![]() ![]() The fact is that old age is not a time of loneliness and sadness for the vast of majority of people. The impact of social roles and expectations on the lifestyle choices of older people is of considerable interest in experimental gerontology.Ī functional image of advancing age is of increasing dependency and isolation, with diminishing financial resources for maintaining a dignified independent life, set against a background of physical and mental deterioration. Social age refers to the concept that society often has fairly rigid expectations of what is and is not appropriate behavior for a person of a particular age (McGrath and Kelly). Recognizing the importance of regular physical activity in the psychological, social and physiological health of older people, the World Health Organization published the Guidelines for Promoting Physical Activity Among Older Persons in 1997 (see table). The concept of psychological age and its relationship to quality of life is now an important area of exercise science research. ![]() Psychological age refers to an individual’s capability along a number of dimensions of mental or cognitive functioning, including self-esteem and self-efficacy, as well as learning, memory and perception (Birren, Schroots and Birren). As expected, these structural changes are almost always associated with profound behavioral consequences. These disruptions in the integrity of the cell are, in turn, precursors of more gross morphological changes, such as decreased elasticity and compliance, demyelinization and neoplastic growth. With physiological aging, most systems exhibit structural and functional declines. Conversely, a person experiencing multiple medical problems in old age may be biologically older than they are chronologically. For example, an individual who is aging successfully and exercising regularly may have a biological age 10 years younger than his or her chronological age. A common goal is used to determine relative age, or the extent to which an individual is aging faster or slower than an average person of the same chronological age. Biological ageīiological age research typically focuses on senescent changes and biological or physiological processes and their subsequent effect on behavior. These measures are often described as indices of functional age, which include physiological, psychological and social age. They also believe that to increase our understanding of senescence, other measures of aging designed to differentiate among individuals of the same chronological age are needed. ![]() Many gerontologists believe definitions of aging that focus exclusively on calendar time are incomplete because they are independent of physiological, psychological and sociocultural factors. Chronological ageĪging is typically defined as the chronological age, which is the number of years, months or days that have elapsed from birth. Indeed, this group is growing more than four times faster than any other segment of the population (Fowles). Even more remarkable is the increase in the number of the oldest members of our society, termed the “old-old.” By the year 2030, it is anticipated that more than 8 million Americans will be 85 or older. Today, there are approximately 39 million people older than 65, and by 2020 the number of those 65 and older will rise to 51 million – nearly 20% of the population (U.S. Whereas people older than 65 years constituted a mere 4% of the population in 1900, they now represent more than 12.5% of the population. The growing proportion of older adults in today’s society is clearly evident to the practicing optometrist. However, in addition to the genetic factors influencing human aging, there is now strong evidence that many aspects of the aging process are related to environmental factors such as nutrition, stress, smoking and physical activity (Bakovy and Blair). While the hereditary factors that play an important role in human aging are largely beyond our control, gerontologists often joke that the single best way to ensure longevity and healthful old age is to choose one’s parents wisely. Gerontological studies are focusing on increasing our understanding of the factors responsible for individual differences in the rate and extent at which we age. Some individuals experience relative rapid declines in physiological and psychological functioning as they grow older, while others undergo significantly less pronounced changes over time. However, we do not all age at the same rate. ![]() If you continue to have this issue please contact to HealioĪging is a universal phenomenon involving significant sensory, motor and cognitive changes in response to our advancing years. ![]()
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