OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF NURSING
NCM 101
LATE ADULTHOOD (AGING)
(Growth and D!"o#$nt)
D%&n&t&on'
Persons 65 years and older (U.S. Census Bureau)
A complex process of biologic, psycosocial, cul!ural and experien!ial canges.
"o one !eory explains all !e many face!s of cange occurring in an aging
person.
(&o"o)&* Thor&+
#ay be based on fields of gene!ics, microbiology, biocemis!ry and sociology.
STOCHASTIC THEORY , aging occurs randomly and persis!en!ly $i! !ime.
NON STOCHASTIC THEORY ,sugges!s !a! aging is prede!ermined.
-+.*ho+o*&a" Thor&+
Presen!s !e posi!ion !a! many fac!ors in addi!ion !o gene!ics con!ribu!e from
aging process.
DISENGAGEMENT THEORY , as indi%iduals& age, !ey !end !o $i!dra$ from
socie!y and socie!y $i!dra$s from !em in a mu!ual dance separa!ion.
CONTINUATION THEORY , an indi%idual&s %alues and personali!y de%elop o%er
a life!ime and !a! goals and indi%idual carac!eris!ics $ill remain cons!an!
!rougou! life.
ACTIVITY THEORY , proposes !a! an indi%idual&s sa!isfac!ion in life depends
on in%ol%emen! in ne$ in!eres!s, obbies, roles and rela!ionsips.
INTEGRITY VS/ DES-AIR
S&)n+ o% Int)r&t.'
o 'aining insig! or $isdom
o (e%eloping social s)ills $i! o!er people
o #ore open*minded and !oleran!
o Acie%es mas!ery of one&s occupa!ional s)ills
o (e%eloping ne$ s)ills, obbies and in!eres!s
o Accep!ing and ad+us!ing !o pysical canges associa!ed $i! aging
MYTHS AND STEREOTY-ES OF AGING' 0 nurses need !o be a$are of !ese
my!s and s!ereo!ypes so separa!e from reali!y in aging process and pro%ide a
sensi!i%e and appropria!e care !o older adul!s.
o Being ,ll, bald, ard of earing, forge!ful, rigid, grumpy and boring.
o An aging person is usually li%ing in nursing omes.
o (ependen!, sic) indi%idual.
o Aging is synonymous $i! dea!.
-h.+&o"o)&*a" Chan)+
A decrease in !e ra!e of cell mi!osis.
A de!eriora!ion of speciali-ed non*di%iding cells.
(ecreased elas!ici!y and increased rigidi!y of connec!i%e !issue.
(ecrease func!ional capaci!y.
Presen! of cronic illnesses.
N1ro"o)&*a" Chan)+
Aging brings abou! se%eral canges in !e ner%ous sys!em !a! al!er sensory and
percep!ual response.
Slo$er response !o en%ironmen!al canges leads !o increased ris) for falls,
burns, and o!er in+uries.
.e$er neurons
/ransmission of ner%e impulses slo$ed
/e number of neuro!ransmi!!ers decreases.
Sensory !resold decreased.
Sn+or. and -r*#t1a" Chan)+
V&+&on
* Pupils decrease in 0si-e and are less responsi%e !o lig!.
* Ca!arac!s, glaucoma, and age rela!ed macular degenera!ion are !e mos! common
pa!ological %isual problems experienced by older adul!s.
Har&n)
* 'enerally diminised $i! age.
* Presbycusis or earing loss is also associa!ed during !is age.
Ta+t and S$""
* /as!e percep!ion declines and sali%a!ion is diminised.
* ,ncrease loss of appe!i!e
-a&n -r*#t&on
* 1lder adul!s seem !o lac) specific response !o pain.
Card&o!a+*1"ar Chan)+
.unc!ioning of !e cardio%ascular sys!em become less efficien!.
(ecreased elas!ici!y of !e ear! muscle and ar!eries causes a subse2uen!
increase in sys!olic blood pressure.
,ncrease in fa! deposi!s in !e blood %essels lead !o a reduced supply of oxygen.
/e ar!erial diame!er decreases as a resul! of ar!eriosclerosis.
/ic)ening of !e %enous $alls leads !o decrease elas!ici!y.
/ic)ening of aor!ic and mi!ral %al%es leads !o incomple!e closure3 murmur may
occur in some older adul!.
Bo! ar!eries and %eins become fibro!ic and !e endo!elial cell %aria!ion
increases.
R+#&rator. Chan)+
(ecrease func!ional respira!ory reser%e capaci!y, $i! generali-ed decreased
elas!ici!y and !one of muscles, including muscle of elas!ici!y.
.e$er func!ion of !e al%eoli and decrease in !e number of cilia.
Calcifica!ion of !e ces! $all and rib cage causes !e lungs !o remain
yperinfla!ed on exala!ion, !ereby decreasing %i!al capaci!y.
Pneumonias are among !e leading causes of dea! in older adul!s.
Ga+tro&nt+t&na" Chan)+
Mo1th , los! of !ee! is common for %arie!y of reasons, including years of
inade2ua!e den!al ygiene.
* Canges include a!ropy of oral mucosa, loss of elas!ici!y in connec!i%e !issue,
and decreased number of ner%e cells !a! con!rol ce$ing, s$allo$ing, and !as!e.
Ga+tro&nt+t&na" Tra*t , peris!al!ic ac!ion decreases $i! a relaxa!ion of !e
lo$er esopageal spinc!er.
* 4limina!ion in older adul! is of!en impaired.
Gn&to1r&nar. Chan)+
5oss of muscle !one in !e bladder and ure!ra can resul! in incomple!e emp!ying
of !e bladder.
6enal func!ion is of!en affec!ed by diminised blood flo$ !o !e )idneys as a
resul! of ar!eriosclerosis, yper!ension, and o!er cardio%ascular disorders.
(eydra!ion is %ery real !rea! for many older adul!s.
Endo*r&n Chan)+
#e!abolism slo$s do$n
Al!era!ion in !e pancrea!ic ac!i%i!y
(ecrease blood le%els of gro$! ormone, es!rogen and !es!os!erone.
5oss of elas!ici!y in breas! !issue among $omen $ic resul!s in!o sagging of !e
breas!, decreased si-e of !e u!erus, and fallopian !ubes.
R#rod1*t&!2S31a" Chan)+
1lder adul!s need companionsip, as in!imacy and sexuali!y remain impor!an!
!rougou! !e en!ire life span.
Chan)+ &n Mn
/es!es become sof!er and smaller as a resul! of decreased concen!ra!ion of
!es!os!erone in !e bloods!ream.
/e produc!ion of sperm is inibi!ed or decreased, and e+acula!ions are less
forceful.
Sexual dysfunc!ion increases in pre%alence $i! aging.
Chan)+ &n 4o$n
(ecline in !e serum le%els of es!rogen, as a resul! %aginal $alls !in and %aginal
secre!ions decrease.
/e %ul%a, ex!ernal geni!alia, and breas! srin) because of loss of subcu!aneous
body fa!.
M1+*1"o+5"ta" Chan)+
Pos!ural canges suc as decrease in eig! as !ey age are common as a
resul! of calcium loss from bone.
/ese condi!ions are common in $omen !an in men and are implica!ed in
es!rogen loss !a! occurs $i! aging.
5igamen!s, !endons, and +oin!s are also affec!ed by age.
Int)1$ntar. Chan)+
(ryness, $rin)led, flaccid s)in is of!en common due !o lose of many proper!ies
!a! elp ma)e i! appear you!ful.
/e de%elopmen! of 7len!igo senilis8 (bro$n pigmen!ed areas on !e face, ands
and arms of older people) can cause !e person concern o%er is appearance.
9air loses i!s original color as !e produc!ion of melanin decreases, !uring i! gray,
and e%en!ually $i!e.
/e number of s$ee! glands decreases $ic can resul! !o ea! exaus!ion.
A"trat&on+ &n Mnta" Stat1+
A*1t Con%1+&on , is a s!a!e of diminised a$areness and a!!en!ion of !ypically
sor! dura!ion (ours !o $ee)).
D$nt&a , 4xperiences cronic confusion, usually a long dura!ion (mon! !o
years), !a! impedes func!ioning.
A"6h&$r7+ d&+a+ , is a !ype of demen!ia !a! causes numerous defici!s,
including diminised in!ellec!ual abili!ies, confusion, and impaired +udgmen!.
D#r++&on , is an al!ered s!a!e of mood !a! las!s a! leas! 6 $ee)s.
I++1+ d1r&n) Lat Ad1"thood
6e!iremen!
Canges in social rela!ionsips and roles
Canges in li%ing arrangemen!s
(ealing $i! loss
N1r+&n) I$#"&*at&on+
#ain!ain accura!e fluid in!a)e : ou!pu! record.
#ain!ain en%ironmen!al !empera!ure ; $a!c for signs of cilling, !ey a%e
diminised !ermoregula!ion.
#ain!ain a $ell*li! en%ironmen! since !ey a%e impaired %ision !o pre%en!
acciden!al falls, and in+uries.
Al$ays reassess !e le%el of orien!a!ion ; .re2uen!ly orien! !o !ime, place,
persons.
Assis! in doing ac!i%i!ies of daily li%ing ; cec) !empera!ure of $a!er before
ba!ing, accompany in crossing !e s!ree!s.
6eposi!ion e%ery !$o ours !o pre%en! s)in brea)do$n ; cec) for pressure
ulcers.
Cec) s)in carac!eris!ics : !urgor ; prone !o s)in abrasion and %ulnerable !o
pressure.
Al$ays moni!or %i!al signs ; de!ermine signs of ypoxia, ypo%olemia, acidosis,
9a%e andrails nex! s!airs : all$ays3 6aise !e siderails of bedside !o pre%en!
falls.
Use nig!lig!s in bedroom, ba!room and all$ays.
<eep elec!rical cords ou! of !e !roug$ays.
Place non*s)id ma!s in !oile!s.
Soes sould be fla!, sof! and comfor!able, non*slip
6egular cec)ups !o assess and ad+us! eye, earing func!ions.
Pro%ide ade2ua!e res! periods.