KAYCELYN A.

JIMENEZ SEPTEMBER 02, 2020

BSN 3B-1 ; NCM 114- CARE OF THE OLDER PERSON: GERONTOLOGY #2 HANDOUT
1ST SEMESTER- PRELIMS
 In 2018, for the first time in history, persons aged 65
and above outnumbered children under five years of
CARE OF THE OLDER age globally.
PERSON  The number of persons aged 80 years or over is
MARILOU N. BANUSAN projected to triple, from 143 million in 2019 to
426 million in 2050.

In the Philippines:

 According to the National Statistics Office, the total

number of Senior Citizens (60 years old and above) is
8,013,059 by year-end of 2018.
 This number comprises 5.97% of the total Philippine
population.

Caring the Older Person

OLD AGE

 Generally begins at
the age of 60
 People in this age
group are called
SENIOR CITIZENS

According to the World

Health Organization:
 At this time elderly
population is growing by
800,000 per month.
 Japan has the most number of elderly in the world,
1/3 of its population (126,688,628) is over 65., 2.3
million are on their 70’s

 There are almost 962 million people over the age 60

living in the world today.
 Among those 13% are over 80 years old.
 It is expected that by 2050. This number will be
almost 2 billion and the number of elderly will be
AGING – the total life process; physiologic, behavioral and
higher than the number of children social changes that occur within increasing chronological age.

AGED – one who has reached near the end of the aging
process

GERONTOLOGY – the study of phenomena of old age

KAYCELYN A. JIMENEZ SEPTEMBER 02, 2020
BSN 3B-1 ; NCM 114- CARE OF THE OLDER PERSON: GERONTOLOGY #2 HANDOUT
1ST SEMESTER- PRELIMS
GERONTOLOGIC NURSING - a more holistic view of the
nursing care of older persons

GERIATRICS – is the treatment of the accompanying disease

of old age. 2. Population aging by development group

• GERIATRIC NURSING - nursing care primarily for

older persons who are ill

• GERONTIC NURSING - nursing care pertaining to an

older person, a compromise between geriatric nursing
& gerontologic nursing.

- Pertaining to both geriatrics and gerontology

• SENESCENCE – the process of growing old or the

period of old age
• SENILE – is often clinically annotated with old person
with mental & physical weaknesses 3. Population aging is happening much more quickly
from the past
CLASSIFICATION OF OLD AGE
Young old age 60-70 years
Middle old age 70-80 years
Old old age 81 years & above

DEFINING AGE

 CHRONOLOGICAL AGE – exact age from birth

 BIOLOGICAL AGE – age is determined by physiology
rather than chronology
 FUNCTIONAL AGE – age in terms of functional
performance

TRENDS IN POPULATION AGING

1. Population are getting older IMPLICATIONS OF POPULATION AGING

1. The older population is itself aging

2. The older population is growing faster in urban areas

than in rural areas

3. High-income countries tend to be most aged

FACTORS INFLUENCING POPULATION AGING

1. Fertility & mortality as determinants

 countries that had high fertility 60years ago saw faster

growth in the number of older persons

2. Demographic Transition
KAYCELYN A. JIMENEZ
BSN 3B-1 ; NCM 114- CARE OF THE OLDER PERSON: GERONTOLOGY
1 SEMESTER- PRELIMS
ST
 population aging is an enevitable consequence of the
demographic transition
3. International migration & aging
4. Economic Implications
 recognizing the challenges posed by population
aging, many countries are pursuing pension system RESERVE CAPACITY – refers to the individual’s resources for
reforms
5. Socio-cultural Implications
 the nature of the dependency of older people on
younger kin is dictated by cultural norms
6. Health Implications
 the main health burden for old people are from non-
communicable diseases.
WHAT MAKES US AGE DIFFERENTLY
1. Genetic Inheritance
2. What we are
3. What we live
4. Our health behavior
5. Our access to health care
Few Aspects in Aging
1. It may not always be possible to differentiate normal
aging from disease.
2. It is diseases that make old age miserable, not the
normal changes of aging.
3. The normal changes with aging reduce your reserve
capacity.
NOTES:
1) In almost all 90 year old brains there are a few plaques
and tangles. If these plaques and tangles were seen in a
young brain they would represent Alzheimer's Disease.
However, in an older adult these changes are not
necessarily a sign of disease since they may occur
normally with aging.
2) Although we have more wrinkles, more grey hair, and
stiffer arteries the normal changes of aging are unlikely to
kill us. I know of no one who died from old age, even
Jeanne Calment in France who died at age 122! People
SEPTEMBER 02, 2020
#2 HANDOUT
die from infections or other diseases, some of which
might not have caused you problems when you were
young.
3) Therefore, injuries or infections that only slowed you
down when you were young can cause disability and
dependency when you are old. An acute illness can
cause a "cascade of health problems" that can lead to
rapid declines in health and function.
responding effectively to challenging condition
- individuals exhibit varying capacities to protect themselves
from impairment and insults associated with aging and disease
and to adapt effectively to the demands of stressful situation
4. Aging results in a diminished ability to maintain homeostasis
and regulate body systems
5. Aging is accompanied by heterogeneity.
6. The rate of physiologic decline can be modified
NOTES:
Everyone ages differently and the rate of change in the
function of organ systems can vary markedly in individuals.
Thus, age-related changes in one system are \not predictive of
changes in other systems. You may have cataracts in your
eyes that severely affect your vision and yet have excellent
cardiovascular function.
6) An older person does not age faster than someone who is
younger. However, biological age is different from
chronological age. Thus, there is tremendous diversity among
individuals of similar chronological age. A physically fit 50 year
old can have the functional capacity of a thirty year old while
someone who smokes and is sedentary may function as if they
were several decades older.
THEORIES OF AGING
1. BIOLOGICAL THEORIES
2. PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES
3. SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES
BIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF AGING
KAYCELYN A. JIMENEZ
BSN 3B-1 ; NCM 114- CARE OF THE OLDER PERSON: GERONTOLOGY
1ST SEMESTER- PRELIMS
 Programmed Theory
 Programmed Longevity
 Endocrine Theory
 Autoimmune/Immunologic Theory
 Error Theory
 Wear and Tear Theory
 Cross Link Theory
 Somatic DNA Damage Theory
THEORIES OF AGING
1. BIOLOGICAL THEORIES
A. PROGRAMMED THEORIES – Aging follows a
biological timetable, perhaps a continuation of the one
that regulates childhood growth and development.
a. Programmed Longevity - Aging is the result
of the sequential switching on & off of certain
genes
b. Endocrine Theory – biological clocks act
through hormones to regulate the pace of
aging
c. Autoimmune Theory/Immunological Theory
- states that aging is caused by a change in
the immune system.
NOTES:
Programmed Theories - hypothesize that the body’s genetic
codes contain instruction for the regulation of cellular
reproduction and death
Longevity – with senescence being defines as the time when
age-associated deficits are manifested thus aging and death
Endocrine Theory - Events occurring in the hypothalamus and
pituitary are responsible for changes in the hormone
production and response that result in the organism’s decline.
Immunological Theory – the immune system is programmed to
decline overtime, which leads to an increased vulnerability to
infectious disease & thus aging and death
ERROR THEORIES
B. DAMAGE OR ERROR THEORIES - Aging is caused
by environmental damage to the body’s system which
accumulates over time.
a. Wear and Tear Theory - Parts wear out and
the machine breaks down. Cells and organs
have vital parts that wear out after years of
use
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b. Cross-Linking Theory - In this theory, an
accumulation of cross-linked proteins
damages cells and tissues, slowing down
bodily processes resulting in aging.
c. Free Radical Theory - This theory proposes
that superoxide and other free radicals
cause damage to macromolecular
components of the cell, giving rise to
accumulated damage causing cells and
eventually organs, to stop functioning.
d. Somatic DNA Damage Theory- DNA
damages occur continuously in cells of living
organism.
e. Rate of Living Theory- The greater an
organism’s rate of oxygen basal metabolism,
the shorter its life span.
NOTES:
DAMAGE OR ERROR THEORIES - hypothesize that
environmental assaults and the body’s constant need to
manufacture energy and fuel metabolic activities cause toxic
by-products to accumulate.
b. Cross-Linking Theory - In this theory, an accumulation of
cross linked proteins resulting from the binding of glucose to
protein causes various problems.
c. Free Radical Theory - Accumulated damage caused by
oxygen radicals causes cells and eventually organs, to lose
function and organ reserve. The use of antioxidant & vitamins
is believed to slow this damage.
d. Somatic DNA Damage Theory - Genetic mutations occur
and accumulates with increasing age, causing cells to
deteriorate and malfunction.
PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES OF AGING
 Jung’s Theory of Individualism
 Erikson’s Developmental Theory
2. PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES
a. JUNG’S THEORY OF INDIVIDUALISM- Hypothesize
that as a person ages, the shift of focus is away from
the external world toward the inner experience. To
KAYCELYN A. JIMENEZ
BSN 3B-1 ; NCM 114- CARE OF THE OLDER PERSON: GERONTOLOGY
1 SEMESTER- PRELIMS
ST
age successfully, the older person will accept past
accomplishments and failures. It is also the time for
contemplation and introspections.
b. ERIKSON’S EIGHTH STAGE THEORY
- Ego integrity vs. Despair
- Stage of later maturity where one strives to reach
acceptance of self
- Signs of Ego integrity: acceptance of both failures
and successes in life; feelsincontrol of one’s life;
accepts self and others, approaches death with
less fear
- Negative resolution: feeling of despair and regret,
disappointment, and fear of death.
NOTES:
ERIKSONS 8TH STAGE --The task of the older adult includes
ego integrity versus despair. During this stage, the older adult
become pre-occupied with acceptance of eventual death
without becoming morbid or obsessed with these thoughts
-begins in retirement, punctuated with reflection on the past,
reviewing ups and downs, and integrating memories into a
meaningful set of beliefs about self and the world.
3. SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF AGING
 Disengagement Theory
 Activity Theory
 Social breakdown Reconstruction Theory
NOTES:
Social
 because of their declining health and limited mobility,
most elderly have the tendency to withdraw from the
society
 spending most of their time looking back
 reflecting on what they have made out of their lives.
What are the Elderly Like?
 Disengagement Theory – as older persons slow
down, they gradually withdraw from the society.
Disengagement is a mutual activity in which the older person
not only disengaged in the society, but the society disengages
from the older adult.
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The older person develops greater self-preoccupation and
decrease emotional ties with people and reduced interest in
social activities. Such social withdrawal and increased self-
absorption was thought to increase life satisfaction among
them.
 Activity Theory– as opposed to the disengagement
theory, this theory argues that the more active and
involved the elderly are, the more likely that they are
satisfied with their lives.
 It is therefore important to find substitute activities for
them after their retirement.
 Social Breakdown -Reconstruction Theory
This theory states that aging is promoted through
negative psychological functioning brought about by
the negative views of the society about elderly and
inadequate provision of services for them.
Social reconstruction can occur by changing the
society’s view of the older person and by providing
adequate social services for them.
Gerotranscendence Theory
• ( Lars Tornstam , The Journal of TransPersonal
Psychology, Vol 43(2):166-180. )
 Gero ( Greek )– old age
 Transcendence ( Latin )– to climb over
According to Lars Tornstam,
Aging is a developmental stage that occurs when an
individual who is living into very old age shifts their perspective
“…from a materialistic and rational view of the world to a more
KAYCELYN A. JIMENEZ SEPTEMBER 02, 2020
BSN 3B-1 ; NCM 114- CARE OF THE OLDER PERSON: GERONTOLOGY #2 HANDOUT
1ST SEMESTER- PRELIMS
cosmic and transcendent one, normally accompanied by an
increase in life satisfaction.”
 Gerotranscendence Theory- The theory suggests that
human aging includes a potential to mature into a new
outlook on and understanding of life. These include a
redefinition of the self and of relationships to others.

Characteristics Of Gerotranscendent

 Less self-occupied and more altruistic

 Decreased interest in material things, viewing too
many possessions as burdensome.
 Selective in choices of social and other activities
which they find unnecessary;
 Has greater need for “alone time” for thought and
meditation – positive solitude
 Able to accept “ mysteries of life”
 Views death as a natural part of life

“Caring is an aging process To rediscover

Self”