Aging-associated diseases

specialists in geriatrics, it may be hard to determine if a symptom is related to a disease or normal aging of the body and overdiagnosis often occurs. Thirdly, because of how the body changes as one ages, different types of medications and dosages may be necessary to help alleviate pain or fight a disease. Finally, the overall health of older adults is worse than the younger generations, especially in regards to chronic diseases where it is best to relive the pain instead of attempting to cure…

Aging is inevitable in all living things. As individuals age, a number of things occur, both mental and physical. Graying hair and wrinkled skin are external signs of aging and the most noticeable. Cognitive changes, which are associated with mental processes such as sensation and perception, memory, intelligence, language, thought, and problem-solving, occur among aging adults (American Psychological Association, 2015). People age at different rates depending on genetics, diet, culture,…

this disease that affects children. After decades of scientific research, the gene for Progeria Syndrome was found in April 2003 by a group of researchers working together with The Progeria Research Foundation Genetics Consortium, with the assistance of a group of French researchers. LMNA is the gene responsible for progeria. LMNA mutation causes the gene to produce an abnormal protein, known as progerin, which causes the disease to progress, leading to heart failure and a super-fast aging…

negative stereotypes it is common for older adults to have negative perceptions on aging. These pervasive messages suggest that older adults are “frail, ill, old people” which tend to perpetuate these negative attitudes. Henchoz, Cavalli, and Girardin (2008) suggest that comparison mechanisms assist older adults in opposing those views and seeing past those fundamentals of old age. Consequently, basing their views of aging on a more self-perceived attitude. According to Henchoz, et.al. there are…

Aging of the Elderly An “elderly” person is a person who is 65 years old or older (Orimo, et al 2006). People are living until their 80’s and 90’s these days so the number of elderly people is increasing. The people who might need your caregiving help one day could be family members, neighbors, or church friends. The assistance could be very basic like phoning them weekly to check on them. On the other hand, the caregiving could be more complex and require you to handle their medical needs. It…

vision, good hearing, and quick reaction time, tend to deteriorate. Because many older people continue to drive despite having lost their motor skills, other drivers and their passengers are put at risk of being involved in an accident. The natural aging process affects one’s driving skills, making older drivers a danger to the safety of themselves and others; therefore, more uniform state laws and provisions are needed to monitor the driving abilities of this section of the population. It is…

Humanities In today’s world, there is a great misunderstanding about the aging process and a plethora of associated myths. Many people have a jaded view of aging and the elderly in general, which may be attributed to the false portrayals and stereotyping of the population in media platforms such as movies, television shows, and novels. There is a great disconnect between the current generations, which is even more concerning in our “aging society”, meaning that in the coming years, those over…

The aging population comes with a number of challenges - particularly that related with the degradation of bodily functions as we age. Organ systems begin to fail, and associated medical conditions can come about. Some common ones include diabetes, hypertension, cardiac pathologies including coronary artery disease. Cognitive decline also makes normal activities difficult - Parkinson's, Alzhiemer's etc. Notice that all of these pathologies mentioned are typically long-term issues - nothing that…

make this my main concern but the information was interesting and it is always better to be informed about this than regret you haven’t done better decisions before it is too late. After being aware that exercise will improve my health for my old aging body at the age of 70 is making me think of solutions for motivation and improvements I will have to make to my current lifestyle. It also makes me realize that getting involved in help the seniors of today to stay active will just ensure a better…

Just by living we impact the environment. The problem is that achievements in life expectancy may be associated with an unsustainable use of natural resources and an unsustainable production of wastes. For the most part, bioethics focused on medical developments and ignored environmental issues. (Dwyer). But the environmental issues are more serious and…