Care of the Older Adults Theories of Aging

THEORIES OF AGING
• Human aging is influenced by a composite of
Session 3 biologic, psychologic, social, functional, and
spiritual factors.

• Aging may be viewed as a continuum of events

that occur from conception to death

I. BIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF BIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF

AGING AGING

• The biological theories explain the physiologic 1. Stochastic/Statistical Perspective

processes that change with aging.
– identifies episodic events that happen
• Two categories:
throughout one’s life that cause random cell
1. Stochastic/statistical perspective damage and accumulate over time.
2. Nonstochastic theories
Stochastic Theory:
FREE RADICAL THEORY
• Aging is due to oxidative metabolism and the
effects of free radicals.
• Free radicals are produced when the body uses
oxygen, such as with exercise.
Stochastic Theory:
WEAR & TEAR THEORY
• Over time, cumulative changes occurring in cells
age and damage cellular metabolism.
• Excessive wear and tear caused by exercising may
accelerate aging by increasing free radical
production.
Stochastic Theory:
ORGEL / ERROR THEORY
• Cells accumulate errors in their DNA and RNA
protein synthesis that cause the cells to die.
• Proposes that aging would not occur if destructive
factors such as radiation did not exist and cause
“errors” such as mutations and regulatory
disorders.
Stochastic Theory:
CONNECTIVE
TISSUE/CROSS-LINK THEORY
• it proposes that, over time, biochemical processes
create connections between structures not normally
connected.
 Nonstochastic Theory:

2. Nonstochastic Theories PROGRAMMED THEORY

– view aging as a series of predetermined events
happening to all organisms in a timed • As people age, more of their cells start to decide
framework. to commit suicide or stop dividing.

– founded on a programmed perspective that is

related to genetics or one’s biological clock.

Nonstochastic Theory: Nonstochastic Theory:

GENE/BIOLOGICAL CLOCK GENE/BIOLOGICAL CLOCK
THEORY THEORY
CIRCADIAN RHYTHM MELATONIN
• This theory indicates that there may be genes that
trigger youth and general wellbeing as well as
other genes that accelerate cell deterioration.

It is secreted by the pineal gland

It is thought that biological rhythms and is considered to be the
lose some rhythmicity with aging. hormone linked to sleep and
wake cycles.
Nonstochastic Theory: Nonstochastic Theory:
NEUROENDOCRINE THEORY IMMUNOLOGIC/AUTOIMMUNE THEORY

• This theory describes a change in hormone

secretion and adrenal glands, and how it •This theory describes the normal aging process of
influences the aging process. humans and animals as being related to faulty
immunological function.
• Major hormones are involved with aging:
• Estrogen
• Growth hormone
• Melatonin

Sociological Theory:
PSYCHOSOCIAL THEORIES OF
ACTIVITY DISENGAGEMENT
AGING
THEORY

• Two categories: Sociological theorists have attempted to explain

1. Sociological Theories older adult behavior in relationship to society with
2. Psychological Theories such concepts as disengagement, activity, and
continuity.
Sociological Theory: Sociological Theory:
SUBCULTURE THEORY CONTINUITY THEORY

Late 1960’s - Havighurst and colleagues recognized

Rose proposed that although this subculture that neither activity nor disengagement theories
segregates the elderly from the rest of society, older fully explain successful aging from a sociological
adults prefer to interact among themselves. point of view.

Sociological Theory: Sociological Theory:

AGE STRATIFICATION THEORY PERSON-ENVIRONMENT-FIT THEORY

• Age stratification transitioned aging theory from a • Early 1980’s - Lawton’s

focus on the individual to a broader context that person-environment-theory introduced functional
alerted gerontologists to the influence of cohort competence in relationship to the environment as
groups. a central theme.
Sociological Theory:
GEROTRANSCENDENCE THEORY
• 1994 - Tornstam’s theory of gerotranscendence.
This proposes that aging individuals undergo a
cognitive transformation from a materialistic,
rational perspective toward oneness with the
universe.
Psychological Theory:
HUMAN NEEDS THEORY
• Maslow surmised that a hierarchy of five needs
motivates human behavior: physiologic, safety
and security, love and belonging, self-esteem,
and self-actualization.

Psychological Theory: Psychological Theory:

THEORY OF INDIVIDUALISM
• Jung’s theory of individualism is not specific to
aging.
• 1960 – He proposed a lifespan view of
personality development rather than attainment
of basic needs.
STAGES OF PERSONALITY
DEVELOPMENT
• 1963 - According to Erikson, personality
develops in eight sequential stages that have a
corresponding life task that one may succeed at
or fail to accomplish.
Psychological Theory: Psychological Theory:
SELECTIVE OPTIMIZATION WITH
LIFE COURSE PARADIGM COMPENSATION THEORY

• 1970’s
- the predominant theme of behavioral
• 1987 - Baltes’s theory of successful aging
psychology moved toward the concept of “life
emerged from his study of psychological
course,” in which life is divided into stages with
processes across the lifespan that focuses on
predictable patterns.
the individual.

NURSING THEORIES OF
Implications for Nursing
AGING
• Nursing has incorporated psychosocial theories such Functional Nursing’s role is risk reduction to
as Erikson’s personality development theory into its Consequences Theory minimize age-associated
practice. disability in order to enhance
safety and quality of living.
• Psychological theories enlighten us about the
development tasks and challenges faced by older
adults. Theory of Thriving Failure to thrive results from a
discord between the individual
and his or her environment or
• Nursing has learned how support systems, relationships.
functionality, activity can influence adjustment to aging
and life satisfaction.
 Theory of Successful Aging Theory of Successful Aging

- Aging successfully means remaining physically, Flood’s theory of successful aging provides a more
psychological, and socially engaged in meaningful comprehensive framework to guide nursing practice.
ways that are individually defined.