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Physical changes of ageing - Coggle Diagram
Physical changes of ageing
Oeteoarthritis
Result of wear and tear of the joints + ageing process
Most common form of arthritis in UK - 8 million people have it
Joints become painful + stiff
Overweight + family history increases chances
Physical changes
Thinning + roughening of joint cartilage
Cartilage: protective cushion between the ends of bones
Bones rub together causing pain + swelling
Eventually cause bony outgrowths, spurs or osetophytes
Degeneration of the sense organs
Sensory awareness decreases
Balance
Hearing
Vision
Taste
Smell
After 45 eyes' ability to focus weakens
65 little focus left
90 serious problems with vision
Majority of people of 75 have some degree of cataract formation - diabetes increases the chances of developing it
Glaucoma; increase of fluid pressure in the eye
Hazy or blurry vision
Eye pain
Sudden loss of vision
Increase wax in the outer ear can block sound transmission to the sensory nerves
Difficulty hearing high frequencies
Sensitive nerves
If accompanied with loss of nerve cell function it can cause partial or complete hearing loss
Reduced absorption of nutrients
Physical activity is restricted or reduced
Energy requirements decrease: need more protein-rich foods e.g. eggs and dairy foods
Need more vitamins = minerals as well e.g. zinc and sodium which are found in dairy products + fish
Absorption of food is less efficient
Can be malnourished even if they have the same diet they did in early adulthood
Vitamin D helps absorb calcium
Vitamin C essential for several body functions e.g. healing + maintaining tissue
Iron absorption may be reduced increasing the risk of iron deficiency anaemia
Dementia
Majority of people who live to extreme old age will never develop dementia
5% affect over 65
20% affect over 80
Brain disorder affecting someone's ability to carry out everyday tasks
Experience problems
Understanding what is happening around them
Communicating
Reasoning
Finding their way
Remembering recent events
Alzheimer's disease
Commonest form of dementia
Slows parts of the brain which controlled thought, memory + language
Have trouble with short-term memory + recalling names
Begin to loose ability to carry out tasks
Speaking
Reading
Writing
As illness gets worse may loose the ability to do simple everyday tasks
Brushing teeth
Combing hair
Higher risk of having the disease if a family member had the condition
Currently there is not treatment, cure or preventable treatment, but some medication can delay it
Effects of illnesses that are common in ageing
Each condition has it's own symptoms but can affect holistic development
Chronic condition as well as usual physical + psychological changes can lead to stress + depression
Depression
Individual's mood
Lack of energy
Low motivation
Interrupted sleep patterns
Changes in appetite
Headaches
Physical aches + pains associated with arthritis worsens
Social development severely impacted
Mobility may be resticted
Difficult to get out + meet people
Reduce in circle of friends
Further emotional stress
Decline of senses or neural capacity
Impact friendships
Depend upon communicating with others
Unable to hear or see sufficiently well
Can't take part in hobbies they use to enjoy e.g. reading
Reduce motivation
Increase isolation
Physical changes
Losing mobility
Neurological problems
Pain
Stiffness of the joints
Reduction in stamina
These may become worse due to a lack of exercise
Reduction in sensory awareness + neurological illness
Dizziness
Difficulty in moving
Increase in falls in older people
Often causing fractures
Loss of bladder control can occur because of
Weakness of muscles
Enlarged prostate (common in older men)
Neurological illness such as Alzheimer's
May experience insomnia or disorders which disrupt sleep patterns + fatigue, stress + anxiety
Effect attention span + ability to carry out everyday tasks