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Theories of Aging

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Theories of Aging © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION CHAPTER© Jones 3 & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION Theories of Aging © iStockphoto/Thinkstock Jean Lange © Jones Sheila Grossman& Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION (Competency 1, 19) © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the end of this chapter, the reader will be able to: © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC > IdentifyNOT the FOR major SALEtheories ofOR aging. DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION > Compare the similarities and di erences between biological and psychosocial theories. > Describe the process of aging using a biological and a psychosocial perspective. > Analyze the rationale for using multiple theories of aging to describe the complex phenomenon of aging. © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC > Describe a general theoretical framework, taken from all of the aging theories that will assist NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION nurses in making clinical decisions in gerontology. © Jones & Bartlett Learning, KEY TERMS LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION Apoptosis NOT FOR Mitochondria SALE OR DISTRIBUTION Free radicals Nonstochastic theories of aging Human needs theory Reactive oxygen species Immunomodulation Senescence Lipofuscin© Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC Stochastic theories of aging© Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC MaslowNOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION Telomerase NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION Melatonin Telomere © JonesFrom the & Bartlettbeginning Learning,of time, preserving LLC youth has been a topic© ofJones discussion & Bartlett in science, Learning, health care, LLC technology, and everyday life. Is there anyone who would not be interested in knowing how the human NOT organism FOR SALE ages? Doesn’t OR DISTRIBUTIONeveryone want to live a long and healthy life?NOT ere FOR are few SALE who would OR notDISTRIBUTION want to see what the future holds for our bodies and minds; even more curiosity surrounds what advances have been made or will possibly be made to alter and slow the aging process. Understanding what knowledge theories of aging may contribute to answering these questions is a rst step toward understanding the mystery of aging. © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC© Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC.© NOTJones FOR SALE& Bartlett OR DISTRIBUTION Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION 9781284131161_CH03.indd 41 01/03/17 6:08 PM © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION 42 Chapter 3 eories of Aging Complex physiological,© Jones social, & Bartlett economic, Learning,and psychological LLC challenges o en present themselves© Jones as & we Bartlett age. Learning, LLC Declining health andNOT cognitive FOR or SALE physical OR functioning DISTRIBUTION may necessitate moving to supportiveNOT care environmentsFOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION that drain nancial resources. Losing friends or loved ones, grappling with the meaning of life, maintaining quality of life in the face of increasing disability, adapting to retirement and contemplating death are just a few of the challenges that aging adults face. eories that are validated through research can guide nurses in helping elderly patients navigate the ©changes Jones they & experience. Bartlett Cultural, Learning, spiritual, LLC regional, socioeconomic, educational,© Jones and& Bartlett environmental Learning, factors LLC NOTas well FORas health SALE status ORimpact DISTRIBUTION older adults’ perceptions and choices aboutNOT their FOR healthcare SALE needs. OR AccordingDISTRIBUTION to Haight and colleagues, “a good gerontological theory integrates knowledge, tells how and why phenomena are related, leads to prediction, and provides process and understanding. In addition, a good theory must be holistic and take into account all that impacts a person throughout a lifetime of aging” (Haight, Barba, Tesh, & Courts, 2002, p. 14). © Jones & Bartlett Sociologists, Learning, psychologists, LLC biologists, and more recently© Jones nurses & have Bartlett proposed Learning, varying theories LLC about the NOT FOR SALE aging OR process. DISTRIBUTION e purpose of this chapter is to review theNOT chronological FOR SALE development OR DISTRIBUTION of aging theories, describe TABLE 3 1 Psychosocial Theories of Aging Theory © Jones & Bartlett Description Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC Sociological TheoriesNOT FOR SALE Changing OR DISTRIBUTION roles, relationships, status, and generationalNOT cohort FOR impact SALE OR DISTRIBUTION the older adult’s ability to adapt. Activity Remaining occupied and involved is necessary to a satisfying late life. Disengagement Gradual withdrawal from society and relationships serves to maintain © Jones & Bartlett Learning,social LLC equilibrium and promote internal© Jones reflection. & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT Subculture FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION The elderly prefer to segregate fromNOT society FOR in anSALE aging ORsubculture DISTRIBUTION sharing loss of status and societal negativity regarding the aged. Health and mobility are key determinants of social status. Continuity Personality influences roles and life satisfaction and remains consistent throughout life. Past coping patterns recur as older © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC adults adjust to© physical, Jones financial, & Bartlett and social Learning, decline and LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION contemplate death.NOT Identifying FOR SALE with one’s OR age DISTRIBUTION group, finding a residence compatible with one’s limitations, and learning new roles postretirement are major tasks. Age stratification Society is stratified by age groups that are the basis for acquiring resources, roles, status, and deference from others. Age cohorts are © Jones & Bartlettinfluenced Learning, by their historicalLLC context and share similar© Jones experiences, & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALEbeliefs, OR DISTRIBUTION attitudes, and expectations of life-course transitions.NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION Person-Environment-Fit Function is affected by ego strength, mobility, health, cognition, sensory perception, and the environment. Competency changes one’s ability to adapt to environmental demands. © GerotranscendenceJones & Bartlett Learning, TheLLC elderly transform from a materialistic/rational© Jones & Bartlett perspective Learning, toward LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTIONoneness with the universe. SuccessfulNOT transformationFOR SALE includes OR DISTRIBUTION an outward focus, accepting impending death, substantive relationships, intergenerational connectedness, and unity with the universe. © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC© Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC.© NOTJones FOR SALE& Bartlett OR DISTRIBUTION Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION 9781284131161_CH03.indd 42 01/03/17 6:08 PM © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION Psychosocial eories of Aging 43 what evidence© supports Jones or & refutes Bartlett these theoriesLearning, and discuss LLC their application to nursing© practice.Jones CINAHL,& Bartlett the Learning, LLC National Library of Medicine, the Web of Science, PsycINFO, Science in Context, and Sociological Abstracts databases wereNOT reviewed FOR to SALEassess the OR support DISTRIBUTION for and clinical application of these theories.NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION Psychosocial Theories of Aging e earliest theories on aging came from the psychosocial disciplines (see Table 3 - 1 ). ese theories focus on © Joneschanges & in Bartlettbehavior, personality,Learning, and LLC attitude as we age. e authors© Jonespropose that& Bartlett aging is a Learning,lifelong process LLC NOTcharacterized FOR SALE by transitions. OR DISTRIBUTION Psychological theories relate these transitionsNOT to FOR personality SALE or ego OR development DISTRIBUTION and the accompanying challenges associated with various life stages. ey speak to how mental processes, emotions, attitudes, motivation, and personality in uence adaptation to physical and social demands. Sociological theorists consider how changing roles, relationships, and status within a culture or society impact an older adult’s ability to adapt. ey assert that societal norms can a ect how individuals perceive and enact © Jones & Bartletttheir Learning, role within a community.LLC How living through© key Jones events such& Bartlett as the Vietnam Learning, War or civil LLC rights eras a ects NOT FOR SALE agingOR DISTRIBUTIONis an important component of sociological theoriesNOT FOR of aging. SALE OR DISTRIBUTION TABLE 3 1 Psychosocial Theories of Aging Theory © Jones & Bartlett DescriptionLearning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC PsychologicalNOT Theories FOR SALE OR Explain DISTRIBUTION aging in terms of mental processes, emotions,NOT FOR attitudes, SALE OR DISTRIBUTION motivation, and personality development that is characterized by life stage transitions. Human needs Five basic needs motivate human behavior in a lifelong process © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLCtoward need fulfillment. © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT
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