...Article Reaction: Effects of Social Integration on Memory Function Memory loss is a blatant feature of aging that can substantially affect a person’s quality of life, mortality, and many other factors or risks associated with it. Strategies for prevention and treatment have been pursued over time, but few have been identified as effective ones. This being said, a variety of studies have been done that show how the social environment is a key feature that helps predict cognitive outcomes among the older population. Many have found that the rate of cognitive decline is reduced with high social engagement and social networks. Likewise, it has been found that the risk of dementia is increased with limited social networks. Elderly men and women are at a greater risk of decreased memory function when they have poor social integration or disengagement and have few social ties. In the article “Effects of Social Integration on Preserving Memory Function in a Nationally Representative US Elderly Population,” the authors examine the relationship between memory loss and social integration. The objectives of the study conducted were to test whether social integration is a good tool in protecting against memory loss or other cognitive disorders, whether the effects of the test were stronger among the economically and socially disadvantaged individuals, and whether earlier memory or cognitive losses helped to explain reverse causation. Through a longitudinal study, and using...
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...Issues Affecting the Aging University of Phoenix Human Development BSHS 342 February 28, 2011 There are many issues that arise when a person is aging. A person will go through mental, spiritual, physical, and financial stages in his or her life. Sometimes the body changes dramatically on the outside as well as the inside. A person cannot run as fast as they could five years ago, or turn a jump rope as he or she could a year ago. How a person takes care of his or her body would play a huge part in how it will act later in life. As a person gradually moves into the late adulthood stage, he or she may notice his or her hair is starting to get thin around the edges. He or she may notice more grey hair keep resurfacing, no matter how much he or she dye his or her hair, the grey hair seems to come back faster. Some people start getting wrinkles around the mouth and forehead. The skin seems to always be dry, no matter how much a person try to keep it moisturize, a person skin does not seem to hydrate anymore. There are a number of health issues that can arise as a person gets older. It is important to eat healthy and exercise regularly. When a person does not get enough calcium in his or her body, he or she can develop weak bones, along with blood clotting. Osteoporosis is a result from weak and porous bones. Hip fractures result in loss of independence, which happens to many seniors. Seniors eating habits decrease, and some go through a day without eating or getting...
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...Issues in Healthy Aging: The role of the Nurse Falls have become very common with older adults living in the community and long-term care facilities. The purpose of this paper is to research an issue, in this case falls, that impacts the healthy aging of older adults living in the community. This paper will discuss why this topic is important to healthy aging, what the nurse’s role is and what some interventions are to try and lower the rate and risk of falls that the older adult experiences. Falls can have a devastating effect on the older adult and it is important to do everything possible to try and make sure this does not happen. As one ages, his/her bones and muscles may begin to atrophy and his/her gait changes which can all increase his/her risk for a fall. It is important because having a fall and possibly an injury could completely change how an older adult lives his/her life. There are many statistics on how prevalent falls are in the society of today’s older adult. According to the Canadian Institute of Health Research (2005), “among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths and the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma” (as cited in Theris, Kathleen, Veronique and Lynn, 2012, p. 188). Also, according to Manitoba Health (2005), older adults, those over the age of 65, have a nine times greater chance of a fall injury than those who are not (as cited in Butler-Jones, 2009). According to Cumming (2000)...
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...dynamics, economic and social consequences of aging workforce in the developed nations particularly Europe and United States presents significant challenges for the coming decades. In the recent times this topic has developed a sense of urgency and is receiving much attention from researchers, policy-makers and the popular media. Without a pro-active approach and appropriate action, the sustainability of social and economic security would be at stake and a labour and skill shortage will become a global issue. European policies have increasingly started to focus on raising the labour-market participation of ageing people, restricting or abandoning possibilities for early labour-market exit, and increasing the age at which people are eligible for pensions. In the article ‘Today is the Tomorrow -You Worried About Yesterday: Meeting the Challenges of a Changing Workforce’ Nancy B. Kiyonaga draws the attention to the crucial issue of aging workforce. She has also tried to suggest a solution ‘workforce and succession planning’ as the tool to this critical challenge especially in the public sector organisations which are more vulnerable to the affects of the aging workforce. Nancy B. Kiyonaga herself being the director of Workforce and Occupational Planning and adjunct professor of public administration her focus on the role of human resource management is praiseworthy. The article focuses on the primary issues like, the impact of ‘aging out’ of the baby boom workforce on economic...
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...Associate Program Material Aging and Disability Worksheet Part I Identify 2 or 3 issues faced by the aging population. 1. Physical issues such as loss of vision, hearing, etc. 2. Welfare issues such as loss of income, harder to get a job, 3. Discrimination and stereotype issues Answer the following questions in 100 to 200 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use. • What is ageism? How does ageism influence the presence of diversity in society? According to ageismhurts.org, “Agesim is stereotyping or discrimination of a person or group of people because of their age” (2014). Ageism influences the presence of diversity in a society because there is a lot of discrimination and older people tend to be a diverse type of group amongst the younger population. Older people are being competed against younger people for many things. Agesim can cause a lot of cause and effects such as older people losing their job or getting ill due to their age. No matter the cause, the effect causes a more diverse population and it influences the elderly population, as well as people younger than them. What is the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)? How does the ADEA address issues for the aging population? The ADEA prohibits employment discrimination against persons 40 years of age or older. The ADEA addresses issues for the aging population by “Specifically dealing with discriminatory policies involving employers, employment...
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...Why we get old, and ways to prolong life Aging is the process that follows a human being from birth to death. There are many factors that cause aging, and many theories that use these factors to explain aging. Aging cannot be stopped; however, the debate stands on how life can be prolonged. This essay will discuss theories of aging, and ways that these theories give for life prolonging. Aubrey de Grey uses the analogy between a human being and a machine. He states that the same way machines deteriorate, the human body gets old. Similarly to machines in need repair, humans use different medications in order to cure their diseases and prolong their lives[1]. However there is still no unique definition on the cause of aging but there are many theories on what causes aging. In order to define aging, Grey quotes Edward Masoro’s : “deteriorative changes with time during postmaturational life that underlie an increasing vulnerability to challenges, thereby decreasing the ability of the organism to survive.”[2] Grey is a renowned scientist who graduated in Cambridge. Grey thinks that life can be prolonged to extremes. According to Grey there are seven components of aging. The Economist properly paraphrases him when saying “The seven sisters that Dr de Grey wishes to slaughter with SENS are cell loss, apoptosis-resistance (the tendency of cells to refuse to die when they are supposed to), gene mutations in the cell nucleus, gene mutations in the mitochondria...
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...------------------------------------------------- Associate Program Material Aging and Disability Worksheet Part I Identify 2 or 3 issues faced by the aging population. 1. Unequal treatment in workforce and pay 2. Prejudice and discrimation 3. Abuse- Answer the following questions in 100 to 200 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use. * What is ageism? How does ageism influence the presence of diversity in society? Ageism means is prejudice of discrimination to the elderly.The influence of ageism, liking taking their ability make choices, removing their sense of freedom and treating them disrespectful. In also,like they are unable to handle their business as if they are little children. I believe society has forgotten that the elderly has a lot of knowledge and wisdom about different things and not giving them the credit they deserve for their accomplishment in their lives. * What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? How does the ADA address issues for the aging population? The ADA is act that was enacted in 1990, that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. This act protects the aging populations, protecting individuals over the age of 40 from being fired or from have employment discrimination. It protect the aging and elderly individuals from being passed over for promotion and raises. The law does has some flawless it does protect from being terminated from a job, however...
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...INTRODUCTION It is obvious that we are faced with an aging population. Within three decades individuals aged 65 years or older are expected to make up 23% of the Australian population (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013). This is a stable increase from 13% in 2007, emphasising Australia as an aging country (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013). This is evident not only within the demographic regions of metropolitan and rural cities and towns of Australia but also among other countries in the world. It is with this discrepancy that presents such a large challenge within the population and from a health perspective. This essay will explore the social, cultural and psychological health related issues linked with growth in the aging population and will focus on the baby boomer generation and the co-morbidities that are notably prevalent in the elderly. This essay will also consider the future role of the nurse and how their profession will be impacted in response to these trends. WHY DO WE FACE AN AGING CRISIS? As fertility rates decline and longevity increases we are coming to face a shift in population distribution with a greater proportion of older adults (Anderson and Hussey, 2013). It is important to note that this increase is due particularly to the Baby Boomer generation growing older and associated aging co-morbidities on the rise. The Baby Boomer generation consists of those born from the years 1945-1964 (Berman et al., 2012). As this generation grows older...
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...Why Medical Care for an Aging Population Needs Reforming Medical care for the aging population has been an issue of concern for the American population for many years, and cost of medical care continues to grow exponentially (Getzen & Moore, 2007). The costs associated with health care, limited health care resources, longevity of the population, and quality of care, are factors considered when medical care for the aging population is analyzed. The following discussion provides an overview of the issues surrounding medical care for the aging population, reasons substantiating the cause for national concern, and two major reasons medical care for the aging population needs reforming. Issues Surrounding Medical Care for the Aging Population and Reasons Substantiating the Cause for National Concern Current estimates predict by 2015, the Baby Boomer population will increase more than 76 million. One of the reasons this population of Americans is expected to live longer, is because of the continuing advances in medical technologies.The aging population will require different levels of health care at different intervals, to avoid their health continually going downhill, resulting in admission into a long-term care facility. The years 1998-1999 marked a fractured health care financal system. In addition, during this time, Medicare executed payment systems for skilled nursing services and home health care. Therefore, the current challenge in America is to figure out how to deliver the...
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...Aging and memory loss Aging is associated with memory loss of human beings and is known phenomenon. Researchers worked on aging shown that aging is associated with memory loss especially in the standpoint of cognitive psychology. Current research based on previous research carried out and memory tests revealed that memory is not only the single factor affecting the memory dysfunction. Aging and various other factors and conditions have detrimental effect on some specific memory types than others. Five memory systems which process different kinds of information that intervene by various areas of the human brain is at risk to aging, semantic, working and episodic memory. These memory systems are responsible for different functions of memory in brain like acquisition of information is processed by procedural memory. Perceptual memory systems are responsible for encoding and sustaining sensory information (Luo and Craik,). This paper seeks to link memory loss with the aging process, while analyzing the implications on human life in the hope of subduing the effects of aging. Aging and Memory Luo and Craik (2008) identified the modifications in human memory during the aging process of humans. Significant research is present which shows affects of aging in different memory systems in human beings. Different memory systems are responsible for different functions and retaining information in human brain. Memory systems responsible for procedures and perceptual memory functions...
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...Aging and Disability Worksheet Identify 2 or 3 issues faced by the aging population. 1. Unequal treatment in employment - Poverty 2. Face prejudice and discrimination - Ageism 3. Face isolation – Elderly Abuse * What is ageism? How does ageism influence the presence of diversity in society? Ageism is the practice of prejudice of discrimination to the elderly. The way that ageism influences the presence of diversity in society is by robbing them of their choices, independence and treating them with disrespect. Also by treating them as if they are unable to handle things for themselves as if they have reverted back to an infantile stage. It should be noted that the elderly have a lot of knowledge and wisdom to bring to the table and are able to do the same if not more than society gives them credit for. Society also views elderly people as sickly, frail and unable to take care of themselves. * What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? How does the ADA address issues for the aging population? The ADA is a civil rights law that was enacted in 1990 and that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. This law addresses the issues for the aging population by protecting anyone that is 40+ from being fired or from employment discrimination. It is designed to protect the aging and/or elderly from being passed over for a promotion or raise, however, it is difficult. This law does in fact protect against being fired...
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...The Future of Healthcare The question asked by healthcare professionals is: Is the United States healthcare system going to be prepared to address such issues as the obesity epidemic and the aging population as more Americans fall under these groups? The aging population and obesity epidemic go far beyond American soil but this report will focus on the healthcare concerns arising in the United States. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2011) has stated that the population of those greater than 65 years of age is estimated to grow from 12.4% in 2000 to 19.2% in 2030. In age that means in 2030 the population of those over 65-year- old will be at 75 million, up from 35 million in 2000. Furthermore, those individuals 80 years of age and older will rise from 9.3 million to 20 million in that same time frame. In 2025 the United States, minus Alaska and Florida, will see an estimate of 15% of their population who are 65 years old and older. Three combined factors make up the aging phenomenon; Age Dynamics: The fertility rate elevated between 1946 and 1964 (baby boom era); Fertility Rate Decline: The amount of older people has increased as the number of young people reproducing has decreased; and Increase in Longevity: Medical technology and healthcare improvements have helped to increase life expectancy by 20 years (Transgenerational, n.d). The CDC (2011) has stated the following: “The growing number of older adults increases demands on the public health system and on...
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...Associate Program Material Aging and Disability Worksheet Part I Identify 2 or 3 issues faced by the aging population. 1. No family, Being Alone 2. No family to retire 3. Not knowing if they are going to be able to retire because of social security Answer the following questions in 100 to 200 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use. • What is ageism? How does ageism influence the presence of diversity in society? Ageism is prejudice against a particular age-group, especially the senior citizens. There are a lot of senior citizens who are mentally and physical active regadless of age with a lot to contribute. There are a lot of people who treat them with disrespect, and make them feel unwelcomed.There are a lot of comedians joke about senior citizens and memory loss. There are even young adult who make fun of senior citizens because they are slow and do not walk or drive fast. Ageism robs the senior citizensof choice,independence, and dignity. ALFA seeks to illuminate discriminatory practices that adversely affect seniors’ lives, illuminate prejudicial attitudes toward the aging process, and institutional practices that perpetuate stereotypes about seniors. http://www.alfa.org/alfa/Ageism.asp • What is the Age Discriminitation in Employment Act (ADEA)? How does the ADEA address issues for the aging population? The age discrimination in employment act(ADEA) prohibits any employer from refusing to hire, discharge...
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...Health care costs are continuing to rise and it contributes to the impact of providing the older population with medical care. “The aging of the U.S. population is translating into many more visits to doctors' offices and hospitals, a reality that is taxing weak spots in the health-care system” (The Associated Press, 2008, para. 1. Within this paper, the economic impact of providing the older population with medical care has on the provision of health care services to the public will be addressed. Also articles that support medical care to the older population will be addressed along with possible solutions to the economic impact of providing medical care to an older population. Economic Impact of Providing Medical Care to an Aging Population The world’s population is continuing to age, and the older people are the more likely he or she to seek medical care. The larger proportion of the hospital in-patient case load is represented by the older population. The older population has more complications and doctors have to perform more tests and procedures on them. According to Cauchon (2008), “the cost of health care and retirement benefits of an aging population threatens to bankrupt the nation unless dramatic changes are made” (para. 4). Balancing the nation’s budget is an important goal because for the aging population, medical care is costly to government programs as well. Balancing the budget will help prepare the economy and the federal...
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...NUR/440 July 23, 2012 Aging Population as Vulnerable Populations in Current Events For this paper the vulnerable population that I chose is the aging population. According to Smith, Tingle, and Twiss (2010), in another 18 years (by the year 2030), 20% of the US population will be that of baby boomers. This population is so vulnerable and has many barriers such as medical instability, transportation problems, mobility issues, and financial instability. As this vulnerable population of baby boomers progress to age and grow in number, most of them they do not to ask for help, which further increases their barriers. They must overcome these barriers to have a better and safe life. Definition of a Vulnerable Population According to Oxford Reference Online (2011), a vulnerable population is a classified group of population that is identified at a higher risk than the general population from a specific or broad condition (Oxford Reference Online, 2011). Elderly population is considered vulnerable because they have barriers and issues with their bodies as they age, and with their mental and spiritual wellbeing. Barriers of a Vulnerable Population According to Smith, et. al (2010), it is important for community and local governments to acknowledge the aging population and provide age-friendly services (p. 15). There are a number of barriers faced by the aging population as they are in the process of aging and the society continues to have...
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