15.7: Summary

15.1 Physical Aging in Late Adulthood

• Possible causes to explain why people physically age focus on the effects of stress hormones, telomeres, free radicals, bodily wear and tear, and genetic variability.
• Muscle and bone mass decline throughout much of adulthood but more noticeably in later years.
• Declines in sensory functions such as vision and hearing may be problematic in later life.
• Several changes to the brain have been linked to decreased cognitive functioning in older age.
• Exercise plays an important role in minimizing age-related declines in muscle mass, bone mass, and cognitive ability.

15.2 Health Risks in Late Adulthood

• The likelihood of dealing with one or more chronic health problems increases with age.
• Chronic health conditions represent the majority of the leading causes of death, especially in countries with higher incomes and more access to health care.
• While the prevalence of mental health problems such as depression and anxiety decreases in later adulthood, many older adults still experience serious mental health problems.
• Countries have vastly different ways of funding health care and amounts individuals typically pay out of pocket.

15.3 Cognition and Memory in Late Adulthood

• Several cognitive abilities, such as processing speed, fluid intelligence, short-term and working memory, and episodic memory, decline in late adulthood.
• Other cognitive abilities, such as crystallized intelligence, implicit memory, semantic memory, and sometimes wisdom, increase or remain stable in late adulthood.
• Trends in the maintenance or decline of cognitive skills depend on factors such as age, sex, and the nature of skills being assessed.

15.4 Brain Disorders in Late Adulthood

• Dementia is a general term to describe a wide variety of conditions that all include damage to the brain.
• While getting an accurate and specific diagnosis related to dementia is challenging, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form, followed by vascular dementia.
• Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease tends to be genetic with a more rapid progression, while late-onset occurs over age sixty-five years but becomes more common over age eighty years, with a slower progression.
• The progression of Alzheimer’s disease brings increased impairment of cognitive skills, eventually affecting other behaviors such as self-care skills and language.

15.5 Successful Physical and Cognitive Aging in Late Adulthood

• Successful aging relies on maintaining health, physical functioning, cognitive functioning, social involvement, increased longevity, and enjoyment of life.
• A healthy diet, an active lifestyle, and engagement in cognitively challenging activities across the lifespan decrease the likelihood of experiencing physical disability and health problems in later life.
• Most older adults, even at very old ages, avoid significant cognitive declines associated with dementia, which is also evidence of successful cognitive aging.