Life Stages I will be explaining the physical and psychological changes which may be associated with ageing. Physical changes – skin, bones and joints * Skin becomes more wrinkled, thinner and less elastic. * Bones are less dense and are more likely to suffer from minor or serve injuries. * Joints stiffen and can be more painful as the bones thin out. * Muscles become weakened and loosen. * The spine may round which leads to hunched backs and other spine conditions. Senses: * Vision is not as good as it use to be, sometimes with ageing comes an eye condition known as cataracts. Deteriorating may occur within the senses of taste and smell. * Sense of hearing will deteriorate becoming more difficult to hear low pitch sounds. * Balance senses become poor. Organs: * Organ muscles become weaker in which could create risks of constipation. * Blood pressure increases. * Breathing starts to change. * Nutrients from foods don’t often get taken in as well as before when younger. Respiratory System: When blood is not being pumped around the body properly, breathlessness will result. Common disorders in the respiratory system which will occur include common diseases such as Bronchitis.
Chest muscles could reduce with ageing and lungs could deteriorate. Hearing: Most individuals over the age of 60+ suffer from hearing impairment. Most elderly people by the time they have reached 70+have lost their hearing. This could happen due to the sensitivity of the nerve cells decreasing. Learning: It takes longer for an older person to learn something than it once was for them when they were younger; this is to do with the functioning of the brain, as you get older your brain functions slower. Memory Loss: Aging has a substantial affect on the brain. The brain stores all the information that was once learnt in their life.
Short-term memories are not usually affected by aging but your recent memory will be affected. Older people generally tend to forget names or their own names. This is a normal change within the body. Confusion: Confusion is a common problem in individuals over 65 years old. Confusion may occur fast or slowly over time, depending on the cause. Sometimes confusion can be temporary. Reactions Time: As we get older we tend to process information at a slower pace. This means it can take longer to figure out what is going on and what to do about it. This is usually due to the changes in the nervous system over time.
