognitive ability, attention, or alertness. © McGraw Hill LLC 9  Dealing with the Changes of Aging 5 Depression: Distinguishing between depression and dementia can be difficult in older adults because the two conditions share many of the same symptoms. Common triggers for depression in older adults include unresolved grief, chronic health conditions, unrelieved pain, and changes in the social and financial situation. Suicide is relatively common. Grief: Grief is an emotional response to loss. People find help through in-person or online support groups with others who have experienced similar losses. © McGraw Hill LLC 10  Life in an Aging Society Life expectancy is the average length of time a person is expected to live. Aging minority: People of age 65 and over are a large minority in the United States. Social Security—a government program that provides financial assistance to retirees, disabled persons, and families of retired, disabled, or deceased workers. Health care remains the largest expense. © McGraw Hill LLC 11  Family and Community Resources for Older Adults People in their later years can often remain active and independent with help: Most often the bulk of the caregiving is provided by the elderly person’s spouse, grown daughter, or daughter-in-law. Caregiving can be exhausting. © McGraw Hill LLC 12  Government Aid and Policies Several programs are in place to help older Americans: Food assistance Housing subsides Social Security: Funds comes primarily from American workers who pay into the system, and it depends on a sufficient number of current workers to support the number of retired people who are receiving benefits. Medicare: It is a major health insurance program for older adults and disabled persons. Medicaid: When financial resources are exhausted, people may apply for Medicaid, which provides insurance to low-income people of any age. © McGraw Hill LLC 13  What Is Death? The way we choose to confront death can greatly influence how we live. Questions about the meaning of death and what happens when we die are central to the great religions and philosophies of the world. Senescence, the biological process of aging, is rooted in genetics. © McGraw Hill LLC 14  Defining Death Traditionally, the heart stops beating and breathing ceases, referred to as clinical death: Life-support systems have affected clinical definitions. Brain death is the complete and irreversible loss of function of the entire brain, including the brain stem.: Timing is critical for organ transplantation. Cellular death is a gradual process that occurs when heartbeat, respiration, and brain activity have stopped, and includes breakdown of metabolic processes. © McGraw Hill LLC 15  Learning about Death Child’s understanding of death evolves greatly from about age 6 to age 9. Mature understanding of death: a conscious recognition of the facts that death is final, universal, and inevitable. Non-empirical ideas about death include noncorporeal continuity: that we survive in some form after death. © McGraw Hill LLC 16  Denying versus Acknowledging Death Where the reality of death is concerned, “out of sight, out of mind” is often the rule of the day. In the United States, we tend to “death denying.” Not the same in all cultures: For example, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico © McGraw Hill LLC 17  Planning for Death 1 Making a will: Will: a legal instrument expressing a person’s intentions and wishes for the disposition of their property after death. Estate: money, property, and other possessions. Testator: the person who makes a will. When a person dies intestate—without having left a valid will—property is distributed according to rules of the state. It is useful to prepare a document that includes information about your personal affairs (bank statements, credit cards, documents, etc.). © McGraw Hill LLC 18  Planning for Death 2 Completing an advance directive: Advance directive: a legal document that states your preferences about medical treatment Living will: allows individuals to provide instructions about the kind of medical care they wish to receive or not receive if they become unable to participate in decisions Health care proxy, or durable power of attorney for health care: allows an individual to appoint another person as an agent in making health care decisions © McGraw Hill LLC 19  Giving the Gift of Life Each day 17 people on the waiting list die because not enough organs are available. If you decide to become an organ donor, you can complete a Uniform Donor Card either physically or online (go to organdonor.gov). Alternatively, in many states you can indicate your wish on your driver’s license. You can also register online through the nonprofit website Donate Life America (donatelife.net), which manages a national registry for organ donors. © McGraw Hill LLC 20  Considering Options for End-of-Life Care Home care is an expressed preference for the majority of people. Palliative care: a collaborative, team-based approach to treatment that aims to prevent and relieve suffering in those with serious or life-threatening illness Hospice programs offer a special kind of compassionate care for those in the final phase of terminal illness: Likely to die in six months or less © McGraw Hill LLC 21  Difficult Decisions at the End of Life 1 Decision to stop doing tests and treatments is often a difficult one for patients and families. Persistent vegetative state: a condition of extensive and irreversible brain damage with absence of higher brain function for an extended period. The person may have sleep-wake cycles, and occasional eyelid opening and movement, but lacks awareness or any cognitive function. Withholding or withdrawing treatment: Right of a competent patient to refuse unwanted treatment is now generally established. Having a clear advance directive is extremely helpful. © McGraw Hill LLC 22  Difficult Decisions at the End of Life 2 Physician-assisted death and voluntary active euthanasia: Physician-assisted death (PAD): physician provides a prescription for a lethal dose of medication: As of 2020, legal in California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington Concept of double effect: a harmful effect of treatment, even if it results in death, is permissible if not intended and occurs as a side effect of a beneficial action. Active euthanasia: intentional act of killing someone who would otherwise suffer: Illegal in all US states Palliative sedation is used as a last resort. © McGraw Hill LLC 23  Planning a Funeral or Memorial Service Disposition of the body: Burial Embalming for a viewing or wake Cremation Arranging a service: Memorial service Funeral ceremony © McGraw Hill LLC 24  Coping with Imminent Death 1 There is no one right way to live with or die of a life-threatening illness. Tasks of coping: Kübler-Ross, five psychological stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance Notion of stages is now deemphasized. Four primary dimensions in coping with dying (Corr): Physical Psychological Social Spiritual © McGraw Hill LLC 25  Coping with Imminent Death 2 Supporting a person in the last phase of life: Most important is to be present. If the person wishes to talk, attentive listening is an act of great kindness. As death draws near, simple steps to give comfort can provide relief and reassurance. © McGraw Hill LLC 26  Coping with Loss 1 Experiencing grief: the reaction to loss: Bereavement: the objective event of loss Mourning: the process of adjustment The course of grief is highly individual: Social support is critical. There is no hard and fast “normal” amount of time that grief should last. When the duration and intensity far exceed what is usually expected, it is often referred to as complicated grief. © McGraw Hill LLC 27  Coping with Loss 2 Supporting a grieving person: Key to supporting a grieving person is being a good listener and refraining from making judgments: If someone talks about suicide or seems in danger of harm, seek professional help right away. When a young adult loses a friend, the leading causes of death tend to be sudden and unexpected. In helping children cope with loss, honesty and inclusion are the key aspects. © McGraw Hill LLC 28  Coming to Terms with Death Encounters with dying and death help us appreciate the infinite preciousness of life and love. Our exposure to death can offer opportunities for extraordinary growth in the midst of loss. © McGraw Hill LLC 29  Review 1 List strategies for healthy aging. Identify challenges that may accompany aging and explain how people can best confront them. Explain the factors influencing life expectancy. Understand the issues facing older adults in the United States. Explain what death is. © McGraw Hill LLC 30  Review 2 List and describe personal considerations in planning for death. Explain the challenges of coping with imminent death. Describe the challenges of coping with loss. Describe what it means to come to terms with death. © McGraw Hill LLC 31  Because learning changes everything. ® www.mheducation.com © McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.