1 Initial Reflection Essay on Aging Unisha Jadhari HS 3443.50 Health Aspect of Aging Dr. T Douglas Coyle June 6th, 2021 Initial Reflection Essay on Aging Aging is a step-by-step, constant process of natural development that kicks off in early adulthood. During this period, many bodily functions start to decline gradually. An individual does not become elderly or old at a particular age. Traditionally, people believe age 65 to be the beginning of old age. It is not precisely clear what constitutes aging. As I reflect through my personal experience, I can clearly understand what aging includes. Through the course, I have gained enough knowledge about the human cycle and how to prepare for old age. This reflection explains some of the beliefs associated with aging, the relationship between aging and health, and the challenges older adults face in their daily activities. Many people have various beliefs about old age. The elderly are believed to experience depression and loneliness. As this group grows old, some may feel isolated and lonely, resulting in depression, sadness, and anxiety. Another belief is that, as people age, their sleep needs decline. These people experience hard times falling and staying asleep, affecting their mental well-being and overall health. Moreover, people continue to believe that older adults can't learn new ideas. This misconception is not true as more senior people still can create new memories, learn new ideas and improve their performance on various activities. It is a common belief that older adults are forgetful. In most cases, older people tend to forget some of the things with ease and cannot account for some of the items in their lifetime (Bryant, 2010). I have come to understand some of these beliefs through my grandparents, who experience some of these problems. Some of the health challenges associated with aging include hearing loss, back and neck pain, depression, diabetes, and dementia, to name a few. These health conditions are prevalent at old age. It is essential to take care of the elderly in the community. Understanding the elderly needs is of utmost importance to better establish initiatives geared towards taking care of their welfare. The elderly is vulnerable in society, thus developing health promotion to ensure they continue and enjoy life in the community. Aging comes with various challenges. Some of these challenges include loss of independence, diminished physical ability, age discrimination, disease prevalence, mistreatment and abuse, and poverty (Liddle et al., 2016). My biggest concerns about aging include declining health, old age, financial difficulties, and having to depend on others for daily upkeep. Moreover, I am worried about losing my mental capacity and decline in physical activity. These concerns cut across all ages, including older adults in my community. In this course, I expect to learn more about the biological causes of aging and how one can avoid some of the chall ...

1. 1
Initial Reflection Essay on Aging
Unisha Jadhari
HS 3443.50
Health Aspect of Aging
Dr. T Douglas Coyle
June 6th, 2021
Initial Reflection Essay on Aging
Aging is a step-by-step, constant process of natural
development that kicks off in early adulthood. During this
period, many bodily functions start to decline gradually. An
individual does not become elderly or old at a particular age.
Traditionally, people believe age 65 to be the beginning of old
age. It is not precisely clear what constitutes aging. As I reflect
through my personal experience, I can clearly understand what
aging includes. Through the course, I have gained enough
knowledge about the human cycle and how to prepare for old
age. This reflection explains some of the beliefs associated with
aging, the relationship between aging and health, and the
challenges older adults face in their daily activities.
Many people have various beliefs about old age. The elderly are
believed to experience depression and loneliness. As this group
grows old, some may feel isolated and lonely, resulting in
depression, sadness, and anxiety. Another belief is that, as
people age, their sleep needs decline. These people experience

2. hard times falling and staying asleep, affecting their mental
well-being and overall health.
Moreover, people continue to believe that older adults can't
learn new ideas. This misconception is not true as more senior
people still can create new memories, learn new ideas and
improve their performance on various activities. It is a common
belief that older adults are forgetful. In most cases, older people
tend to forget some of the things with ease and cannot account
for some of the items in their lifetime (Bryant, 2010). I have
come to understand some of these beliefs through my
grandparents, who experience some of these problems. Some of
the health challenges associated with aging include hearing loss,
back and neck pain, depression, diabetes, and dementia, to name
a few. These health conditions are prevalent at old age.
It is essential to take care of the elderly in the community.
Understanding the elderly needs is of utmost importance to
better establish initiatives geared towards taking care of their
welfare. The elderly is vulnerable in society, thus developing
health promotion to ensure they continue and enjoy life in the
community. Aging comes with various challenges. Some of
these challenges include loss of independence, diminished
physical ability, age discrimination, disease prevalence,
mistreatment and abuse, and poverty (Liddle et al., 2016). My
biggest concerns about aging include declining health, old age,
financial difficulties, and having to depend on others for daily
upkeep. Moreover, I am worried about losing my mental
capacity and decline in physical activity. These concerns cut
across all ages, including older adults in my community.
In this course, I expect to learn more about the biological
causes of aging and how one can avoid some of the challenges
that come with aging. These strategies include how to manage
issues of depression and associated health issues such as
dementia, diabetes, back pains, and loss of memory. I want to
learn the best ways society can take care of the elderly without
discriminating against them. Issues of discrimination and
isolation are the leading causes of depression, sadness, and

3. anxiety among the elderly. The most challenging aspect of aging
is how people can manage some of the health issues with aging.
Addressing these challenges proves to be difficult because as
people age, their immune systems tend to decline, making them
prevalent to opportunistic diseases.
References
Bryant, C. (2010). Anxiety and depression in old age:
challenges in recognition and diagnosis. International
psychogeriatrics, 22(4), 511-513.
https://doi.org/10.1017/s1041610209991785
Liddle, J., Tan, A., Liang, P., Bennett, S., Allen, S., Lie, D. C.,
& Pachana, N. A. (2016). " The biggest problem we've ever had
to face": how families manage driving cessation with people
with dementia. International Psychogeriatrics, 28(1), 109.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1041610215001441