PHYSIOLOGIC CHANGES

The WHO defines Health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well- being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

It’s important distinguish the ageing process that represents the universal biological changes that occur with age an care unaffected by disease and environmental facts.

The process of ageing is strongly influence by the effects of environmental, lifestyle an disease states that, it turn, are related to or change with ageing but are  not due to ageing itself. Often what was once:

-          Active- ageing concept: the process of growing older without growing old through the maintenance of physical, social, and spiritual activities throughout a lifetime.

-          Aging: progressive, generalized impairment of function resulting in a loss of adaptive response to stress and in a growing risk of age associated disease.

A Chronological definition

-          Old age will be accompanied by chronic illness.

-          The relevance of chronological definitions of old age.

-          Two are not necessarily synonymous.

The ageing: a physiological process that starts at the birth and causes characteristical changes to a species Turing its life cycle. It causes limitations with regard to the environment. The rates at which these changes occur are different in the organs of each particular individual as well as in each different individual.

CHANGES IN INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY

From 30 years old onwards, a decline in intellectual capacity begins which accelerates with old age. The capacity to resolve problems becomes slower and there is a lack of spontaneity in one’s thought processes. Creativity and imaginative capacity survive, but there are alterations in memory which usually leads to amnesia over time.

Personality does not usually change unless there are pathological alterations. The ability to adapt usually becomes harder due to the fear of unknown situations.

CHANGE OF ROLES AND PERSONALITY

The changes of an individual’s role can de looked at from three different dimensions.

-   The old person as an individual:

Individuals in the last stage of their life are conscious that death is near. Their attitude towards death changes with age. One of the aspects in the development of the individual is the acceptance of the reality of death. This is lived by some old person as freedom, as the end of a life of fight, worries and problems, whilst for others it’s an alternative better accepted as a possible deterioration or illness. Other older people refuse to accept the fact of dying and usually surround themselves with fear and distress.

-  The old person as a member of the family:

The relationships of the old person with the family change, because they usually live together with their grandchildren. Their relationship with their grandchildren passes trough different stages. The first stage is when the old person is independent. Helps the children and looks after them. The second stage is when health problems occur, relationships with the family are affected and the family considers admitting the old person to a residence

-   The old person as a person capable of facing up to his losses:

Old age is a stage characterised for losses (physical and psychological abilities, economic losses, loss of roles and emotional loss). The emotional losses from the death of a husband or a wife cause great emotional tension and a feeling of loneliness. The feeling of loneliness is difficult to recover from.

CHANGE OF ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY

Society only values the active man who is capable of working and generating riches. The old person is normally retired and is not active, but he has more possibilities of using knowledge and carrying out new community tasks. His role is based around two large activities: work duties and community tasks such as trade union associations and political groups. Getting older modifies the role that has been developed, but not the individual.

CHANGE OF ROLE AT WORK

A big change is the retirement of the individual, and the old person must adapt in order to avoid negative consequences. Retirement is the situation of a person that as a right to a pension, after having quit from their office. The consequences of retirement: the adaptation is difficult because life and it’s values are orientated towards work and activities.

Social relationships and economic resources are reduced after leaving the working environment. The old person must know the consequence of retirement and prepare for it in order to prevent it’s negative effects and to maintain a respectful quality of life.         

In my opinion our society, like many of the others discussed earlier, has a mixed view of aging and older people. While we generally appreciate our elderly, we have a culture oriented toward youth, as evidenced by the abundance of television characters in their 20s and lack of those in their older years. As individuals, we do our best not to look old, as the many ads for wrinkle creams and products to darken gray hair attest. Moreover, when we think of the elderly, negative images often come to mind. We often think of someone who has been slowed by age both physically and mentally. She or he may have trouble walking up steps, picking up heavy grocery bags, standing up straight, or remembering recent events. 

The term senile often comes to mind, and phrases like “doddering old fool,” “geezer,” and other disparaging remarks sprinkle our language when we talk about them. Meanwhile, despite some improvement, the elderly are often portrayed in stereotypical ways on television and in movies. 

Still, the nature and extent of all of these changes vary widely among older people. Some individuals are frail at 65, while others remain vigorous well into their 70s and beyond. People can be “old” at 60 or even 50, while others can be “young” at 80. Many elders are no longer able to work, but others remain in the labour force. All in all, then, most older people do not fit the doddering image myth and can still live a satisfying and productive life.

In conclusion, nursing are very useful to help elderly people to afford psychological changes and our proximity could be a kind of cure for these old people who need to be listened.

BIBLIOGRAFÍA:

- Psychosocial Changes with Aging. Disponible en: http://www.prenhall.com/divisions/ect/app/bradybooks/newbrady/catalog/content/samplechapters/0130186821.pdf

- The Merk Manual, Physical Changes With Aging, 2012. Disponible en: http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/geriatrics/approach_to_the_geriatric_patient/physical_changes_with_aging.html

- - HOFFMAN, Gloria Basic Geriatric Nursing 5th Edition. Elsevier 2012.