GERONTOLOGY

Module 7 - Gerontology

Module 7 - Gerontology

Part 1

Explore the concept and normal process of ageing within social psychological and physiological contexts

Introduction

The term “Ageing” does not bestow a positive feeling to majority of us due to the issues and diseases associated with it. The world history is stuffed with tales of people attempting to delay aging and death. The very famous King David persuaded a number of young virgins seeking youthfulness (Bishop, 2005, pp.71). Today, rich people consult private hospitals and medical centres in Europe for lamb cell injections. Countless people drink Kombucha tea and take super doses of vitamin E, etc. in the anticipation of discovering the “fountain of youth”. According to behavioural, social, morphological, physiological, molecular and cellular changes, the process of ageing can be deemed in a number of ways. In its broadest sense, aging is an irreversible and unremitting turn down in the efficiency of different physiological processes after the reproductive chapter of life is ended.

Discussion

Changes that take place with aging are divided into three groups: physical or biological, psychological, and social. When changes start to occur in any one area of a life of an individual, the other two will most likely be affected too. There is an extensive variation between people in the rate of aging and, in the same individual, different body parts or organs age at dissimilar rates (Baltes, 1996, pp.349). But to some extent, we all go through some common changes as well. It is a fact that how we age is an outcome of our diet, personal habits, exercise and psychosocial aspects.

Physical or Biological Changes

The flexibility and strength of muscles drop off with age. One of the major reasons muscles become feeble or weak is that the lean muscle mass is not adequate and they contract from the lack of utilization. When muscles are not utilized, they do not work properly as well. Thus, the aptitude to assure exhausting effort slowly lessens. This is why elder people ultimately become less able to lift or walk as far as they used to. All of this is due to certain biological changes in the body; like skeletal muscles atrophy that also shrink with age.

Psychological Changes

The intelligence that people gain throughout their lives remains integral in their later life. This includes the general knowledge, vocabulary, and understanding. In fact these functions can even get better with age. Though learning could not be an easy process as in the youthful years and it could take longer as well; but, information can be absorbed just as well. It could take a bit longer to evoke facts in the mind, but they are present there. Sometimes, it is much convenient to recall what happened forty or fifty years back versus what they had for lunch yesterday.

At present, a lot is going on around us. Stimuli are rushing at you continually. Gatherings and parties with so many people may had been fun, at one time. But, for unknown reasons to the wide range of people, smaller ...