The document discusses physical development in late adulthood. It notes that life expectancy has increased, with people living longer on average. While the brain shrinks with age, the aging brain can also rewire and adapt to compensate for losses. Sleep difficulties increase with age, which can impact health and cognitive functioning. Overall, the human body undergoes physical changes in late adulthood, particularly related to brain and sleep functions.

1. Physical
Development in
Late Adulthood
Chapter 17
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2. From Rabbi Ben Ezra (Robert Browning,
1864)
Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,
The last of life, for which the first was
made.
Our times are in His hand
Who saith, “A whole I planned,
--Youth shows but half;
Trust God;
See all nor be afraid.

3. MacLeish
old age
level light
evening in the afternoon
love without the bitterness and so
good-night

4. The Vacant Chair
The Rocking Chair is vacant by the window in the sun,
The knitting is forgotten, the mending not begun,
For Grandma on her motor bike is zooming here and there,
As happy as a lark, as free as the air.
There’s no one in the kitchen baking ginger bread,
Grandma’s at the Gym learning karate instead.
If you need a baby-sitter, for Grandma do not look,
She is busy at the typewriter writing a new book.
Grandma got tired of sitting half the day,
So she goes to the studio to practise ballet.
If you’re down by the river believe what you are seeing
Grandma is down there going water skiing.
And just to fill out her day (I’m not romancing)
Grandma has joined a class to learn belly dancing.
Oh, Grandma is a Darling; I don’t mean to knock her,
I’m merely trying to tell you Granny’s off her rocker!

5. More Poetry about Aging
Confound not the distinctions of thy life which nature hath divided; that is,
youth, adolescence, manhood, and old age: nor in these divided periods,
wherein thou art in a manner four, conceive themselves but one. Let every
division be happy in its proper virtues, nor one vice run through all. Let each
distinction have its salutary transition, and critically deliver thee from the
imperfections of the former; so ordering the whole, that prudence and virtue
may have the largest section. --Sir Thomas Browne (1605-
1682)
If I did not keep telling myself my age over and over again, I am sure I should
scarcely be aware of it. Although every hour of the day I tell myself, “My poor
fellow, you are seventy-three and more,” I cannot really persuade myself of
it. --Andre Gide
i’d rather learn from one bird how to sing
than to teach ten thousand stars how not to dance
--e.e. cummings

6. In short, the best thing to do is behave in a
manner befitting one’s age. If you are 16 or
under, try not to go bald. On the other hand, if
you are over eighty, it is extremely good form to
shuffle down the street clutching a brown paper
bag and muttering, “The Kaiser will steal my
string.” Remember, everything is relative—or it
should be. If not, we must begin again.
--Woody Allen

7. Conversion
He was a born loser, came back, marked
accident-prone too; “Moved, left no
never won a lottery, address.” And it was
married a girl who his car that was cited
couldn’t cook, broke for speeding
his leg the day before from among a flock of others
the wedding going 60 in a
and forgot the ring. 55 mile zone.
He was the kind So it was a real shocker
who ended up behind a post when he found himself
in almost any auditorium. Planes elected chosen by Grace
he was booked to fly on for Salvation, felt
were delayed the exhilaration of
by engine trouble an undeserved and wholly
with sickening regularity. Unexpected Joy
His holidays at the beach and tasted, for the
were almost always first time, the Glory of
ruined by rain. All being on
his apples turned out the winning side.
wormy. His letters

8. 17 - 8
Life Expectancy
Age
Total Male Female Tot White
White
Male
White
Female
Total
Hispanic
Hispa
nic
Male
Hispanic
Female
0 78.7 76.3 81.1 79.0 76.6 81.3 81.6 79.0 83.8
65 19.2 17.8 20.3 19.2 17.8 20.3 20.9 19.3 22
© 2015 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This
document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
Take a moment to look at the table: I left out most of it.
•What is the time left to live for the total US population at birth? for
males and females? What is the time left to live at age 65?
•Why is your life expectancy higher if you live to be 65 than it is from
birth?
•Why might Hispanics have a longer life span than Whites? This is
known as the Hispanic paradox.

9. 17 - 9
Longevity
• Life expectancy and life span
– Life span: Maximum number of years an
individual can live
• Between 120 - 125 years
– Life expectancy: Number of years that the
average person born in a particular year will
probably live
– Differences in life expectancy across countries
• Factors such as health conditions and medical care
• Ethnic differences
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

10. 17 - 10
Longevity
– Centenarians
• Individuals 100 years and older
• Increasing at the rate of seven percent each year in
industrialized countries because of:
– Diet
– Low-stress lifestyle
– Caring community
– Activity
– Spirituality
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

11. 17 - 11
Longevity
• The young-old and the oldest-old
– Young-old - Aged 65 to 84
– Oldest-old - Aged 85 or more
– Functional age - Person’s actual ability to function
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12. 17 - 12
Longevity
• Biological theories of aging
– Evolutionary theory: Natural selection has not
eliminated many harmful conditions and
nonadaptive characteristics in older adults
• Benefits conferred by evolution decline with age because
natural selection is linked to reproductive fitness
– Cellular clock theory: Cells can divide a maximum of
75 to 80 times
• Age makes cells less capable of dividing
• Telomeres - Tips of chromosomes; DNA sequences that
cap chromosomes
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

13. 17 - 13
Longevity
• Biological theories of aging
– Free-radical theory: People age because normal
metabolic processes within cells produce unstable
oxygen molecules that ricochet around inside cells
damaging DNA and cellular structures
– Mitochondrial theory: Aging is caused by the
decay of mitochondria
– Hormonal stress theory: Aging in the body’s
hormonal system can lower resistance to stress
and increase the likelihood of disease
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

14. 17 - 14
The Course of Physical Development in
Late Adulthood
• Aging brain
– Shrinking, slowing brain
• Brain loses 5 to 10 percent of its weight between the
ages of 20 and 90 years
• Brain volume decreases due to:
– Shrinkage of neurons
– Lower numbers of synapses
– Reduced length of axon
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

15. 17 - 15
The Course of Physical Development in
Late Adulthood
• Slowing of function in the brain and spinal cord begins
in middle adulthood and accelerates in late adulthood
– Affecting physical coordination and intellectual performance
• Aging is linked to:
– Reduction in synaptic functioning
– Production of neurotransmitters
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

16. 17 - 16
The Course of Physical Development in
Late Adulthood
– Adapting brain
• Neurogenesis: Generation of new neurons
• Dendritic growth
• Older brains rewire to compensate for losses
• Decrease in lateralization
– Improves cognitive functioning
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

17. 17 - 17
Figure 17.6 - The Decrease in Brain
Lateralization in Older Adults
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

18. 17 - 18
The Course of Physical Development in
Late Adulthood
• Sleep
– Fifty percent of older adults complain of having
difficulty sleeping
• Result in earlier death
• Linked to a lower level of cognitive functioning
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

19. 17 - 19
The Course of Physical Development in
Late Adulthood
• Strategies to help older adults sleep better at
night include:
– Avoiding caffeine
– Avoiding over-the-counter sleep remedies
– Staying physically active during the day
– Staying mentally active
– Limiting naps
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

20. 17 - 20
The Course of Physical Development in
Late Adulthood
• Immune system
– Declines in functioning with age
• Extended duration of stress and diminished restorative
processes
• Malnutrition involving low levels of protein
– Exercise improves the immune system, and
influenza vaccination is important
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

21. 17 - 21
The Course of Physical Development in
Late Adulthood
• Physical appearance and movement
– Most noticeable changes - Wrinkles and age spots
– Shorter with aging due to bone loss in their
vertebrae
– Weight drops after age 60
• Muscle loss
– Older adults move slowly than young adults
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

22. 17 - 22
Figure 17.8 - Changes in Body Composition of Bone,
Muscle, and Fat from 25 to 75 Years of Age
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

23. 17 - 23
The Course of Physical Development in
Late Adulthood
• Sensory development
– Vision
• Visual acuity
• Color vision
• Depth perception
• Diseases of the eye
– Cataracts: Thickening of the lens of the eye that causes vision to
become cloudy, opaque, and distorted
– Glaucoma: Damage to the optic nerve because of pressure
created by a buildup of fluid in the eye
– Macular degeneration: Deterioration of the macula of the retina,
which corresponds to the focal center of the visual field
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

24. 17 - 24
The Course of Physical Development in
Late Adulthood
– Hearing
• Impairments becomes an impediment
• Hearing aids and cochlear implants minimize the
problems linked to hearing loss
– Smell and taste
• Losses begin at about age 60 years
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

25. 17 - 25
The Course of Physical Development in
Late Adulthood
– Touch and pain
• Detect touch less in the lower extremities
• Decreased sensitivity to pain can help adults to cope
with disease and injury
– Mask injuries and illnesses that need to be treated
– Perceptual motor coupling
• Cognitive training
• Education
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

26. 17 - 26
The Course of Physical Development in
Late Adulthood
• Circulatory system and lungs
– Increase in cardiovascular disorders
– High blood pressure can be linked to:
• Illness
• Obesity
• Anxiety
• Stiffening of blood vessels
• Lack of exercise
– Lung capacity drops 40 percent between the ages
of 20 and 80
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

27. 17 - 27
The Course of Physical Development in
Late Adulthood
• Sexuality
– Orgasm becomes less frequent in males with age
– Many are sexually active as long as they are
healthy
– Therapies have been effective in improving sexual
functioning
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

28. 17 - 28
Figure 17.13 - Sexual Activity in
Older Adults with a Partner
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

29. 17 - 29
Health
• Health problems
– Probability of having some disease or illness
increases with age
– Chronic diseases with a slow onset and a long
duration are common in late adulthood
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

30. 17 - 30
Figure 17.15 - The Most Prevalent Chronic
Conditions in Middle and Late Adulthood
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

31. 17 - 31
Health
– Causes of death in older adults
• Nearly 60 percent of 65-74 years old die of cancer or
cardiovascular disease
• 75-84 and 85+ age groups
– Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death
• Ethnicity is linked with death rates of older adults
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

32. 17 - 32
Health
– Arthritis: Inflammation of the joints accompanied
by pain, stiffness, and movement problems
– Osteoporosis: Extensive loss of bone tissue
• Causes older adults to walk with stoop
– Accidents - Ninth leading cause of death in older
adults
• Falls are the leading cause of injury death
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

33. 17 - 33
Health
• Substance use and abuse
– Multiple medications - Increase the risks
associated with consuming alcohol or other drugs
– Frequency of binge drinking - Highest among older
adults
– Substance abuse has been identified as the
invisible epidemic in the United States
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

34. 17 - 34
Health
– Late-onset alcoholism - Used to describe the onset
of alcoholism after the age of 65
• Related to loneliness, loss of a spouse, or a disabling
condition
– Moderate drinking of red wine - Linked to better
health and increased longevity due to benefits of
resveratrol
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

35. 17 - 35
Figure 17.17 - Physical Fitness and
Mortality
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

36. 17 - 36
Health
• Exercise, nutrition, and weight
– Exercise
• Linked to increased longevity and prevention of chronic
diseases
• Associated with improvement in the treatment of
diseases
• Improves older adults’ cellular functioning and immune
system functioning
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

37. 17 - 37
Health
• Optimizes body composition and reduce the decline in
motor skills as aging occurs
• Reduces the likelihood of developing mental health
problems
• Reduces the negative effects of stress
• Linked to improved brain, cognitive, and affective
functioning
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

38. 17 - 38
Health
– Nutrition and weight
• Getting adequate nutrition
• Avoiding overweight and obesity
• Role of calorie restriction in improving health and
extending life
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

39. 17 - 39
Health
– Controversy over vitamins and aging
• Balanced diet - Needed for successful aging
• Antioxidants
– Slow the aging process and improve the health
– Neutralize free-radical activity
– Reduce oxidative stress
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

40. 17 - 40
Health
• Health treatment
– Need to expand disease management programs
– Geriatric nurses - Helpful in treating the health
care problems
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

41. 17 - 41
Health
– Development of alternative home and
community-based care
• Decreased the percentage of older adults who live in
nursing homes
– Factor related to health and survival in a nursing
home is patient’s feelings of control and self-
determination
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

42. 17 - 42
Figure 17.21 - Perceived Control and
Mortality
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document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.