Chapter 3 Healthy Lifestyles and Successful Aging Chapter 3 Longer Lifespans         A.         Longevity and Life Expectancy 1.      Population trends indicate that, more than ever before in our history, adults are living longer and healthier lives. 2.      Life expectancy, the prediction of how long an individual will live, has increased dramatically over the last several hundred years, particularly for women. 3.      In all cultures and ethnicities, women live longer than men do. 4.      Women generally take better care of their health and manage their stress better.          B.          Centenarians 1.    Healthy Life Studies of those who have the greatest longevity, the centenarians and supercentenarians, have found that rather than experiencing a typical aging process and simply living longer, these individuals age at a slower pace throughout adulthood. 2.   Centenarians generally have controlled their weight, avoided smoking, and handled stress well. 3.   There seems to be a genetic component to longevity, demonstrated by the findings that long life generally runs in families. II.               Healthy Lifestyles           A.       Physical Fitness                            1.      The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2009b) report that only 32.5% of American adults engage in regular leisure-time physical activity. 2.      Adults who can complete a minimum of 20 minutes of vigorous and intense activity or a minimum of 30 minutes of moderately intense activity on at least 3 days of the week will find they have enhanced their physiological and psychological functioning as well as reduced the risk of many illnesses. 3.      The benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle are both immediate and long lasting. 4.      Among the many physiological benefits of exercise are: a.      Improved sleep b.      Flexibility c.      Muscle strength d.      Better balance and coordination e.       A stronger immune system (Aldwin et al., 2006; Chodzko- Zajko, 2000) 5.      By maintaining a regular fitness program and a desirable weight, individuals may reduce their risk for a.      Coronary heart disease b.      Higher blood pressure c.      Osteoporosis d.      Diabetes e.      Arthritis f.       Some types of cancer (CDC, 2010c; PCPFS, 2010b)          B.   Nutrition1.  Most adults need to alter their diet to include more calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and vitamins A, D, and E.          C.    Sleep 1. Lack of quality sleep causes psychological and physiological problems that can dramatically affect daily functioning. 2.  Poor sleep can result in sluggishness and lack of activity, which can reduce quality of life by causing further problems (Reynolds et al., 2001). 3.      In the short term, poor sleep or lack of sleep can cause a.      Attention and memory problems b.      Depression c.      A greater risk of falling (AARP & [ILC-USA], 2003; [ILC-USA], 2003) 4.      Poor sleep patterns over long periods.

1. Chapter 3 Healthy Lifestyles and Successful Aging
Chapter 3
Longer Lifespans
A. Longevity and Life Expectancy
1. Population trends indicate that, more than ever before in
our history, adults are living longer and healthier lives.
2. Life expectancy, the prediction of how long an individual
will live, has increased dramatically over the last several
hundred years, particularly for women.
3. In all cultures and ethnicities, women live longer than
men do.
4. Women generally take better care of their health and
manage their stress better.
B. Centenarians
1. Healthy Life Studies of those who have the greatest
longevity, the centenarians and supercentenarians, have found
that rather than experiencing a typical aging process and simply
living longer, these individuals age at a slower pace throughout
adulthood.
2. Centenarians generally have controlled their weight,
avoided smoking, and handled stress well.
3. There seems to be a genetic component to longevity,
demonstrated by the findings that long life generally runs in
families.
II. Healthy Lifestyles
A. Physical Fitness
1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC,

2. 2009b) report that only 32.5% of American adults engage in
regular leisure-time physical activity.
2. Adults who can complete a minimum of 20 minutes of
vigorous and intense activity or a minimum of 30 minutes of
moderately intense activity on at least 3 days of the week will
find they have enhanced their physiological and psychological
functioning as well as reduced the risk of many illnesses.
3. The benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle are both
immediate and long lasting.
4. Among the many physiological benefits of exercise are:
a. Improved sleep
b. Flexibility
c. Muscle strength
d. Better balance and coordination
e. A stronger immune system (Aldwin et al., 2006;
Chodzko- Zajko, 2000)
5. By maintaining a regular fitness program and a desirable
weight, individuals may reduce their risk for
a. Coronary heart disease
b. Higher blood pressure
c. Osteoporosis
d. Diabetes
e. Arthritis
f. Some types of cancer (CDC, 2010c; PCPFS, 2010b)
B. Nutrition1. Most adults need to alter their diet to
include more calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and
vitamins A, D, and E.
C. Sleep
1. Lack of quality sleep causes psychological and physiological
problems that can dramatically affect daily functioning.

3. 2. Poor sleep can result in sluggishness and lack of activity,
which can reduce quality of life by causing further problems
(Reynolds et al., 2001).
3. In the short term, poor sleep or lack of sleep can cause
a. Attention and memory problems
b. Depression
c. A greater risk of falling (AARP & [ILC-USA], 2003;
[ILC-USA], 2003)
4. Poor sleep patterns over long periods have been
associated with:
a. Social withdrawal and disengagement with activities
(Reynolds et al., 2001)
b. Shorter life spans
c. Overuse of over-the-counter and herbal remedies (Kryger,
Monjan, Bliwise, & Ancoli-Israel, 2004)
d. Vulnerability to disease and illness (International Longevity
Center–USA, 2003)
III. Common Challenges to Healthy Lifestyles
Smoking
1. Among the worst factors for successful aging, in addition to
lack of physical activity and poor nutrition, are smoking,
obesity, substance abuse, and overwhelming stress.
2. Nicotine is responsible for 80–85% of all lung cancer and
obstructive pulmonary disease deaths.
3. The CDC (2009c) reports that more deaths are caused by
tobacco use than the combined deaths from human
immunodeficiency virus, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor
vehicle injuries, suicides, and murders.
4. For those who stop before they develop a smoking-related
disease, they can return to the level of health of nonsmokers
within 5–15 years.
Obesity
1. Another area of concern is the strikingly high numbers of
adults who are obese, a condition that can increase the risk for
many illnesses.
2. Another signal of the national concern over obesity came in

4. 2004 when Medicare changed its policy to allow for payment
for obesity treatment (Tomiyama et al., 2007).
3. Data collected in 2005–2006 indicated that 34.3% of
American adults were obese, a rate similar to that found in
2003–2004 (CDC, 2007).
4. On a societal level, the obesity epidemic is likely to have
numerous causes and influences, many of which stem from
a. Poor food choices
b. Inadequate physical activity
c. Overconsumption of processed foods
d. Fast foods, larger portions
e. Increased sugar intake (Kaplan, 2007)
10. On a personal level, obesity is likely to be the result of
a. Poor lifestyle choices, although it can be a symptom of other
health concerns
Alcohol Abuse
1. Alcohol abuse usually peaks in young adulthood, although
the rate of alcoholism among older adults is rising.
2. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
(NIAAA; 2007) reports that one in every 12 adults,
approximately 17.6 million Americans, either abuses alcohol or
could be diagnosed with alcoholism.
3. The number of men who had experienced alcoholism was
nearly four times higher than of women, consistent with
previous research (Bucholz, 1992).
4. Two-thirds of the older adults with alcohol-related disorders
are earlier-onset problem drinkers, meaning they developed an
alcohol problem prior to age 60. Later-onset problem drinkers,
those who develop an alcohol problem as an older adult, are
often using a dysfunctional coping method (drinking) to deal
with issues surrounding retirement, social isolation, physical
and cognitive changes, or the death of a spouse (Hanson &
Gutheil, 2004).
5. Older adults are also more likely to take medications or

5. over-the-counter drugs, risking dangerous side effects due to
mixing medications and alcohol.
Stress1. Individuals who are overwhelmed with stresses
and engaging in inadequate coping mechanisms are vulnerable
to numerous psychological concerns such as anxiety,
depression, and even suicide attempts.
2. High stress is also associated with a weakened immune
system, leading to increased vulnerability to many problems and
illnesses.
3. Stressors can be categorized in terms of
a. macrostressors, major life events, or
b. microstressors, daily hassles or minor events such as
misplacing something you need right away (Felsten, 2002).
4. Younger adults perceive greater amounts of stress than is
reported by middle-aged or older adults (Hamarat et al., 2001).
5. A primary aspect of successful aging is the ability to engage
in healthy coping mechanisms when dealing with stressors, thus
avoiding the destructive outcomes caused by high stress and
burnout as much as possible.
a. Healthy coping mechanisms generally fall into two
categories
i. One aimed at problem solving
ii. The other at managing our emotions
(Heiman, 2004)
IV. Aging Well
A. Successful Aging
1. Generally speaking, the criteria for successful aging include
high-quality physiological functioning, psychological coping,
social interaction, and life satisfaction.
2. Achieving successful aging includes using the lifespan
developmental principle of plasticity to focus not only on ways
to minimize decline and deficit, but also on improvement,
adjustment, and coping (Aldwin et al., 2006).

6. 3. Reeker (2001) found that in addition to social resources,
those who were aging successfully also had a sense of purpose
in their lives.
Chapter 3 assignment in assignments
As discussed on your text, and listed in the
outline above, there are microstressors and macrostressors of
life. Which do you believe has a bigger impact on stress and
young adults? Why? Support your position.
Chapter 2
I. Individual and Multicultural Differences
A. Psychological Study of Human Differences
1. Early Work- emphasized individual traits, such as
intelligence, memory, and various personality traits.
a. Developed precise testing instruments and corresponding
theoretical and mathematical formula used to quantify various
traits
b. Measuring individual differences has expanded to form
another area of study, psychometrics

7. 2. During the first 80 years of the discipline’s existence,
psychologists were not active in cross-cultural or multicultural
research.
3. Psychologists may have been slow to expand their focus
to include sociocultural influences, but once the expansion
occurred in the 1960s and 1970s the field has moved rapidly to
recognize cultural and individual differences.
4. The study of individual differences began in psychology
with the aim of applying research in the areas of education,
industry, and therapy. During the 1970s and 1980s
psychologists became quickly and intensely interested in cross-
cultural and multicultural research.
B. Assumptions Regarding Average and Normal
1. NORMAL
a. The term normal is less precise in that it does not have a
statistical definition.
b. We frame normal in personal terms, based on our life
experiences
(1) As childrennormal is often characterized by familiar,
familial, and local customs.
(2) As we get older and our experiences broaden, we learn to
appreciate a wide range of accepted thoughts and behaviors as
normal within our society.
(3) We also realize with age that what is normal is changing.
e.g., American male with an earring.
4. ABNORMAL
a. In addition to developing a sense of normal, we may
also develop a sense of abnormal.

8. (1) It is easy to begin to dichotomize these terms such that
thoughts or behaviors are either normal or abnormal: e.g.,
stranger approaches; that person is either normal (and I’m
comfortable) or abnormal (and I’m on guard and suspicious).
(2) This perspective doesn’t allow for thoughts or behaviors
to simply be different.
b. It is important to be reminded to WATCH OUR
ASSUMPTIONS.
C. Closer Analysis of the Aging Population
1. It is also important to analyze data beyond the summary
statements of the large group in order to find trends and
differences among individuals and subgroups.
2. Consider the finding by the U.S. Census Bureau (2008)
that of the 35 million Americans 65 years or older in 2005,
56.6% were married.
a. A closer look at the data reveals important yet hidden
information in these figures.
b. Of the 15 million males 73.3% were married and only
13.1% were widowed. Of the 20 million females 43.8% were
married and 42.5% were widowed.
c. By exploring the data with gender as the focus it becomes
clear that the population 65 years and older in 2006 was
predominantly female with many of those women living alone.
II. Age and Ageism
1. While chronological age is the easiest to measure and to
communicate to others, it is not asuseful as functional age and
its components when describing adults.
2. People will respond to us not only based on our
chronological age but also their assessment of our biological,
psychological, and social age.

9. 3. Most of the age-based stereotypes Americans hold of older
adults are negative.
a. Includes the notion that all older adults are alone, lonely,
sick, dependent, depressed, rigid, and unable to cope.
4. Stereotypes are beliefs or assumptions that a group of
people share a set of characteristics, which are often
exaggerated and often oversimplified traits.
a. Those holding stereotypes often assume that the target
group is uniform, with practically all members holding such
traits without exception (Liu et al., 2003; Sinnott & Shifren,
2001).
5. Ageism is demonstrated by prejudicial, discriminatory
behaviors stemming from negative stereotyping based on a
person’s age, whether young or old.
6. Elderspeak, people often talk to older adults in the same
way they would talk to infants or pets.
a. Elderspeak speech patterns are often slower, more
exaggerated, and involve simple grammar and vocabulary.
b. The use of elderspeak reminds older adults of how they are
being perceived (their social age).
c. As older adults are spoken to like children, over and over
again, it lowers their self-esteem, motivation, and self-efficacy.
7. Although most of the stereotypes Americans hold of older
adults are negative, as demonstrated by the frequent use of
elderspeak, there are some positive characterizations of late
adulthood.
a. In a survey of 240 participants ranging in age from 18 to
85 years old, Hummert, Garstak, Shaner, & Strahm (1994)
found a variety of positive and negative stereotypes.

10. b. Older adults were viewed as either:
(1) Golden Agers
(2) John Wayne Conservatives
(3) Perfect Grandparents
(4) Shrews/Curmudgeons
(5) Recluses
(6) Despondent
(7) Severely Impaired
c. As the stereotypes of aging reveal, most people are
noticing the losses more than the gains.
(1) Losses-psychologists have generally focused on changes
in:
(a) Physical health
(b) Cognitive functioning
(c) Issues related to changing social and work situations
(2) Gains are the ways older individuals:
(a) Learn to regulate their emotions (Consedine, Magal, &
Conway, 2004)
(d) Begin to experience higher levels of life satisfaction than
young and middle-aged adults
A. Gender
1. The area of gender differences is highly controversial and
complex, including the comparisons of masculine and feminine
gender identities, gender roles, and gender role stereotypes as
they relate to aging, social and political roles, and performance
in numerous areas of life.
a. People grow more distinct rather than similar with age
(Consedine et al., 2004).
2. Sensitivity to gender as a source of individual differences
requires careful attention to how gender is being measured and
categorized.
B. Culture, Ethnicity, and Race in America
1. When adopting a multicultural approach it is important to
remember that individuals within minority categories, such as

11. Hispanic Americans or Asian Americans, may trace their ethnic
heritage to different parts of the world with unique customs,
lifestyles, religions, and histories.
2. Multiculturalism is a perspective or ideology that
recognizes distinct cultures and strives to treat them with equal
respect and status.
C. Religious Cultures and Practices
1. Religious diversity can be found both across religions and
within religions, particularly when considering ideological,
ritualistic, intellectual, experiential, and consequential aspects.
D. Intraindividual Variation
1. Intraindividual variation, or the fluctuations in performance
demonstrated by a person when tested repeatedly, promises to
bring new insights to the understanding of gains and losses with
age.
2. Researchers are exploring within-person variation or
intraindividual variation as a way to further understand the
aging process and individual gains and losses.
3. It may be useful, for example, rather than considering
adult development in terms of an organism seeking equilibrium
or balance (the traditional view from early developmental
perspectives), to conceptualize development as a more dynamic
process oriented toward change (Nesselroade, 2004).
Assignment in "Assignments"
Discussion post (found in Discussions): Page 47 of you text has
this great statement: : ..."when viewed as a source of
diversity...is unique in that all of us who engage in stereotyping
will eventually become the stereotyped (Weentura &
Brandstadter, 2003)." To further this comment on stereotypes,

12. on page 46 is a list of both positive and negative stereotypes of
older adults (also listed above). How do these stereotypes come
about? Do they serve a purpose? Why or why not? Is it possible
to avoid these stereotypes?
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Healthy Lifestyles and Successful Aging