Developmental Health Psychology

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Developmental Health Psychology
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Aging

• Primary Aging
• normal senescence
• Secondary Aging
• pathological senescence

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Health during old age

• Most in good health (Stats Can., 99)
• Most common chronic conditions late adulthood
• Arthritis, rheumatism 42
• High blood pressure 33
• Allergies 22
• Back problems 17
• Heart problems 16

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Key ideas

• Women live longer than men
• But more likely to have chronic conditions and
  limitations in activities of daily living
• Physical health declines, psychological
  well-being improves

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• Determinants of health
• Health beliefs, behaviours, social structure, SES
• Often can be changed to improve health

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• Despite attention paid to sickness and treatment,
  self-care is the most predominant form of care

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Mental Health

• Attempt to live meaningfully
• in a particular set of social and environmental
  circumstances
• relying on a particular collection of resources
  and supports

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Self-development

• self-perception
• integration of various roles
• striving for growth
• possible commitment to something beyond self
• Life satisfaction (self image, self esteem)

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Threats to mental health

• Epidemiological Catchment Area Study
• US Natl Inst. of Mental Health
• 18,000 structured interviews
• 5 regions across US
• Dispelled 2 major myths
• Women at greater risk.
• Older adults at greater risk

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Age-Related Trends in Mental Disorders

• Lower prevalence in older than younger adults
• all mental disorders (excluding dementias)
• Younger (18-64 years) 11-25
• Older (65) 6-14

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• Mood disorders (including depression)
• Younger 3-8
• Older 2-3
• Dementia
• Older 6-10
• Possible co-existence and interaction with
  physical illness

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Are Elderly Less Prone to Mental Illness?

• Diagnostic criteria not age fair
• depression symptoms different in elderly
• Elderly typically visit physicians before mental
  health professionals
• physical symptoms mask psychological ones
• e.g., difficulty sleeping, changes in diet, heart
  palpitations (depression)

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• Myths, stereotypes about aging
• must distinguish normal aging from disease
• ageism in treatment
• Cohort effects stigma

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Alzheimers Disease

• Progressive, degenerative brain disorder
• Loss of memory, awareness, ability to control
  body functions

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• First reported in 1907
• Shrinkage of cortex
• Large masses of amyloid plaques
• Spherical protein deposits outside of nerve cells
• Neurofibrillary tangles
• Twisted protein filaments inside neurons
• Spread from bottom (midbrain) to top (cortex)

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• Plaques, tangles present in normal aging brain
• In Alzheimers excessive, interfere with
  communication between neurons

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Prevalence

• Rare under 50
• 6-10 over 65
• 30-50 over 85

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Symptoms

• Permanent forgetting of recent events
• Unable to do routine tasks
• Forget simple words
• Confusion in familiar locations
• Forget what numbers mean
• Put things in inappropriate places
• Watch in fishbowl

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• Rapid, dramatic mood swings
• Loss of language, communication skills

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Causes

• Very little known
• Possibly
• Genetic factors (permitting tangles to form)
• Environment (sporadic AD no family history
  possible toxins)
• Build up of plaques in body, free radicals in
  brain

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Risk Factors

• Age
• Family history
• Brain damage (accident)
• Predictors Kentucky Nun Study
• richness of early writing

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Treatment

• Anti-oxidants
• Enzyme-blocking agents (prevent plaques)
• Genetic engineering (promote neuron growth)
• Respite care caregiver stress
• Behaviour Modification (activities of daily
  living)

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• Physical activity
• Social involvement
• Good nutrition
• Calm structured environment

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Coping with AD

• Patient
• Aware of changes
• Shame, self image, fear of desertion
• Behavioural changes (stages)
• Caregiver physical, psychological, social
• 70 family members (female usually)
• 50 severe stress

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• Caregiver Stress
• Physically exhausting constant vigilance
• Psychological effects
• Grief adjust to gradual loss
• Increasing social isolation
• Stigma cover-up, try to avoid social
  interactions
• Stress severity depends on availability of
  social support (respite care, counselling,
  support groups)