1. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part. Physical and Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood 15 3e

2. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.  Longevity  Life span and life expectancy ▪ Life span: Maximum number of years an individual can live ▪ Between 120–125 years ▪ Life expectancy: Number of years that the average person born in a particular year will probably live ▪ Average is 78.3 years 15-2

3. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.  Differences in life expectancy ▪ Female life expectancy 80.8 years, males 75.7 years ▪ Beginning in the mid-thirties, women outnumber men because of: ▪ Social factors such as:  Health attitudes  Habits  Lifestyles  Occupation ▪ Biological factors 15-3

4. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.  The aging brain  The shrinking, slowing brain  Brain loses 5% to 10% of its weight between the ages of 20 and 90 years  Volume decreases due to: ▪ Shrinkage of neurons ▪ Lower numbers of synapses ▪ Reduced length of axon  Slowing of function in the brain and spinal cord begins in middle adulthood and accelerates in late adulthood ▪ Affecting physical coordination and intellectual performance 15-4

5. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part. ▪ Aging - Linked to a reduction in the production of certain neurotransmitters  The adapting brain ▪ Neurogenesis - Generation of new neurons ▪ Dendritic growth ▪ Decrease in lateralization ▪ Improve cognitive functioning 15-5

6. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.  Physical appearance and movement  Most noticeable changes - Wrinkles and age spots  Shorter with aging due to bone loss in their vertebrae  Weight drops after age 60 ▪ Muscle loss  Older adults move more slowly 15-6

7. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.  Sensory development  Vision ▪ Sensory decline in older adults is linked to a decline in cognitive functioning ▪ Color vision ▪ Depth perception 15-7

8. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.  Hearing ▪ Impairments becomes an impediment ▪ Some, but not all, hearing problems can be corrected by hearing aids  Smell and taste ▪ Smell and taste losses typically begin about age 60  Touch and pain ▪ Decline in touch sensitivity is not problematic for most ▪ Decreased sensitivity to pain can help adults cope with disease and injury ▪ Mask injuries and illnesses that need to be treated 15-8

9. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.  Nutrition and weight ▪ Getting adequate nutrition ▪ Avoiding overweight and obesity ▪ Role of calorie restriction in improving health and extending life 15-9

10. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.  Multidimensionality and multidirectionality  Attention ▪ Selective attention ▪ Divided attention ▪ Sustained attention 15-10

11. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.  Memory ▪ Episodic memory: Retention of information about the where and when of life’s happenings ▪ Younger adults have better episodic memory ▪ Semantic memory: Person’s knowledge about the world ▪ Older adults take longer to retrieve semantic information, but usually they can ultimately retrieve it ▪ Working memory and perceptual speed - Decline during the late adulthood years 15-11

12. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part. ▪ Explicit memory: Memory of facts and experiences that individuals consciously know and can state ▪ Implicit memory: Memory without conscious recollection  Noncognitive factors - Health, education, and socioeconomic status can influence an older adult’s performance on memory tasks 15-12

13. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.  Executive functioning  Involves managing one's thoughts to engage in goal-directed behavior and self control: ▪ General aspects of executive functioning decline in late adulthood ▪ Considerable variability in executive functioning among older adults 15-13

14. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.  Dementia: Involve a deterioration of mental functioning  23 percent of women and 17 percent of men 85 years and older are at risk for developing dementia 15-14

15. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.  Alzheimer disease: Gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and eventually, physical function  Women are likely to develop Alzheimer disease because they live longer than men  Alzheimer involves a deficiency in the brain messenger chemical acetylcholine  Formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles 15-15

16. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part. 15-16

17. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.  Drug treatment of Alzheimer disease ▪ Cholinerase inhibitors and other drugs slow the downward progression of the disease  Caring for individuals with Alzheimer disease ▪ Support is often emotionally and physically draining for the family ▪ Respite care services 15-17

18. © 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.  Parkinson disease: A chronic, progressive disease characterized by muscle tremors, slowing of movement, and facial paralysis  Triggered by the degeneration of dopamine- producing neurons in the brain  Several treatments are available 15-18