Long-Term Care

The effects of aging

LTC Nursing Assistant Trainer, June 9, 2005

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Since 1900, the average life expectancy in the United States has nearly doubled. With good genes and modern medical care, many Americans live long and healthy lives. With longer lives come bodily changes that earlier generations may not have lived to see.

The body usually reaches its peak of functionality at age 30. After age 30, the body begins a gradual decline. Most bodies are able to maintain a satisfactory level of functioning for many years after age 30. A combination of genetic and environmental factors, combined with the natural aging process, slowly cause the organs to lose function.

Every part of the body is affected by the aging process. The ways three major systems are affected follow:

  • The mind/brain
    Unless there is a disease process involved, the effects of aging have only a slight effect on the mind and brain. It may be more difficult for an elderly person respond to and deal with many stimuli at once and reaction time gradually slows. Although many people worry about their memories failing with age, real memory loss is usually the result of a disease, not age.

  • Vision
    Changes in vision are perhaps one of the earliest signs of aging. By age 40, many people find that they require glasses to see objects close up.

    In addition, cataracts frequently develop as one ages. Cataracts are clouding of the lenses of the eyes. Although some cases can be attributed to the aging process, they also may be related to the amount of sunlight to which the eyes are exposed.

    Another age-related eye problem is macular degeneration, which occurs when a part of the retina becomes diseased and the central vision is lost. A person with macular degeneration is only able to see to the side, and not directly in front.

  • Hearing
    Often as we age, we gradually lose the ability to hear high frequency sounds. However, in some cases the aging process is not the primary cause of hearing loss. This condition may be due more to a lifetime of damage to ears from loud noises and to certain medications, such as aspirin and streptomycin.



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