Term
| Changes in appearance during Late Adulthood |
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Definition
- skin loses collagen and elasticity
- Presence of age spots: pigmented marks on the hands and faces
- Nose and ears grow larger
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Term
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Definition
- Brain volume shrinks
- “Last-in, first-out”
- Last areas of the brain to myelinate are the first ones to show decline
- Changes are gradual, 1% per year
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Term
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Definition
- Cognitive reserve: ability to make flexible and efficient use of available brain resources
- More brain activity using different brain areas
- Aerobic exercise can restore brain volumes.
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Term
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Definition
| ability to make flexible and efficient use of available brain resources |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| loss of cells in the center of retina; causes blurring and eventual loss of vision |
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Term
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Definition
- very gradual
- Older adults with vision difficulties may participate less in recreational activities and/or be more likely to be depressed
- cataracts
- macular degeneration
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Term
| Consequences of hearing loss |
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Definition
- Risk to safety, self-esteem, social isolation
- Hearing aids are often underused
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Term
| Changes in smell and taste |
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Definition
- Rapid decline in olfaction (i.e., sense of smell) in their 60s
- Decline in smell relates to decreased sensitivity to taste and may also indicate deteriorating health
- Dry mouth also interferes with sense of taste
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Term
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Definition
- Physical activity can compensate for decline in motor skills
- Loss of dexterity (ie., ability to manipulate objects)
- Changes in balance (i.e., ability to control body’s position in space)
- Interventions can increase balance
- Decline in gait (ie., walking speed)
- Adults can compensate for this by taking longer steps
- Rapid decline can predict mortality
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Term
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Definition
| Declines in attention (e.g., taking in information, dividing attention, multi-tasking) |
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Term
| Changes in long-term memory |
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Definition
- Little decline in semantic memory (memory for factual material)
- Greater decline in episodic memory
- Similar decline in autobiographical memory
- Reminiscence bump: older adults most likely to recall events from earlier in life (ages 10-30; especially adolescence)
- Contextual factors that influence memory include overall health, years/quality of education, stress
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Term
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Definition
| occurs when info that has previously been remembered interferes with memory for new info (e.g., grocery stores) |
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Term
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Definition
| occurs when newly learned information interferes with memory for previously learned information (e.g., phone numbers) |
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Term
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Definition
- Little decline in semantic memory (memory for factual material)
- Greater decline in episodic memory
- Similar decline in autobiographical memory
- Reminiscence bump: older adults most likely to recall events from earlier in life (ages 10-30; especially adolescence)
- Contextual factors that influence memory include overall health, years/quality of education, stress
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