Category: Aging

Introduction

Aging is a compulsory process that occurs in all human beings with the progression of time. The process is marked with significant changes in various body structures and functions that diminish the effectiveness of aged people. This essay is an analysis of an interview conducted on an aged woman to assess the changes attributed to aging. The first part analyzes the interview and the responses provided by the woman including the variations in her body functions. The second part is a summary of the information available on the changes that occur in the integumentary system with age. The final part is a conclusion that harmonizes the information in the entire essay, providing a summary.

Interview Summary

The interviewee was a sixty-six-year-old woman who confirmed that she experienced increased facial hair growth and thinning of the hair on the head. She tried out different varieties of shampoos and hair food recommended to her by friends and hairstylists. About a month after noticing the above changes, the interviewee reported experiencing pains in both knee joints. She described the pain to be sharp, aggravated by movement are relieved by rest. The knee problem prompted her to consult a physician who diagnosed her with osteoarthritis. On mentioning the hair changes to the physician, the interviewee was informed the hair changes and the osteoarthritis was due to declining estrogen levels post-menopause. The physician initiated the interviewee on hormone replacement therapy, a combination of estrogen and progesterone, and diclofenac for knee pain.

The interviewee affirmed she had made some diet modifications. She was keen on taking more foods rich in calcium and Vitamin D, such as dairy products and dark green leafy vegetables. In addition, she was exposing herself to sunlight more to promote Vitamin D synthesis. Another modification is consuming a high-fiber diet in the form of salads, fruits, and vegetables. Cognizant of lower caloric requirements at her age, she resolved to cut consumption of calorie-rich foods, foods high in cholesterol such as fries, and all forms of sugar.

She advised the younger generation to enjoy their youth as it fades away fast. Aging is an inevitable fate of human existence. She advised the young to embrace aging as it comes. In particular, she advised the young to eat a healthy diet and avoid smoking and alcohol. The interviewee further advised the young the take care of their mental health by sharing what they are feeling and going through with someone. She emphasized the need to be physically active from a young age.

Effects of Aging

The world is aging because the number of persons over 65 years of age in 2020 was estimated at 727 million. This number has been increasing over the past decades and is projected to continue rising (United Nations, 2020). Aging is inevitable owing to the mortal nature of human life. It is essential to understand the aging process and the changes that come with it. Aging refers to the progressive deterioration in physiologic functions within the human body that occur over time. It is a natural process that occurs over an individual’s life span due to cumulative cellular damage.

Theories of Aging

Several theories can explain the mechanism by which aging occurs. They include oxidative damage, defective DNA repair mechanisms, mitochondrial genome damage, telomere shortening, and mutations in genes that suppress aging. Free radicals cause oxidative damage to the cell in proportions that overwhelm the cell’s repair mechanisms, eventually causing cell death. Mutations in cell DNA accumulate over time; more errors occur when they affect enzymes involved in DNA synthesis (Gilbert, 2019). Errors in DNA repair enzymes result in accelerated aging. Mitochondrial genome damage results in reduced mitochondrial functioning and activation of programmed cell death pathways. Telomeres shorten with each cell division cycle, which eventually limits further cell division (Gilbert, 2019). The shortening of the telomeres indicates diminished division cycles for these cells hence aging.

Manifestations in Aging

The aging process manifests as senescence, deterioration in the functional capacity of organs and tissues. A decline in physiologic capacity characterizes aging, age-related diseases such as diabetes, increased vulnerability to diseases, reduced ability to adapt to stress, and eventually death. In addition to biological changes, aging is also associated with psychological, economic, and social changes such as retirement (World Health Organization, 2021). Gerontology is a field of science dedicated to studying aging, while geriatrics is a medical specialty dedicated to providing medical care for older persons (Besdine, 2019). All organ systems in the body are affected by aging. This paper will explore the changes observed in the integumentary and musculoskeletal systems.

Individual Skin Components Changes

The integumentary system comprises the skin and its associated structures that include hair, nails, sweat glands, and sebaceous glands. The purpose of hair is protection, thermoregulation, sensation, and beauty. Nails are important for grasping, protecting, and cosmetics. The skin is composed of epidermal, dermal, and hypodermal layers. The epidermis is a protective layer composed of five layers and four types of cells; keratin-producing cells, melanin-producing cells, dendritic cells, and Merkel cells. Keratinocyte cells of the epidermis produce keratin which forms a protective barrier. Melanocyte cells produce melanin that protects from ultraviolet radiation. Dendritic cells within the epidermis are a line of defense against pathogens. Merkel cells are sensory; they are receptors for a light touch.

The dermal layer is composed of loose connective tissue, collagen fibers, hair follicles, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, neurons, and blood vessels. Sweat glands produce sweat for thermoregulation. Hair follicles and blood vessels also play a crucial role in thermoregulation. Nerve endings serve as receptors for touch, heat, pain, and cold sensations (Yousef et al., 2020). Sebaceous glands produce sebum which serves as an antimicrobial and a lubricant. The hypodermal layer is mainly adipose tissue that serves as a heat insulator (Yousef et al., 2020). It prevents heat loss and ensures that one maintains the constant healthy range of body temperature.

The skin is most vulnerable to the aging process and is an obvious indicator of advancing age. The number of epidermal cells reduces with age resulting in an overall reduction of skin thickness. Less keratin is produced, leaving the skin vulnerable to trauma. Reduction in melanin-producing melanocytes results in areas of hypopigmentation and greying of hair. The junction between the epidermis and dermis flattens, leaving the skin vulnerable to shearing forces. At the dermal layer, the number of cells and blood vessels reduces with age. Reduced cellularity results in reduced connective tissue formation, less collagen, and consequently loss of elasticity. The hypodermal layer reduces as adipose tissue diminishes with age (Bonté et al., 2019). The reduction in subcutaneous tissue fat is marked on the extremities as fat is redistributed to the vital organs.

Degenerative Changes

Degenerative changes in the musculoskeletal system put elderly persons at risk of weakness, fractures, falls, and immobility. The musculoskeletal system consists of the skeletal system and muscles. Muscles are excitable tissues that contract and relax to facilitate movement. There are three types of muscles in the human body, skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscles. Skeletal muscles are attached to bones by tendons and are involved in locomotion and support. Cardiac muscles are located in the heart, while smooth muscles are found in hollow visceral organs such as the alimentary canal. All muscles are supplied by nerves that coordinate contraction relaxation and blood vessels for blood supply. The skeletal system is composed of bone, ligaments, and cartilage. Bones articulate to form joints stabilized by ligaments, muscle, and tendons attaching around a joint. Cartilage tissue lines bone surfaces at the joint to allow free movement (Walker, 20202). The roles of this system comprise protection of vital organs, support, locomotion, muscles are sites of glycogen storage, hematopoiesis, and mineral homeostasis, e.g., calcium and phosphate.

The bulk skeletal muscles decrease with age. Loss of muscle bulk is accelerated by disuse from reduced physical activity. As a result, elderly persons are susceptible to falls and low-energy fractures. Muscle strength also diminishes with age, which greatly affects the ability to carry out daily activities and locomotion. The loss of power and bulk is attributed to cellular atrophy. Muscle activity also diminishes with age as a result of reduced neuronal activity and conduction (Amarya et al., 2018). The ratio of adipose tissue to muscle increases with age as more fat is deposited in the muscle. As basal metabolic rate slows with age, more protein is replaced with fat. The long-term effect of this is reduced muscle quality (Amarya et al., 2018). The reduced quality and quantity of muscles interferes with the ability of aged people to perform various physical functions.

Bone density reduces with aging, inclining ageing patients to fractures. The pathophysiology of age-related osteoporosis is reduced estrogen levels in women, excess parathyroid hormone secretion, and increased fat deposition in the bone marrow. Estrogen preserves bone integrity by inhibiting osteoclast cells that break down bone. Excess parathyroid hormone increases bone resorption, reducing bone density (Bhattarai et al., 2020). Joints become stiffer, and flexibility reduces with age. The stiffness is attributed to shortening and loss of ligament flexibility. The quantity of synovial fluid that lubricates joint surfaces reduces with advancing age, further impairing movement.

Osteoarthritis is a common degenerative disorder associated with age. It is characterized by pain, deformity, and loss of joint function. The cartilage at a joint’s articular surfaces degenerates with age resulting in osteoarthritis. Degeneration of articular cartilage is attributed to reduced chondrocyte function (Krishnan & Grodzinsky, 2018). The pathophysiologic changes extend to joint capsule and bone. Sweat and sebum secretion reduces with age because of the number and size of sebaceous and sweat glands. Hair changes associated with advancing age include baldness in men. In women, the absence of estrogen increases facial hair (Khurana, 2018). Women can also experience loss of pubic and axillary hair due to low levels of adrenal androgens.

Conclusion

In conclusion, aging is an inevitable reality of human existence that must be embraced. Understanding the changes age brings about to the body is crucial in formulating appropriate lifestyle adjustments. Individuals can modify their environment and lifestyle to ensure a healthy aging process. Some lifestyle modifications that can contribute to successful aging include eating a healthy balanced diet, observing a consistent exercise routine, avoiding alcohol and smoking. It is vital to make regular clinical visits to assess health status. Regular checkups facilitate early detection of diseases and formulating a plan of care. Healthy aging requires individuals to plan for their financial and social welfare in advance before age erodes physical and mental capacities. It is important to remember that aging is not a disease but a stage in the life of every human being.

References

Amarya, S., Singh, K., & Sabharwal, M. (2018). Ageing process and physiological changes. In www.intechopen.com. IntechOpen. Web.

Besdine, R. W. (2019). Overview of aging. MSD manual consumer version; MSD Manuals. Web.

Bhattarai, H. K., Shrestha, S., Rokka, K., & Shakya, R. (2020). Vitamin D, calcium, parathyroid hormone, and sex steroids in bone health and effects of aging. Journal of Osteoporosis, 2020, 1–10. Web.

Bonté, F., Girard, D., Archambault, J.-C., & Desmoulière, A. (2019). Skin Changes during ageing. Subcellular Biochemistry, 249–280. Web.

Gilbert, S. F. (2019). Aging: The biology of senescence. Nih.gov; Sinauer Associates. Web.

Khurana, I. (2018). Concise textbook of human physiology. Elsevier India.

Krishnan, Y., & Grodzinsky, A. J. (2018). Cartilage diseases. Matrix Biology, 71-72, 51–69. Web.

United Nations. (2020). World population ageing 2020 highlights | Population division. Www.un.org. Web.

Walker, J. (2020). Skeletal system 2: Structure and function of the musculoskeletal system. Nursing Times, 116(3), 52–56.

World Health Organization. (2021). Ageing and health. Who.int; World Health Organization: WHO. Web.

Yousef, H., Alhajj, M., & Sharma, S. (2020). Anatomy, skin (integument), epidermis. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. Web.

Aging is a natural process that manifests in multiple different ways. Namely, an individual reaching a certain age can exemplify different social, physical, and cognitive characteristics that are dynamic and vastly depend on the subcategory of later adulthood. The three categories are young-old (65-74 years), middle-old (75-84 years), and old-old (85+ years) (Ashford et al., 2018). The young-old group remains active in their social lives, manages to maintain close connections with family members, and often continues applying their talents into practice by working or having hobbies. The middle-old subgroup often experiences chronic pain, deals with stressors correlating with the deaths of friends and spouses, and encounters balance problems. Old-old is the category in which individuals are dependent on others, isolated socially, and encounter mobility and cognitive challenges.

Two health practices that can manifest in longevity are maintenance of physical activity and adequate nutrition. Physical activity can address multiple challenges correlating with aging, such as impaired balance, heart problems, and reduced strength (Ashford et al., 2018). It is important for the activity not to be intense, yet its presence is certainly beneficial. Regarding nutrition, an adequate diet can confront the chances of metabolism. Thus, both practices are effective in promoting health and longevity.

Regarding end-of-life care, the social worker can assist by becoming a support system for the patient by communicating with them. Listening to concerns and reflections and administering tools such as the End-of-Life Review can give the patient a sense of relief (Ashford et al., 2018). The social worker can also become the mediator between doctors and patients. This implies interpreting information, being straightforward, and, potentially, discussing the perspectives. Last but not least, the social worker can offer support to families who suffer because of the condition of their elderly loved ones.

References

Ashford José B., LeCroy, C. W., & Williams, L. (2018). Human behavior in the social environment: A multidimensional perspective. Cengage Learning.

End-of-life care is a term used to define assistance and medical care in the late stages of people’s life. Elderly people frequently have one or more chronic illnesses and need intensive care in the days, weeks, and even months before they pass away. Essentially, the quality of life of the dying person and those who are important to them is attempted to be improved by effective end-of-life care. This is accomplished by identifying, assessing, and treating pain and other anxiety-related symptoms early on while also considering the patient’s psychological, social, and spiritual needs (Wolf et al., 2015). In this sense, society has to ensure that older people are comfortable in their late stages of life because many of them have chronic ailments.

The challenges that the aging population expansion imposes on the structure of civil society in terms of social, economic, physical, emotional, and health are significant. In spite of changes in their lives, health, or skills, older people desire to be able to remain in their homes and communities (Wolf et al., 2015). Aging in place is the term used to describe this. It is crucial to make elderly people like a part of the community in such situations. In order to facilitate aging in place, proper chronic disease treatment is necessary, given the high prevalence of chronic diseases among the senior population (Gonella et al., 2019). This is crucial because it helps older people stay secure in their homes by preventing health crises and delaying long-term problems.

In these situations, it is crucial to develop care systems that can deal with these problems and enable elderly people to live in their familiar surroundings for as long as possible. This can help to assess the capacity of the health system’s larger functions and processes to accommodate individuals’ varied requirements throughout their journey (Gonella et al., 2019). Moreover, it reflects its capacity to dynamically adapt as needs change is necessary for setting the goal of such adaptive health care (Bridges et al., 2019). Within these developments, it is possible to pinpoint systemic components that can hinder the clinician’s ability to respond.

For a system that wishes to be adaptable and personalized treatment to older people, especially those living with the complexity of chronic conditions and other health requirements, responsiveness is a highly essential health goal. Even if it might be difficult in practice to have access to older people’s specific experiences, it is vital to undertake impact analyses on responsiveness in the context of more general systemic changes (Gonella et al., 2019).

When discussing care for the elderly, using the concept of responsiveness as a conceptual framework highlights the diverse needs and expectations of service users, it allows to think about the constraints and potential for change in a healthcare system (Bridges et al., 2019). These areas can potentially shed light on the size of the transformational effort needed across the health system to consistently provide older patients with high-quality care while also identifying the precise institutional structures and procedures that can be changed to accomplish this crucial objective.

Responsiveness can be strong when service providers have the autonomy and resources to meet the needs and expectations of individuals while also being able to directly analyze those needs and expectations. In order to increase responsiveness in the setting of health care, organizational structures must be decentralized to some extent (Bridges et al., 2019). This will give best practices, and the management and organization of health care more discretion and independence. At the same time, it will benefit end-of-life care and its implications on society.

References

Bridges, J., Pope, C., & Braithwaite, J. (2019). Making health care responsive to the needs of older people. Age and Ageing, 48(6), 785-788. Web.

Gonella, S., Basso, I., De Marinis, M. G., Campagna, S., & Di Giulio, P. (2019). Good end-of-life care in the nursing home according to the family carers’ perspective: A systematic review of qualitative findings. Palliative medicine, 33(6), 589-606. Web.

Wolf, S. M., Berlinger, N. & Jennings, B. (2015). Forty years of work on end-of-life care—from patients’ rights to systematic reform. New England Journal of Medicine, 372(7), 678-682. Web.

Introduction

The proportion of older people is multiplying globally, leading to concerns about their long-term care, support, and relationship with the young generation and the government. Countries vary in their degree of the aging population and their policies to facilitate the well-being of elder individuals. These policies vary based on a country’s societal culture and economic status. Successful upkeep of the aging facilitates sustainable development of poverty levels, reduced equalities, and promotes social justice across the globe. The young and aging should benefit equally from government and society-related services such as healthcare and well-being. The US focuses on young individuals in the provision of opportunities than seniors. However, Japan has a different perspective for both the young and the elderly. These include their health programs, mortality rate, living environment, work and leisure, policies, and government support. These issues present a need to understand how they are closely related and differ in the US and Japan. Understanding these features among the aging in US and Japan promotes the creation of a supportive environment hence attaining demographic transition.

Discussion

The latest data places the US as having a higher population of about 332,403,650 compared to Japan at 125,403,687. The US population is known for its diverse individuals, both white and black. Their age distribution categorizes adults to have a high percentage of about 65 percent from age 25-64, young persons aged 0-14 were 18.24 percent, whereas those aged above 65 years were 17 percent. The high percentage of middle age is highly considered in the US compared to aging due to their effectiveness. Japan has a high percentage of the aging population, compared to the US at around 30 percent. Japan is hence categorized as the oldest country in terms of aging caused by a decrease in the birth rate. The American culture views aging as old-fashioned and chronically ill persons out of reach with progress. Thus, aging tends to be despised and looked down upon by the younger generation. The desire to generate initiatives to promote aging in American culture is disturbing.

The Japanese culture has a different way of addressing aging than the US. A closer look at the aging in Japan demonstrates that they are energetic as young people. The government supports healthcare facilities allowing them to remain vibrant (Hsu and Lo 2225). They are also highly respected and identified as senior members of society compared to the United States. For that reason, Japanese culture has a high appreciation of aging in terms of culture than the US. Generally, the idea of the elderly being wiser than the younger has a less significant consideration in the American cultural environment than in Japan. Therefore, both states must examine their view of aging in their culture and learn perspectives that could uplift the elderly.

Healthcare is essential in maintaining the wellness of individuals in a state. The United States and Japan have availed quality care to its population. Both states have acquired modernized health equipment to diagnose complications such as cancer. Further, they share similar risk management programs to elude the crisis witnessed during the Covid-19 pandemic. The US and Japan value expertise in the Medicare program and qualified personnel to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of delivering care (Donato et al. 830). Still, these countries have dissimilar aspects of the healthcare system. The aging in Japan tends to massively benefit from healthcare programs to remain productive compared to the US, where young people receive more care. Further, the physical health of aging in Japan is highly regarded, whereas, in the US, the aging is most are separated and left indoors. The aging in Japan benefits from a self-care program incorporated into Medicare, reflecting their willingness to improve elderly social support where the US does not recognize such an initiative.

The US and Japan have attempted to reduce the mortality rate among aging. Various health facilities in both states have lifesaver machines mainly used on aging people. They both have educative programs for the aging to teach them about their lifestyle. Nevertheless, the mortality rate of aging is higher in the US than in Japan. Aging participates in economic development in Japan hence low chances of illness. Moreover, healthcare cost is more expensive in the US compared to Japan, thus affecting the aging who cannot afford it. The Japan health care insurance ensures that the aging can access medical services at any time and have full government support (Mariotto et al. 1310). So, hospitals do not despise aging irrespective of insurance coverage and do not anticipate profits. However, most private hospitals in the US are profit-oriented; hence, the aging needs help accessing high-quality care.

The living environment is significant to aging and is associated with a high expectancy rate. Japan and US share a common vision of ensuring that aging has a friendly environment. They have introduced a housing project for safety purposes. Additionally, a location that has numerous elderly have high-security personnel. Both states have assisted living programs where aging and primarily those living with disabilities receive extensive care. In spite of that, Japan is a victim of calamities such as quakes that may negatively affect aging compared to the US. Further, the US has a relatively less friendly environment than Japan due to the existence of slums in various states hence subjecting aging to health complications.

Good health condition is associated with frequent work and leisure time. The US and Japan encourage the aging to spend most of their time in leisure. On most occasions, walking has been a suitable activity for aging in the US and Japan. These states have integrated activities such as social work to promote leisure among the aging. Additionally, they have developmental activities and the introduction of gym activities in which the aging can participate. However, the working attitude of Japan tends to be different compared to America. In Japan, aging is much more adjusted to any work than in the US, where they are less associated with work.

Technological development has led to aging in America, participating less in work. On the other hand, Japan is considered to have an old working style since the aging believes in working to their full capacity. The United States and Japan have similar government policies and programs to support aging. Government support has been widely spread to ensure a decline in the dependency ratio. Engaging in cultural activities has been integrated by both states, where it promotes the lifestyle of aging. However, the large population in the US has been a challenging factor in attaining the sustainability of aging. Japan is considered to be well-organized in its commitment to serving the aging compared to America.

Conclusion

Creating a supportive environment for aging is a significant factor in attaining social justice and sustainability. Health is essential to the aging well-being and reduction of the mortality rate in Japan and the United States. Additionally, a friendly environment with basic needs such as shelter, water, and security services serves as an appreciation towards aging. Further, the aging should participate in leisure and working activities that improve their health. The government should be on the frontline to ensure the aging receive extensive care and are subject to incentives such as a pension. Therefore, the United States and Japan should collaborate and identify programs useful to aging and ensure their status is highly respected.

Works Cited

Donato, Anthony J., Daniel R. Machin, and Lisa A. Lesniewski. “Mechanisms of dysfunction in the aging vasculature and role in age-related disease.” Circulation Research, vol. 123 no. 7, 2018 pp. 825-848. Web.

Hsu, Yuan-Ho, and Huei-Chun Lo. “The Impacts of Population Aging on Saving, Capital Formation, and Economic Growth.” American Journal of Industrial and Business Management, vol. 9 no. 12, 2019 pp. 2231-2249. Web.

Mariotto, Angela B., et al. “Medical Care Costs Associated with Cancer Survivorship in the United StatesCancer Medical Care Costs in the United States.” Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention vol. 29 no. 7 2020 pp. 1304-1312. Web.

Vitals, signs that can tell a lot about a patient’s health are key variables examined before any nursing interventions. They consist of blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, and breathing rate (Baker et al., 2020). Depending on state nurse practice laws, agency policies, and suitable training, vital sign acquisition for stable patients may be delegated to unlicensed support workers. However, it is always the nurse’s duty to assess vital signs and set up the proper follow-up in the event that irregularities are discovered.

Vital signs may alter as person ages based on a number of variables. Changes in one or more vital signs might result from certain medical issues. Vitals screening assists the healthcare professional in keeping track of the patient’s health and any aging-related medical problems. A significant illness that requires treatment or more medical attention may be present in a person whose vital signs are not within the usual range (Cross et al., 2019). These vital signs, however, may behave differently in older people due to drugs or age-related variables.

Even as people become older, their normal body temperature does not change. However, in some cases, their bodies have a more challenging time responding to changes in temperature. For instance, an elderly person may not sweat as much on a hot day, putting them at risk for heat stroke. Particularly in reaction to drugs they take, or if they engage in strenuous exercise, elderly people’s hearts may beat extremely quickly or slowly (Cross et al., 2019). It could also take some time for the heart at this age to slow down or speed up and return to its regular rhythm. Hypertension can also be a prevalent issue for older persons. In this situation, having a digital blood pressure monitor on hand at home all the time would be great. Blood pressure can readily vary in elderly adults with cardiac issues.

It is important to check vitals as the aging process progresses. These signs are key for determining critical conditions and health problems. Nowadays, with different technologies available, patients can get access to their vitals even easier. The patient can keep in touch with the vitals throughout the day using telemedicine, smartphone, or other technological advances. This will ensure healthy aging and reduce the chances of sudden issues.

References

Baker, S., Xiang, W., & Atkinson, I. (2020). Continuous and automatic mortality risk prediction using vital signs in the intensive care unit: a hybrid neural network approach. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 1-12.

Cross, R., Considine, J., & Currey, J. (2019). Nursing handover of vital signs at the transition of care from the emergency department to the inpatient ward: An integrative review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 28(5), 1010-1021.

Introduction

Biologically, aging entails the process of growing old, which involves biological changes in the body systems, organs, and body parts of an organism. Aging has both positive and negative aspects simply because it covers numerous aspects of one’s life including physical, psychological, and social changes, which vary and differ greatly from the activities of the young age. In human beings, physical changes in aging may include a reduction in body growth and muscle wasting while psychological changes imply mental changes, response and reaction time changes coupled with emotional changes. Some attributes of aging lead to reduced responses to stimulus while other dimensions of aging cause an increase in knowledge of events and circumstances due to wisdom gained over time.

Aging and nervous system

Aging affects many body systems including the nervous system whereby, as aging sets in, there is a correspondent decrease in the rate of protein production in the body. The reduced protein synthesis affects among others, the production, and secretion of the neurotransmitters, which on the other hand slow down or reduce the reaction time following a stimulus (Kahn, & Rowe 1987, p.144). This reduces the functions of the target cells and organs hence ineffective delayed responses occur in many aging people. According to Bowling, “In aging, there is an increase in synaptic delay and a 5-10% decrease in the speed of nerve conduction, causing reflexes to slow” (2005, p.23). This synaptic delay results from the reduced production and secretion of the neurotransmitters and the less functioning synaptic knob, which retarded physiological reactions in the body. The body adapts to the low secretion of the neurotransmitters by slowing the response time to allow enough time for enough neurotransmitter production to carry out an effective response or reflex.

Aging in addition affects the brain as the central nervous system and causes mental impairments such as memory loss and alertness. According to Bowling, “there is weight of the brain decline with age due to brain shrinkage caused by loss of brain cortical neuron” (2005, p. 24). The loss of brain weight results from the decrease in the number of nerve cells due to aging and the nerve cells have less dendrite at their ends. These aspects affect the normal functions of the brain as a center for nervous coordination and therefore lead to malfunctioning of the nervous system in elderly people.

Increased activity of the nervous cells over a long period as aging continues, results in some of the nerve cells losing their myelin sheath or coating and therefore, the speed of nerve impulse transmission in a nerve cell reduces significantly making the elderly less responsive to stimulus especially with sight, sound and taste (Willis 1996, p. 112). Wearing out of the myelin coat of the nerve cell exposes the nerve axon and diminishes the ability of the nerve cell to transmit impulses leading to conditions such as impaired sound perception by the eardrum, reduced light sensation by the cornea, and low taste sensation by the taste buds in the tongue.

Effects of aging on the nervous system lead to a reduction in the velocity of signal transmission due to varied effects on the nerve cells or on the neurotransmitter secretion. With reduced production of the neurotransmitter, synaptic function slows down consequently slowing the rate of signal transmission through the nerve and therefore delayed response to a stimulus. Furthermore, deformation of some nerve cells because of aging such as loss of myelin sheath and decreased receptors on the surfaces of nerve cells and organs such as cornea, eardrum, and taste bud can lead to visual impairment, deafness or complete lack of taste sensation in elderly people

Hormone production and aging

Hormonal secretions in the body can decrease, increase, or remain unchanged during the course of aging but this trend differs from person to person depending on sex. Numerous body systems depend on hormonal secretions for their functioning and therefore, hormones form a major component of control of body systems (Minaker 2007, p. 221). Aging results in changes in manner and mechanism of the body systems control with some target organs becoming less sensitive to their hormones or low production of enough hormones to cause the control. Reduction in metabolic rate with aging leads to reduction in the secretion of thyroid hormones resulting in a reduction in body mass of many aging people (Manker 2007, p. 224). With the low production of thyroid hormone, metabolic rate decreases gradually from the age of 30 years onwards.

The parathyroid gland reduces the secretion of the parathyroid hormones with advance in age causing weakness of bones as calcium accumulation gradually declines. This phenomenon can cause osteoporosis in the elderly hence leading to impaired mobility or pain (Knopman 2007, p.442) implying that elderly people require calcium and phosphorus supplements to avoid osteoporosis. In addition, aldosterone and cortisol secretion by the adrenal gland reduces with age whereby the reduction of these hormones leads to a reduction in blood pressure. Electrolytes balance in the kidneys, controlled by the aldosterone hormone ensures the stability of blood pressure and therefore age poses the risk of low blood pressure.

Sexual hormones variation changes with age depending on the sex of the person with a slight decrease in the secretion of testosterone in males while on the other hand, females experience reduced levels of estradiol and estrogens especially after menopause (Knopman 2007, p.444). In women, prolactin hormones diminish drastically while in males there is a slight reduction of the testosterone hormone and therefore, the reproductive hormones of males remain slightly unchanged even in old age. This implies that, after menopause females remain sexually inactive while on the contrary, males remain sexually active.

Aging and drug pharmacokinetics

Aging not only involves hormonal and nervous system effects, but also entails pharmacological and surgical intervention effects. These effects propagate the initiation of responses to therapeutic interventions applied to the aged in cases of illness. According to Dugdale, “…aging has a dramatic effect on the response to pharmacological, surgical and rehabilitative interventions with altered response to drugs” (2009, p.452). Alteration in response to drugs may lead to low efficacy of drugs prescribed to the aged and this can lead to an increase in mortality rates for the elderly out of adverse drug reactions. As old age becomes a risk factor to disease due to the decreasing immunity, medication becomes inevitable to the old and therefore, this can increase exponentially the mortality rate of the aged from drug-related reactions.

Although adverse drug reactions pose a threat to the lives of the elderly, little is done on clinical trials of pharmacological effects of the drugs on the elderly. According to McLean, & Le-Couteur, “It is estimated that adverse drug reactions are the fourth to the sixth greatest cause of death and about 5% of the hospital admissions are related to the management of people suffering from drug reaction related toxicity” (2000, p.664). These estimates represent a significant number of death risks accruing from the unreported prevalence of occurrence of adverse drug reactions in elderly people. In most cases, adverse drug reactions in the elderly are associated with altered drug pharmacokinetics and the usage of more than two drugs at a time (Polypharmacy), which causes drug-drug reactions; therefore, this association of drug reaction to polypharmacy and altered pharmacokinetics reduces the quest for clinical trials on the effect of aging on the adverse drug reactions.

None severity of adverse drug reactions in the elderly makes them less likely to notice and report and therefore, little or no documentation about adverse drug reactions in the aged. This allows the use of clinical trials data obtained from the younger generation because there is little about the elderly although they continue suffering from adverse drug reactions. In addition, adverse drug reactions in the elderly occur with specific types or classes of drugs and are not dependent on polypharmacy nor on altered pharmacokinetics (Dugdale 2009, p.454). This trend, therefore, calls for replacement of these drugs evoking reaction in elderly instead of undertaking clinical trials to collect enough data and information on the effects of age on drug reactions and therefore as a result, elderly representation in clinical trials remains minimal.

Conclusion

Age affects most of the body systems ranging from the nervous system, hormonal systems, and pharmacological activity and reactions of the body among other effects. Each aspect of the biological system affected by aging results in varied outcomes with some leading to physical impairment; for instance, loss of vision while others lead to drug-reaction-related disorders. There are pharmacological changes about aging even though there is minimal information and data from clinical trials calls for dosage manipulation especially in elderly medication.

Reference list

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Dugdale, D., 2009. General medicine. Washington: Washington university press.

Kahn, R., & Rowe, W., 1987. Human ageing. Usual aging science journal, 237(48), pp.144-145.

Knopman, S., 2007. Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Philadelphia: Saunders

McLean, A., & Le-Couteur, M., 2000. Aging biology and Geriatric clinical pharmacology, Australia: University of Sydney press.

Minaker, K., 2007. Common clinical sequel of aging. Baltimore: University of Maryland Press.

Willis, S., 1996. Adult development and aging. New York: HarperCollins College Publishers.

Introduction

Aging is a long-term process that starts when an individual attains adulthood. In America, a good number of the population comprises older adults vulnerable in society. The immune system of older adults weakens as they grow, leading to the acquirement of several conditions. In communities, many aging people need care and support to achieve their goals in life. However, most people develop a negative attitude towards them, lowering their self-esteem. The government plays a significant role in ensuring that their needs are satisfied by offering the necessary support in a different. The setting of policies and rules that govern the aging population and implementation approaches are government roles. This paper discusses the policies and deficits affecting aging in the United States and the role of government in ensuring that they are protected. Additionally, an examination of the recommendations that one can make to respond to the challenges they experience is done.

The Current Deficits Affecting the Aging Population

To date, several deficits directly affect the aging population. First of all, one should note such a problem as the lack of stability, consistency, and security within the framework of workplaces, responsibilities, and competencies. Most often, aging experiences many challenges due to the dynamic nature of events, occurrences, and changes. Job competition in society is high, and the employment rate reduces drastically. Most aging people experience financial challenges, especially those who cannot assess the pension scheme (Kapucu & Hu, 2022). Many older individuals are competent and eager to labor beyond the average retirement years, but not every citizen has such opportunities. In addition, operating day-to-day money and preparing for future life may be challenging for older generations since much is now done online or remotely. Some initiatives by the government give them some money monthly to enable them to afford basic needs.

Secondly, separately, it is also worth highlighting the lack of social components and support measures that could help the aging in difficult times. As individuals age, their mobility and skillfulness gradually decline, causing everyday duties to be more demanding. Older people’s energy and strength decrease as they actively participate in their favorite activities and travel to fascinating places. One should assign daily responsibilities to caregivers or close family members. The aging reaches a stage where they need to be treated as children to survive. Locomotion is limited due to complications that may affect the limbs. Fitness keeping and flexibility require regular exercising, which is not present in the old. Their bones have become weak and therefore need to support themselves while walking.

Thirdly, it is also necessary to mention the lack of communicative aspects and interpersonal communication. Nevertheless, this is one of the most serious problems that strike the economy, medicine, and social components of the country (Cotterell, 2018). Most older adults experience the challenge of loneliness as they have less time and energy to visit friends and relatives. In most cases, they have lost their loved ones, or they have started their own families due to maturity. Interaction promotes skill acquisition and promotes interaction boosts Self-esteem. Furthermore, the points listed above are not exhaustive but only shed light on the main problems that every older person can face.

Attributing the Deficits

The deficits can be correlated with neglect and disregard for the rights of older people. Certainly, limitations in opportunities and gaps in the organization of social protection create special risks within the institutionalization framework. Despite the government’s several attempts to amend legislative projects, their funding and requirement seem insufficient to meet the needs of older people. Many aging residents of the United States are still forced to “stay on the sidelines,” while they should be guaranteed equal possibilities and prospects.

Type of Issue

These aspects are an issue of the quality and characteristics of the implementation. There are still flaws in the social services system for aging, which are corrected only for a “checkmark.” Despite all the reforms, the system of providing social services often does not fully meet the needs of older people in such a way that they can fully live, work and relax. The allocated funding, time, and effort are often not enough to cover the absolute need for essential and significant services for the “honorary citizens” of the country. The system of biases and prejudices still operates in working enterprises. Children turn away from their descendants, and social workers are so overloaded that they cannot provide the full range of services. Accordingly, the quality of the fulfillment of the Government’s “promises” leaves much to be desired; a more comprehensive approach to the problem is needed, which could take into account indirect factors.

The Root of the Issue

There are quite deep roots of the actual, topical issue. Firstly, these may be reasons related to cultural, and institutional aspects, as well as banal human stereotypes about helplessness and infirmity of aging in general (Mohammadpour et al., 2018). Secondly, another factor affecting the problem is the lack of effective mechanisms to minimize, prevent or combat the poor attitude toward aging in modern society.

Involving with This Problem

From a policy point of view, the issues of care, support, and protection of the rights of aging are usually dealt with by the US Congress. This “core” of the government system considers, evaluates, and decides on the implementation of specific laws. Due to Congress, “measures” called Reauthorization of the OAA, The Patient Protection, Affordable Care Act, and more were taken. These documents, for instance, give more choices in healthcare and enhances protection for disabled Americans. They issue new options for continuous support and services and improve opportunities for community-based and Medicaid home services (Kanter, 2019). In brief, these acts pass disability status as a social-economic category.

Discrimination in Policies

Indeed, the government of the US and individual states strive to implement laws and policies that equally protect the rights and freedoms of citizens. Nevertheless, some older adults are occasionally forced to face injustice, inequality, and harsh treatment of their person due to specific state regulations, norms, and standards. For example, in America, federal and regional laws concerning eliminating age discrimination are quite widespread. Nonetheless, the research results demonstrate some “pitfalls” and “loopholes” that some employers actively take note of (Button, 2020). In particular, these non-official rules apply more to older women, “exposing” also a hidden hint of sexism and gender disparities.

As a rule, employers classify old people as “second class,” not considering applications from the aging, and refusing to hire. In the modern world, there are also cases when the “oppressed category of citizens” are forcibly asked to leave the profession when they reach a certain age. Undoubtedly, an experienced lawyer will be able to defend an aged client in court based on these points. However, even if a person manages to keep their workplace, no one cancels the possibility that the authorities or colleagues will not look for vulnerabilities in an “unnecessary employee.” Therefore, as practice shows, the existing US policy in a formal sense demonstrates infallible adherence to “age laws,” excluding any discrimination against citizens. Nevertheless, speaking informally, these policies do not affect the standards of some companies or even the personal views of some managers on older people.

Recommendations

To put an end to various misunderstandings and unpleasant circumstances concerning the aging population, it is necessary to evaluate multiple factors to ensure an equal and peaceful society. The aging persons should have a representative in the government who would push for the allocation of more funds to support them. Moreover, families should play significant roles in protecting their loved ones, especially aging (Cotterell, 2018). This ensures that their grievances are aired and possible solutions are given. One should do public sensitization and awareness of the aged and its effects. In most cases, the mass is illiterate about aging and how to take care of aging in society. Older people should make savings while young for future uses. Such plans will cater to upcoming needs, specifically to those individuals who were not employees when they were youths.

Conclusion

In conclusion, aging is a significant concern that should be given attention to protect the less fortunate. This is because anybody can get old and need special care. Policies were created to protect them from facing societal challenges due to differences in age, gender, legal status, and race. Poverty is also a major contributing factor affecting the incapacitated. Accessibility to services is a significant issue, and the government plays a vital role in curbing the denial of equal opportunities. Recommendations such as public sensitization and setting laws to protect the disabled have been developed to deal with this problem. The country’s authorities should build special centers for the aged to allow caregivers who cannot take care of the old to find free places that are secure to shelter them.

References

Button, P. (2020). Population aging, age discrimination, and age discrimination protections at the 50th anniversary of the age discrimination in employment act. In S. J. Czaja, J. Sharit, & J. B. James (Eds.), Current and emerging trends in aging and work (pp. 163-188). Springer.

Cotterell, N., Buffel, T., & Phillipson, C. (2018). Preventing social isolation in older people. Maturitas, 113, pp. 80-84.

Kapucu, N., & Hu, Q. (2022). An old puzzle and unprecedented challenges: Coordination in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. Public Performance &Amp; Management Review, pp. 1-26.

Kanter, A. S. (2019). Let’s try again: Why the United States should ratify the United Nations Convention on the rights of people with disabilities. Touro L. Rev., 35, p. 301. Web.

Mohammadpour, A., Sadeghmoghadam, L., Shareinia, H., Jahani, S., & Amiri, F. (2018). Investigating the role of perception of aging and associated factors in death anxiety among the aging. Clinical interventions in aging, 13, p. 405.

Nowadays, several alternative aging theories partly contradict and complement each other. Modern biology pays much attention to the issue of aging, and every year unique facts emerge that allow a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of this process. One of the most exciting and rational theories is the free radical view. Almost simultaneously put forward by D. Harman (1956) and N.M. Emanuel (1958), the free radical theory explains the mechanism of aging and a wide range of related pathological processes (Pomatto & Davies, 2018). According to this theory, cell malfunction is caused by free radicals, which are necessary for numerous biochemical processes like reactive oxygen species synthesized mainly in mitochondria, the energy factories of cells. If a very aggressive, chemically active free radical accidentally leaves the place where it is needed, it can damage DNA, RNA, proteins, and lipids.

Nature has provided a mechanism to protect against excess free radicals: in addition to superoxide dismutase, many substances from food, including vitamins A, C, and E, have antioxidant properties. Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables and even a few cups of tea or coffee daily will provide one with enough polyphenols, which are good antioxidants (Pomatto & Davies, 2018). Unfortunately, excessive antioxidants such as in an overdose of supplements are not only not helpful but can even increase cell oxidative processes. Biological systems are imperfect, and this imperfection makes obvious sense: nature does not need immortal organisms for apparent reasons. Therefore, biosystems at all levels of the organization have limited reliability. All humans are victims of a genetically programmed deficiency in the reliability of molecular and cellular machines (Pomatto & Davies, 2018). Except for free radicals, there are other failures; however, free oxygen radicals are, after all, universal means of implementing one of the essential ideas of being.

Aging processes are inevitable, but scientists have been trying to understand them for decades. Nowadays, there are numerous theories about the mechanisms of age-related changes, and another such hypothesis is the theory of somatic mutations or mutation theory. Its meaning is that genes with harmful mutations that manifest themselves in old age do not meet significant resistance to natural selection, so changes in such genes accumulate and cause aging. According to the theory of mutation accumulation, genes useful in early human life are maintained by natural selection, in contrast to genes useful in old age (Al et al., 2020). Thus, it is the younger generation that makes the main contribution to the creation of new generations. On this basis, Peter Medawar concluded that older individuals are too few and cannot influence the population’s gene pool either in favor of or against aging (Al et al., 2020). Mutation accumulation theory advocates the absence of specific genes that cause programmed aging.

That is, the changes an organism undergoes after reproductive age have no meaning for evolution. At the same time, harmful mutations manifested in youth meet stiff resistance to natural selection because of the negative effect on reproductive fitness. Similar mutations appearing in old age are relatively neutral since their carriers have already passed their genes to their offspring. According to this theory, people with a deleterious mutation are less likely to reproduce if its negative effect occurs earlier (Al et al., 2020). For example, progeria patients live only about twelve years, so they cannot pass on their mutant genes to the next generation. In such conditions, progeria comes only from new mutations, not parental genes. In contrast, people who show the mutation at an older age can reproduce before the disease occurs, like inherited Alzheimer’s disease (Al et al., 2020). As a result, progeria is less common than diseases such as Alzheimer’s because the mutant genes responsible for the disease are not removed from the gene pool as quickly as progeria genes.

References

Al, O., Rimental, P., Basic, M., & Ien, S. (2020). Effects of DNA Methylation on Cancer and Aging. Journal of Experimental and Basic Medical Sciences, 1(3), 126-130. doi: 10.5606/jebms.2020.75627

Pomatto, L. C., & Davies, K. J. (2018). Adaptive homeostasis and the free radical theory of ageing. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 124, 420-430. doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2018.06.016

Introduction

The aging process is an inevitable part of human existence and all individuals who live to grow old, experience this process. The science dealing with the process of aging is termed ‘gerontology’ and this science tries to elucidate the factors and details of the process of aging. Gerontology is thus associated with the elderly and the physical and psychological changes which occur in their bodies, due to old age.

Main body

However, this process may not be uniform for all persons and there may be variations in the aging process of individuals, depending on the lifestyle and diet. The aging process is also highly impacted by hereditary factors and it is interesting to note that while some individuals may age faster, others may not show signs of aging at the same pace, nevertheless, the basic signs of aging are apparent among a majority of elderly persons.

Many of the elderly persons above the age of sixty-five years have the “activity of daily living limitation” disability, while a percentage of three percent is completely disabled. Many chronic diseases including hypertension, diabetes, arthritis and hearing problems, and heart problems are commonly prevalent in the elderly (Aging America, 1985-86).

As people age, they begin to give less attention to their health and well-being, which sometimes results in severe problems at the physical and psychological levels. Growing old and aging is a natural process of the human body and one which is inevitable. Thus, there are innumerable changes that take place in the body which lead to degradation of health. This science which deals with the aging process of getting old is termed gerontology.

As people grow older, there is deterioration in their health, and sometimes the wrong diets and activities can lead to further degradation in their health leading to several deficiency diseases. The most visible changes which occur among the elderly are the sagging of skin and loss of hair. Skin pigmentation could also result in a change of skin color.

With the increase in age, they sometimes tend to exercise less, which also reduces their rate of metabolism and could also result in weight gain. The gain in weight initiates many problems, with the reduced level of immunity in the weak bodies of the elderly.

The aging process brings about internal bodily changes that also occur in the bodies and the bones of the elderly become fragile, due to the loss and insufficiency of calcium in their bodies. This commences physical problems like degeneration of the bones and subsequent problems like fractures.

Certain other changes also occur in the bodies of the aging adults including a loss in eyesight and hearing abilities. Cataracts and glaucoma are some of the common eye problems faced by aging elderly persons. Loss of vision is also more common among the older populations.

Internal organs also undergo many changes in elder persons. Organs like the kidney and the bladder lose their propensity to function well and this causes many health problems among them.

The lack of an optimal diet and exercise also tends to cause an increase in the fat deposits in the blood vessels of the elderly which puts them at an additional risk of ‘coronary artery disease’ more commonly known as heart disease. The ability of the respiratory system also reduces which leads to breathing problems.

The U.S. Select Committee on Aging (1988) has confirmed that in the past two decades there has been a phenomenal rise in the older population in the United States of America, which is further estimated to grow by seven times as compared to its current size by the year 2050. This substantial rise in the elderly population is believed to create a rise in the demand for caregiving services to this relatively frail and dependant populace.

Conclusion

According to several researchers, the primary reasons for this change in trend is attributed to an increase in the overall percentage of women working outside their homes and their participation in the labor force, along with other factors such as (Montgomery & Borgatta, 1989; Wisendale & Allison, 1988). Although there are many formal caregiving services present for the elderly population, the family members continue to be the prime caregivers to nearly eighty percent of the older populace of the U.S. (Pilisuk & Parks, 1988). Thus we can conclude that aging is an inevitable aspect of human lives and a phase during which the elderly people need additional care and support due to their deteriorating health and Gerontology is the branch that deals with all the issues related to the aging process and old age.

References

Aging Americans: Trends and Projections (1986 ed.). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Blieszner, R., & Alley, J. M. (1990). Family caregiving for the elderly: An overview of resources. Family Relations, 39(1), 97-102.

Montgomery, R. J. V., & Borgatta, E. F. (1989). The effects of alternative support strategies on family caregiving. The Gerontologist, 29(4), 457-464.

Pilisuk, M., & Parks, S. H. (1988). Caregiving: Where families need help. Social Work, 33(5), 436-440.

U.S. Select Committee on Aging. (1988). Exploding the myths: Caregiving in America. (Comm. Pub. 100-665). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Wisendale, S. K., & Allison, M. D. (1988). An analysis of 1987 state family leave legislation: Implications for caregivers of the elderly. The Gerontologist, 28(6), 779-785.

Aging is one of the natural processes that come with health-related challenges. As people grow old, their bodies change with the accumulation of different types of molecular and cellular damage with time. This process leads to the slow by a slow decrease in mental and physical capabilities coupled with an increased risk of disease and finally death. Therefore, as individuals become old, their view about life changes including their goals, expectations, fears, and desires among other elements that constitute life.

This paper is a summary of interviews conducted with three interviewees. The first interviewee is Ronald, my godfather, and he is actively engaged in life. The second interviewee is someone that I know and love – my mother and the last interviewee is our long-time neighbor, Mrs. R, who has been bound to a wheelchair for the last year due to her old age. The questions asked in the interview revolved around the interviewees’ expectations versus the realities of aging, whether or not they are lonely, their desires for aging, personal life goals, what they want or not want or fear for aging and/or caregiving, and how society might be better designed for aging or older adults.

Interview I

Interviewee – Ronald (an actively engaged person)

Ronald was the first person that I interviewed. He has been my godfather for the last decade and we have grown very close to each other during that period. The last substantial engagement with Ronald was on the evening of Saturday, February 22, 2020, when I visited him at his house. We talked for hours and in the process, I would introduce my interview questions one by one and the answers would be interrupted by

long periods of narrations about his life experiences. Ronald is 78-years old and he is healthy leading a normal life. He does not have any expectations about aging and thus he takes life as it comes, which constitutes his reality of the aging process. He said he never thought too much about aging and all he wanted was to be in a position to do the things that he wanted to do. He noted that he does not feel lonely because with five children, 15 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren, he normally gets frequent visits almost every other week. His children and their families also call often, almost every other day, to check on him, and this scenario has kept loneliness away.

In addition, he has three dogs that he takes for a walk every day – they are his closet friends and companions at this stage of his life. His desire for aging is that he remains in a position whereby he can take care of himself without becoming a burden to other people. However, inasmuch as he does not want to get to the point of needing specialized care, which is his greatest fear, he is aware of the reality and possibility of that time coming at some point in his life. Consequently, he is mentally prepared to handle that situation when it comes, and hopefully, he will gather the strength to live graciously when that day arrives.

His personal life goals were not many – he simply wanted to have children and family and currently, he only seeks to take care of his dogs. Ronald noted that public health systems should be optimized by focusing on more assisted living instead of establishing more nursing homes for the aged. He said that more assisted and affordable living centers would revolutionize the public healthcare systems for the aged. He also did not think that the society is designed for aging or older adults. On this issue, he said that more support for elderly people is needed. They need more monetary support and the issue of the gender pay gap should be addressed.

I noted that Ronald was concerned that society is not optimally designed for aging or older adults. My thoughts are the same and I think that there is an urgent need to devise strategies through which elderly people can be integrated into society. Promoting life-long learning and education for this group of individuals will play a big role in ensuring that their experiences are harnessed and utilized, thus making them productive for the longest time possible. In other words, society could be designed in a way that promotes the labor market participation of older adults, which would ensure that they are well supported financially and the quality of their lives is good. I also feel that learning institutions should focus on teaching financial literacy and prepare people to plan for their old age.

Interview II

Interviewee – My Mother (someone I know and love)

My mother was the second interviewee and we had our last substantial engagement on Sunday February 25, 2020, in the evening during our supper. My mother was born in 1954 in Clarondon, Jamaica. She has been married twice in her life and I am her only child. Some of her personal life goals included to be financially independent, raise a happy family, and travel a lot around the world. Her current life goals are to purchase a house and open a health and wellness business.

My mother has always been a dreamer and thus it is not surprising that she dreams of starting a business even in her late sixties. About her expectations versus the realities of aging, she argued that she hopes not to age the same way other people age – she wants to remain the same. However, such expectations are unrealistic because the natural process of aging has to take place and her body will change as the cumulative effects of cellular and molecular damage manifest.

She is not excited about anything with aging. She said that she has not been looking forward to aging, but acknowledged that she has no choice, but to age. She noted that she had not accomplished everything she wanted or lived the life she envisioned. She wished she had traveled more and had more children. She admitted that at times, she feels lonely, but she occupies her time with various activities to keep her busy. She confessed one thing that she did not want as she aged, which is also her greatest fear about the process, is becoming helpless or feeling like a child again. About whether society is designed for aging or older adults, she noted that everything is fast-paced, especially in New York.

She argued that older adults feel left out because they were not given a chance to adjust to technology. She feels that society could be better designed for older adults by making such people productive for as long as possible. This goal would be achieved by creating job opportunities for such a group of individuals. In order to optimize care for aging populations, she feels that public health systems should ensure more handicap access to buildings. She also felt that the transport system should be designed with the elderly in mind and suggested an elderly rideshare system would go a long way in solving transport needs for older adults.

She noted, with concern, that too many elderly people are driving, which is dangerous because the majority of them have poor vision that comes with aging. I was surprised that my mother was concerned about the inaccessibility of many buildings by the physically handicapped elderly people. I am highly interested in this issue and I think physically handicapped people should be involved in decision making to ensure that the many locomotion challenges faced by New Yorkers with disabilities are addressed.

For instance, I understand that all local and express buses can be accessed with a wheelchair, the Access-A-Ride service is costly and in most cases, it fails passengers. This issue should be addressed urgently as part of organizing the society in a way that accommodates older adults, who are likely to be on wheelchairs due to their age. I also echo my mother’s sentiments that older adults should be empowered economically by creating job opportunities for them.

Interview III

Interviewee – Mrs. R (our wheelchair-bound neighbor)

The last interview was with our neighbor Mrs. R, whom I have known for the last 5 years. She is 70-years old and she has been in a wheelchair for the last year due to health complications related to her age. Our last substantial interaction was on Monday February 24, 2020, in the morning when I visited her house. She is married and she lives with her husband, who is also bound in a wheelchair. She has 6 children, 10 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.

One of her personal goals was to raise a happy big family and she is satisfied with her achievement so far. She also wanted to be financially independent by the time she retired, and while she was on course to achieve this goal, health complications took a large part of her savings and she had to close her business venture.

Currently, she seeks to live one day at a time with her main goal being to remain happy by focusing on the positive side of life without letting depression get hold of her. She said that she is never lonely because she spends time with her husband talking about everything from politics to family life. Her expectations about aging are different from the realities of her current life. She never imagined that she would be confined to a wheelchair and she always thought of spending her old age somewhere on the beaches enjoying all that life could offer.

She desires to age graciously without further health complications and possibly stop using her wheelchair and stand on her own. She does not want her health to deteriorate further and become a burden to the people around her. She fears that ultimately she might have to rely on other people for simple tasks, such as feeding. She noted that society was not designed to accommodate aging or older adults. Given that she has to use her wheelchair wherever she goes, she spoke passionately about the challenges that she encounters every day when she has to travel. She noted that the transport system and other public systems such as accessing buildings was a challenge for people in a wheelchair.

She wished that the transport system and the public systems would be designed with physically handicapped people in mind. She argued that one of the ways to ensure that such improvements are made is to have physically handicapped people sit at the table of decision making. She was also lamented that older adults are seen as a group of people with little or no value to add to society, hence a burden.

Therefore, she suggested that this view should change and create programs that would promote socio-economic and political participation for elderly people. This form of integration would enhance the quality of life that such individuals lead in their old age. I share Mrs. R’s opinion about the challenges faced by elderly people, specifically the physically handicapped, when accessing public spaces in New York.

I use the subways frequently and every time I witness the challenges that come with using our transport system for physically handicapped persons. My suggestion is that every public amenity should have adequate structures to support accessibility by the physically handicapped and older adults. I also support the idea of improved socio-economic and political participation of older adults because they have years of knowledge and experience, which could play an important role in making society a better place.

Conclusion

I conducted three interviews with my godfather Ronald, my mother, and Mrs. R. The three interviewees are older adults all aged over 65 years. They all noted that the society was not designed in a way that accommodates the elderly and thus public health services should be improved to address this problem. I also noted that they all did not like the idea of getting the point where they have to rely on other people to take care of their physical needs.