Changes in Memory and Cognition
Social exchange theory: built on notion that exchange of resources takes place in all interpersonal interactions
viii. Age stratification perspective: society is stratified by age, which determines people’s roles and rights
ix. Productive aging theory: focuses on positive changes that have occurred to older-adult population
a. Exhibit 9.4 Dimensions of Productive Aging
x. Environmental gerontology: place and environment impact social role, status, and activities of older adults
VI. Biological Changes in Late Adulthood
A. Introduction
i. Programmed aging theories: aging follows an internal biological clock that regulates development growth and aging,
ii. Damage or error theories of aging: emphasize the role of environmental assaults that cause cumulative damage to various biological systems and the failure of the body to fix the damage
iii. Developmental biocultural co-constructivism: brain and culture are in a continuous, independent, coproductive transaction and reciprocal determination
B. Health and Longevity
i. Mortality rate: frequency at which death occurs within a population
a. Has significantly declined for all segments of U.S. population
ii. Morbidity: the incidence of disease
a. Has increased in the United States
iii. Presence of chronic conditions varies by gender, race, and ethnicity
C. Age-Related Changes in Physiology
i. All systems of the body are affected during aging process
a. Brain: volume shrinks and there is a decrease in synapses
b. Cardiovascular system: heart experiences cell loss and becomes more rigid. Cardiac output decreases and pulse slows with age
c. Respiratory system: lung capacity decreases
d. Skeletal system: destruction of bones outpaces reformation of bones
D. The Aging Brain and Neurodegenerative Diseases
i. Most common neurodegenerative diseases are dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s diseas.
E. Dementia
i. Dementia: the term for brain disease in which memory and cognitive abilities deteriorate over time
ii. Most common symptoms: difficulties with memory, language, and problem-solving
iii. 46.8 million people living with dementia worldwide, as of 2017
iv. Someone in world develops dementia every 3 s
v. Exhibit 9.5 Signs of Dementia Compared With Typical Age-Related
Changes in Memory and CognitionAPA