1. Physical & Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood
Ch 17
Currently, elderly = 13% of pop in N Am- will increase to nearly ¼ (23%) by middle of this century.
MASSIVE social change!
ASK SS TO BRAINSTORM POSSIBLE/PROBABLE EFFECTS ON SOCIETY
Ever thought about why we have older people- why humans live past productive reproductive capacity?
Menopause is unique in animal kingdom!- expectation of life past childrearing. Why?
“grandma hypothesis”- advanced by some archeologists: trying to explain why human civilization increased greatly in sophistication about 30,000 yrs ago (Upper Paleolithic age)- population explosion, art, burial rituals.
- Found that proportion of older ppl (past childbearing age- 30 vs 15) also increased dramatically.
- Proposed that having grandmas (and grandpas) around to help raise their extended families contributed to their groups success, led to population explosion.
By that logic, maybe we will finally overcome some of our periennal species problems like warfare

2. An Aging Population

3. Perceptions of Old Age

4. When You Reach 100 Years Old In Barbados, You Get A Stamp In Your Honour.

5. Conceptions of ‘Old Age’
Variations in respect for elders
Asia, Africa
Vs US- negative stereotypes create stereotype threat
Internalized by middle childhood
 Impact self-perceptions, functioning, even lifespan

6. ‘Effects’ of Premature Cognitive Commitments
Association between age stereotypes and time until experiencing a first cardiovascular (CV) event. The graph shows the percentage of participants who had not experienced a CV event as a function of time in each age-stereotype group.
Levy B R et al. Psychological Science 2009;20:

7. Healthy Lifespan
Lifestyle factors: behaviors, jobs, social supports
Public policies and programs: health care, housing, social services

8. Rates of Disability

9. Visual and Hearing Impairments

10. Measuring Aging
IMPORTANT: No one biological marker of aging- differs across systems. Can decline faster in one area than another- hearing poor but vision fine, or heart poor but cognitive capacities fine.
But researchers have noted that after age 75, declines in cognitive functioning are related to distance to death rather than chrono age
So some researchers think that there is a general decline in cog functioning prior to death. Referred to as Terminal decline- a steady, marked decrease in cognitive functioning prior to death.
But estimates vary widely- from 1-3 yrs to as much as 14. Suggests that they are not really measuring the same thing- may be conflating species-typical aging processes w/ specific disease processes.
So again, no one clear marker of aging. But does underscore an important point- that Functional age can be different from biological age. Thus the term ‘functional age’- focus on
‘young-old’- physically young, functional for age
‘old-old’- showing ‘signs’ of decline [‘signs’ must mean behavioral signs?]
NB- she says gets confused in popular lit w/ chrono age. But IS used that way in the gerontological literature- (UA experts)- not just a ‘pop’ misconception. But emphasis on functionality is an important contribution.
Another note: most obvious, surface signs of aging (graying hair, baldness, wrinkles) are NOT related at all to sensory, cognitive, and motor functioning.
What is related: health of inner systems: skeletal, cardio-vascular, neurological, etc. See as hesitations in speech, movement, etc.

11. Functional Age
Actual competence and performance may not match chronological age
Finished 2018 Boston Marathon at age 85!

12. Physical Changes so what changes? Some changes that seem to be
VISUAL SYSTEM
Lower visual acuity
Poor dim light vision
Cataracts
Macular degeneration
OTHER SYSTEMS
Cardiovascular
Heartbeat less forceful; slower heart rate, blood flow
Vital lung capacity cut by half
Immune
Effectiveness declines
More autoimmune disorders
Sleep
More difficulties
Sleep apnea, insomnia
NERVOUS SYSTEM
Loss of brain weight accelerates after 60
Neurons lost in visual, auditory and motor areas, cerebellum (balance)
Autonomic nervous system less efficient
Brain can compensate
New fibers
New connections
Use more parts of brain
SEXUALITY
Most have sex
Married couples: regular, enjoyable sex
Singles: 70% men, 50% of women have sex
Continue patterns from earlier years
“Good sex in the past, good sex in the future”
Enjoy activities other than intercourse
Men sometimes stop all activities if erection problems
APPEARANCE, STRENGTH, AND MOBILITY
Skin thinner, rougher wrinkled, spotted
Ears, nose, teeth and hair change
Lose height and weight after 60
Muscle strength declines
10–20% by 60–70
30–50% by 70–80
Bone strength drops
Less flexibility
IMPORTANT: No one biological marker of aging- differs across systems. Can decline faster in one area than another- hearing poor but vision fine, or heart poor but cognitive capacities fine.
Some researchers think that there is a general decline in cog functioning prior to death. Referred to as Terminal decline- a steady, marked decrease in cognitive functioning prior to death. But estimates vary widely- from 1-3 yrs to as much as 14. Suggests that they are not really measuring the same thing- may be conflating species-typical aging processes w/ specific disease processes.
So again, no one clear marker of age. But does underscore an important point- that Functional age can be different from biological age. Thus the term ‘functional age’- focus on
‘young-old’- physically young, functional for age
‘old-old’- showing ‘signs’ of decline [‘signs’ must mean behavioral signs?]
NB- she says gets confused in popular lit w/ chrono age. But IS used that way in the gerontological literature- (UA experts)- not just a ‘pop’ misconception. But emphasis on functionality is an important contribution.
Another note: most obvious, surface signs of aging (graying hair, baldness, wrinkles) are NOT related at all to sensory, cognitive, and motor functioning.
What is related: health of inner systems: skeletal, cardio-vascular, neurological, etc. See as hesitations in speech, movement, etc.

13. Alzheimer’s

15. Long-term care

16. Aging Successfully

17. Relationships in late adulthood