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Showing posts with label Elderly Care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elderly Care. Show all posts

Physical, Mental, Psychosocial and Spiritual Changes In Elderly

Physical, Mental, Psychosocial and Spiritual Changes In Elderly
Physical Changes in Elderly




Physical Changes in Elderly


(1) Cells: fewer but larger size, reduced intra and extra cellular fluid.

(2) Nervous System: rapid decrease neural connections, slow in response time to react, diminishing the nervous system senses of hearing, presbiacusis, tympanic membrane atrophy, due to the increased occurrence of serum collection ceratin.

(3) Vision System: sclerosis arising pupillary sphincter and loss of response to the synapse, the cornea is more shaped speris, cloudy lens, increasing the threshold of observation of light, loss of accommodation, decreased visual field.

(4) Cardiovascular System. : Heart valves thicken and become stiff, the heart's ability to pump blood decreases 1% every year after age 20 years, causing contraction and decline in volume, loss of elasticity of blood vessels, blood pressure rises.

(5) Respiration System : respiratory muscles become stiff so that causes decreased activity of cilia. Lungs lose their elasticity so that the residual capacity increases, breath heavy. Depth of breathing decreased.

(6) Gastrointestinal System: loss of teeth, causing malnutrition, decreased sense of taste because of the mucous membrane and atrophy of the senses of taste up to 80%, then the loss of nerve sensitivity of taste for sweet and salty taste.

(7) Genitourinary System: kidney nephron shrink and become atrophic so that blood flow to the kidneys decreased to 50%, GFR decreased to 50%. Renal threshold for glucose is enhanced. Urinary vesicles, the muscles become weaker, its capacity is decreased to 200 cc so difficult urinary-derived vesicles in elderly men would result in retensia urine. Enlarged prostate, 75% experienced by men over 55 years. In the vulva occurs vaginal atrophy are going dry mucous membranes, decreased tissue elasticity, and reduced secretion becomes alkaline.

(8) Endocrine System: endocrine system on almost all hormone production decreases, whereas the parathyroid function and secretion did not change, decreased thyroid activity resulting in lower basal metabolic rate (BMR). Porduksi decreased sex cells such as progesterone, estrogen and testosterone.

(9) Integumentary System: skin becomes wrinkled due to loss of fat tissue, scalp and thinning hair becomes gray, whereas in the ear and nose hair thickened. Become hard and brittle nails.

(10) Musculoskeletal System: bones lose density and become more fragile kiposis, height is reduced vertebral discusine called thinning, the tendon fibers shrink and atrophy - muscle fibers, so that the elderly be slow moving. muscle cramps and tremors.

Mental Changes in Elderly

Factors that affect the mental changes are:
  • First of all the physical changes, particularly the organs of taste
  • Health
  • The level of education
  • Heredity
  • Environment

Psychosocial Changes



Psychosocial Changes In Elderly


 Retirement: a value measured by productivity, identits associated with a role in job
 Sensing or aware of the death
 The change in the way of life, ie moving into a nursing home is more narrow.
• Impaired self-concept due to loss of losing office.
• The series of losses, namely loss of relationships with friends and family.
• Loss of physical strength and sturdiness, changes to the self-image, self-concept changes.

Spiritual Change

Religion or belief increasingly integrated in the life (Maslow, 1970) Elderly more mature in their religious life, this is seen in thinking and acting in everyday (Murray and Zentner, 1970)

Theory of Aging Process

Theory of Aging Process
Theory of Aging Process


  1. Biological Theories

    (1) Genetic Theory And Mutation (Somatic Mutatie Theory)
    According to this theory, aging is genetically programmed for certain species. Aging occurs as a result of biochemical changes that are programmed by the molecules / DNA and every cell in time will be the mutation. As a typical example is a mutation of sex cells (a decrease in functional ability of cells).

    (2) Use and Damage
    Excess effort and stress causes the body's cells are tired (damaged).

    (3) Reaction of Immune Self (Auto Immune Theory)
    In the process of metabolism, one time produced a special substance. There are certain tissues that are not resistant to these substances so that the tissues of the body becomes weak and ill.

    (4) The theory of "Imunology Slow Virus Theory"
    Imune system to be effective with increasing age and entry of virus into the body can cause organ damage.

    (5) Theory of Stress
    Aging occurs due to loss of cells commonly used by the body. Tissue regeneration can not maintain a stable internal environment, the extra effort and stress causes the body cells tired unused.

    (6) Free Radical Theory
    Free radicals can be formed in the wild, unstable free radicals (groups of atoms) of oxygen resulting in oxidation of organic materials such as carbohydrates and proteins. These free radicals can cause the cells can not regenerate.

    (7) Cross Chain Theory
    The cells are old or obsolete, the chemical reaction causes a strong bond, particularly the collagen network. This causes a lack of elastic bonding, chaos and loss of function.

    (8) Theory Courses
    Organism's ability to set the number of cells that divide after the cells die.
  2. Theory of Social Psycho

    (1) Activity Theory
    • The provision will increase to a decrease in the number of activities directly. This theory states that the elderly are successful are those who are active and participate in many social activities.
    • The optimum size (lifestyle) continued in the way of life of elderly.
    • Maintaining the relationship between social systems and individuals to remain stable from middle age to elderly.

    (2) Personality Continues (Continuity Theory) Basic personality or behavior does not change in elderly patients. This theory is a combination of the above theory. In this theory states that the changes that occur in the elderly person is strongly influenced by the type of personality they have.

    (3) Disengagement Theory

    This theory states that with increasing age, a person gradually began to break away from social life. This situation resulted in decreased elderly social interaction, both in quality and quantity so often lose terjaadi double (triple loss), namely:
    • Losing Role
    • Barriers of Social Contacts
    • Reduction Commitment Contacts
  3. Theory of Psychology

    (1) Theory Development Task

    Havigurst (1972) stated that the developmental tasks in old age include:
    • Adjusting to decline in physical strength and health
    • Adjusting to retirement and reduced income
    • Adjusting to the death of a spouse
    • Establish a relationship with people own age
    • Establish a satisfactory physical living arrangements
    • Adjusting to the social roles flexibly

    In addition to the above developments tasks, there are specific developmental tasks that may arise as a result of demands:
    • Physical Maturity
    • Expectations and cultural community
    • The individual's personal values ​​and aspirations
    According to this theory, every individual has a hierarchy of the self, the needs that motivate all human behavior (Maslow 1954).
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