Health and Social care Unit 1 Topic C: C1

Health and Social Care Unit 1 Learning Aim C: C1

EFFECTS OF AGEING:

The physical changes of aging: By the time an individual reaches their late 60’s (later adulthood), their body functions begin to decline E.g. hearing loss, mobility and eyesight. However, everyone’s experience with aging is different and ranges in severity.

Cardiovascular disease: This is a disease of the heart and the blood vessels and as an individual age there risk of having a cardiovascular disease increases. The blood pumps blood around the body through blood vessels. Many older people experience narrowing of the blood vessels due to fatty deposits such as cholesterol. This process is called atherosclerosis and can induce the risk of strokes and heart attacks. The heart can also lose its elasticity making it work harder which increases blood pressure.

Effect of lifestyle choice: Poor lifestyle choices such as smoking, lack of exercise, and being obese/overweight, increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Although there are also other variables such as family history of heart disease, ethnic background, hypertension and poorly controlled diabetes.

The degeneration of nervous tissue: A person’s senses depend on their nervous system (the nerves, spinal cord and pituitary gland in the brain.). This system allows individuals to detect stimuli such as heat. The stimuli them send impulses through the nerves to the brain to produce a response, such as pull your hand away.

As an individual age’s their brain function begins to decline. Different aspects of the brain are affected at different times i.e. short-term memory is affected relatively early, cognitive and intellectual ability is usually maintained until around the age of 80. The brain processes the nerve pulses more slowly, so reaction time becomes slower. It is noted that some conditions are more prevalent as an individual gets older such as strokes, depression, an under active thyroid gland and Alzheimer’s.

Blood flow to the brain decreases especially in someone with a cerebrovascular disease which is common in smokers, people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes. This causes a loss in brain cells which impairs mental function inducing the risk of dementia.

Osteoarthritis: This is a degenerative disorder that is caused by the wear and tear of the joints…