THEME 6
PHYSICAL CHANGES IN
ADULTHOOD AND OLD AGE
ADULTHOOD
CHILDHOOD
OLD AGE
ADULTHOOD
STEREOTYPES
Development ends in
adolescence
A period of stability and absence
of changes
REALITY
Important changes occur
Development continues
OLD AGE
STEREOTYPES
Period of generalized deterioation
Little plasticity and capacity to
learn
REALITY
Important individual
differences
Existance of losses and gains:
some abilities can improve
SPANISH POPULATION PYRAMID
1991
Sign of the civli
war and postwar
Delayed
Baby-boom
Sudden
decline in
birth rate
PIRÁMIDE POBLACIONAL ESPAÑOLA
1999
Baby-boom
job search: lots
of unemployment
PIRÁMIDE POBLACIONAL ESPAÑOLA
2005
Decline in the
search for
employment
SPANISH POPULATION PYRAMID
2025
Baby-boom
begins to retire
PHILIPPINE POPULATION PYRAMID
LIFE EXPECTANCY
Number of years calculated that someone born in a
specific year will live
Refers to the lifespan of 50% of the individuals of a
generation
Genetic base of the differences in genders
Year
1900
1950
1990
Men
34,7
59,8
73,4
Women
35,7
64,8
80,5
Causes of increase:
Advances in medicine
Decrease in premature deaths in childhood
Better life conditions
ACTIVE LIFE EXPECTENCY
Number of years an individual can hope to keep
being an active member of society
MAXIMUM LIFE LIMIT
Maximum number of a years an individual of a
species has lived
Ronda - 115 years (122)
Long-lived communities exist:
Vilacabamba (Andes),
Abkasianos (Georgia), Hunzunuts (Cachemira)
PHYSICAL CHANGES IN ADULTHOOD AND
OLD AGE
Changes in the proportion of fat tissue
and muscular mass
 Ageing of the skin
 Decrease in reaction speed
 Loss of visual and auditory acuteness
 Cardiovascular changes
 Diseases related to age

PRIMARY AGEING
Normal and intrinsic process of genetically
programed biological ageing that occurs
regardless of good health
THEORIES ABOUT AGEING
• Limited division and regeneration of cells
• Decrease in the ability to confront errors in
DNA
• Influence of free radicals
• Weakening of the immune and endocrine
systems
SECONDARY AGEING
Pathological decline related to age that is
caused by extrinsic or external factors such as
diseases, environmental influences, or life style
Diet, consumption of alcohol and tobacco,
sun, physical exercise, etc.
 Type A behavior and cardiovascular
system
 Stress and immune system.

CHANGES IN VISION I






Reduction of the pupil
and increase in pupillary
reflex latency
Obscuration of vitreous
humor
Loss of flexibility and
yellowing of lens
Loss of visual acuteness
Reduction of field of
vision (140º)
Greater sensibility to
bright light (glare)
Worse perception of
depth
CHANGES IN VISION II



Difficulty in distinguishing cold colors
Worse sensitivity in contrasting chiaroscuro
Difficulty in the perception of ambiguous
stimulus
COMMON DISEASES
Cataracts, glaucoma and senile macular
degeneration
MANY OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED BY
DESIGNING ADECUATE SPACES FOR OLDER
PEOPLE
CHANGES IN HEARING





Difficulty in perceiving high-pitched noises
(presbycusis)
Buzzing
Difficulty in localizing sounds
Worse auditory discrimination
Increase in the amount of sound necessary in
order to identify speech
IMPORTANT SOCIAL REPERCUSSION
SOME ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS CAN
OVERCOME THESE PROBLEMS
CHANGES IN OTHER SENSES

Decrease in sense of smell and taste: loss of
appetite, difficulty in recognizing a poor diet, no
recognition of bad body odor or gas

Worse sensitivity of pain

Worse sensitivity of temperature
MOTOR CAPACITY





Increase in reaction time
Progressive loss of balance and worse motor
coordination
Deterioration of the joints
Increased tendency for accidents
Importance of physical activity
AGEING AND SEXUALITY
Feminine Sexuality: Menopause






Twelve months without menstruation
Occurs around 50 years of age
It is not a generalized crisis (individual and
cultural differences)
Psychosomatic disorders (hot flashes,
depressive symptoms, etc.)
Effects of hormone scarcity
Influences over sexual desire and activity
AGEING AND MASCULINE
SEXUALITY





Changes are more
gradual
Decrease in
testosterone
Slower sexual response
Decrease in volume of sperm
Longer refractory period
AGEING OF BRAIN AND NERVOUS
SYSTEM






It’s difficult to separate the effects of
ageing and those of disease
Reduction of cerebral mass
Death of neurons and loss of neuronal
connections
Decrease in the concentration of
neurotransmitters
Plasticity and possibility of new connections
Increase in slow-type cerebral waves (changes
in the patterns of sleep-wakefulness)