The document discusses several common misconceptions about aging and the elderly. It notes that views of the elderly are often based on stereotypes rather than facts. While physical strength and senses do naturally decline with age, mental abilities can remain intact. The elderly remain capable of learning new skills and activities. Losing a spouse is a difficult change, but sexuality in the elderly is more common than assumed and depends on health and social factors rather than age alone.

1. Brian, Jayden, Alli, Catherine

2. Attitudes Toward Aging
• Peoples’ attitude towards the elderly is highly
based on the decremental model of aging,
which is the idea where physical and mental
decline with age.
• This is false because elderly’s health is
determined by genetic makeup and environment
factors
• The view on the elderly is based off the lack of
contact creating ageism or prejudice against the
old

3. Attitudes (Con.)
• The younger generations have stereotypes for
the elderly (they live in poverty, don’t do
anything, etc.)
• The view that the elderly get inflexible and senile
with age is also false.
• Senility is a cause of disease, not age.

4. Changes in Health
• After adulthood your strength and senses
decline 1% every year.
• They get sick just like the youth do
• 40% of the elderly suffer from chronic disease
like heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and
arthritis.
• Because of poor economic conditions and biased
doctors, the elderly don’t seek help.

5. Changes in Life Situation
• As you get older, the changes in your life become
more negative and can lead to depression.
• However, the elderly are still able to learn new
skills.
• One big change is the loss of a spouse. At 65 20%
of men and 50% of women are widowed

6. Changes in Sexual Activity
• It is a common misconception that the elderly
are no longer sexually active.
• The main reasons an elderly person would
refrain from sex is either severely declining
health or a loss of spouse.
• They may also stop because they feel that it is
socially inacceptable.

7. Adjusting to Old Age
• As the elderly lose control of their environment,
their quality of life can drop
• The elderly need to remain active in their
community or active in general to maintain their
happiness.

8. Changes in Mental Function
• The elderly are still smart but just in a different
way.
• The elderly excel in crystallized intelligence
which the ability to use knowledge and learning
in appropriate situations.
• Youth excel in fluid intelligence where abstract
thinking allows for new ideas to be created.

9. Senile Dementia
• Only a small percent of people develop senile
dementia.
• In senile dementia people’s cognitive thought
deteriorates.
• The most common form that affects over 4
million people is Alzheimer's Disease