Animal and human skin age in biologically complex processes, which are highly influenced by various factors. The factors that affect the rate at which the skin ages are either intrinsic or exogenous (Poljšak & Dahmane, 2012). Apparently, the human skin is considered an indicator of attractiveness, and the wellbeing of an individual. As such, people adopt various methods and techniques to reduce the rate of skin aging. This essay discusses some of the methods that are applicable in the endeavors to delay the skin aging process.
First, nutrition plays a significant role in overall human development and aging. The skin aging process, therefore, can be delayed by appropriate dieting. Research has shown that some foods and fruits contain anti-oxidant characteristics, which help in keeping the skin young and delaying aging (Schagen, Zampeli, Makrantonaki, & Zouboulis, 2012). Anti-aging foods include carotenoids, vitamins, specific proteins, flavonoids, among others. In addition, it is imperative to have a balanced diet.
Further, the skin can maintain its vigor and youth if a person has a strong digestive system. Research has linked accelerated skin aging to gastrointestinal problems. It is, therefore, prudent to strengthen the digestive system by observing good eating habits. For instance, people should avoid eating huge sizes of food in single servings. Instead, small but regular servings should be considered. In addition, people should take food when they feel hungry and not immediately before sleeping. Further, proper defecation should be observed while treating constipation promptly (Leung, Riutta, Kotecha, & Kotecha, 2011).
Third, the skin aging process can be delayed by proper skincare. For instance, human skin should be massaged regularly with the appropriate oil. It is worth noting that people have specific oiling needs and, therefore, it is imperative to select the most appropriate ointments and oils. In addition, rubbing should be done in moderation and periodically (Shirbeigi, Iranzadasl, Mansouri, Hejazi, & Aliasl, 2015). Perfect examples of oils that delay skin aging include olive oil and sweet almond.
Fourth, enough sleep is essential in the skin developmental and aging processes. Sleep augments body energy and facilitates proper food digestion. In addition, sleep facilitates natural moisturizing processes that help in keeping the skin younger. Proper sleeping habits include sleeping after light meals, avoiding sleep after sunrise, adopting regular sleep patterns, and sleeping sufficiently. For instance, people who are beyond the age of 40 (where the skin ages rapidly) should sleep for at least six hours and the utmost 12 hours.
Fifth, hormonal replacement therapy is another technique of delaying the skin aging process. It is generally acknowledged that the levels of hormones decrease drastically with age. Consequently, the skin ages at higher rates with reduced hormonal levels. Nonetheless, studies have shown that hormonal replacement therapy can have favorable influences on skin aging processes. For instance, a study on the effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) revealed that the hormone had delayed skin aging, especially in women (Ganceviciene, Liakou, Theodoridis, Makrantonaki, & Zouboulis, 2012 ). Other hormones that can be used to delay the skin aging process include melatonin, testosterone, estrogen, and progestogen, among others.
Sixth, the use of herbal medicine such as the polysaccharide obtained from Laminaria japonica and other herbs can strengthen the human body and consequently delay the skin aging processes. Herbal medicines and ointments possess antioxidating characteristics that can delay collagen breakdown resulting in delayed skin aging in both humans and animals (Hu, et al., 2016).
Decisively, the skin is a crucial aesthetic and well-being indicator. However, the skin is susceptible to aging due to a number of complex biological factors. A number of techniques can be used to delay the skin aging processes, including observing appropriate nutrition, strengthening the digestive system, regular and appropriate skin oil massage, enough sleep, hormonal replacement therapy, and the use of herbal medicines.
References
Ganceviciene, R., Liakou, A. I., Theodoridis, A., Makrantonaki, E., & Zouboulis, C. C. (2012 ). Skin Anti-aging Strategies. Dermatoendocrinol, 4(3), 308–319. Web.
Leung, L., Riutta, T., Kotecha, J., & Kotecha, J. (2011). Chronic Constipation: An Evidence-Based Review. Journal of the American Board Family Medicine, 21(4), 436-451. Web.
Schagen, S. K., Zampeli, V. A., Makrantonaki, E., & Zouboulis, C. C. (2012). Discovering the Link between Nutrition and Skin Aging. Dermatoendocrinol, 4(3), 298–307. Web.
Shirbeigi, L., Iranzadasl, M., Mansouri, P., Hejazi, S., & Aliasl, J. (2015). Skin Aging Remedies in Traditional Persian Medicine. Skin Stem Cell, 1-6. Web.
Many suggestions have been made on how to delay the aging process in skin with a significant number being driven by empirical evidence. Hsu, Li, and Fuchs (2014) note that the intrinsic and extrinsic biological factors such as the changes in the stratum corneum structure and corneum along with the occurrence of lipids justify the use chemical peels as one of the methods to delay the aging process in the skin..
According to Weinert and Timiras (2003), the effects of the chemical ablations on different layers of the skin vary according to the type of chemical peel used. However, the type of peel used on the skin depends on the skin type, ethnic background, color, quality, and age of the recipient. Here, Pillai, Sundaresan, and Gupta (2014) argue that chemical peels trigger a repair mechanism that makes the skin to regenerate and become tight and even (or to develop a characteristically uniform pattern with different strains) in response to the inflammation on both the dermis and epidermis.
Indications of medium to deep peels provide solutions for the treatment of fine rhytids, actinic changes, superficial scars, rosacea, and pigmentary dyschromias. Here, superficial peels are made in the skin in response to the chemical effects of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) (10–30%) which exfoliates and confines the epidermal layer within the basal layer (Weinert & Timiras, 2003). However, peeling of the upper reticular dermis can be achieved in the medium layer by using 30 to 50% TCA. Deep peels occur in response to a number of factors such as the pH concentration of the solution in use.
The presence of uniformly distributed melanocytes, basal cells that have small melanin grains, and the sub epidermal band of the collagen provide reliable evidence of the cases of skins that have returned to normal with the epidermal architecture. Here, the epidermolysis and exfoliation results are achieved by targeting the corneosomes with superficial peels that increase desquamation and the epidermal activity of enzymes in the skin.
However, the coagulation of membrane proteins results in medium peels which destroy the dermis and other living cells of the epidermis. According to Vilchez, Simic, and Dillin (2014), deep facial peels can be used to restructure the basal layer of the dermal architecture to complete the epidermolysis in the skin. Increasing the elastic fibers, Col-1 with or without Col-3 and rearranging collagen fibres have been suggested to be among the best chemical processes to use to delay the aging in the skin.
Studies by Rani and Schwacha (2014) recommend different skin care methods such as the prevention allergies, penetration of various microorganisms into the skin, protection against dehydration, radiation, and the use of reactive oxygen species to delay aging in the skin. Nile and Park (2014) recommend a strategy of degrading the skin by inhibiting the destruction of the primary ingredients in the skin such as elastin and collagen to prevent wrinkles from forming in the skin. Skin care can be achieved by use of systemic antioxidants, retinoids, and sunscreens.
In conclusion, chemical peels can be used on different layers of the skin to delay the aging process in skin depending on the desired results and the type of peel that is used despite some negative side effects. However, it is possible to care for the skin using naturally recommended.
References
Hsu, Y. C., Li, L., & Fuchs, E. (2014). Emerging interactions between skin stem cells and their niches. Nature medicine, 20(8), 847-856.
Nile, S. H., & Park, S. W. (2014). Edible berries: Bioactive components and their effect on human health. Nutrition, 30(2), 134-144.
Pillai, V. B., Sundaresan, N. R., & Gupta, M. P. (2014). Regulation of Akt Signaling by Sirtuins Its Implication in Cardiac Hypertrophy and Aging. Circulation research, 114(2), 368-378.
Rani, M., & Schwacha, M. G. (2014). Aging and the pathogenic response to burn. Aging and disease, 3(2), 171-180.
Vilchez, D., Simic, M. S., & Dillin, A. (2014). Proteostasis and aging of stem cells. Trends in cell biology, 24(3), 161-170.
Weinert, B. T., & Timiras, P. S. (2003). Invited review: Theories of aging. Journal of applied physiology, 95(4), 1706-1716.
Aging can be described as a continuous and unavoidable process in which the cells of the body grow and develop as they attain maturity. It is influenced by factors such as one’s genes, the type of environment they are exposed to and also their lifestyle. One has a choice to decide whether they want to age healthy or unhealthy. Aging healthy means that one gets old with the mind, body and spirit being in perfect condition. Unhealthy aging means one grows old with all these three aspects of health not having a perfect balance. This paper discusses healthy and unhealthy aging, its applicable career and retirement issues and the benefits of healthy aging.
Poor nutrition, drug abuse, alcoholism, stress and lack of exercise are the major causes of unhealthy aging. This causes the body to be malnourished, tired and has low activity. It has an effect on the lifespan of a person and general health which in turn determines their career and work. It also has an effect on their retirement age Bjorklund (2010).
Your health is your wealth. It is wise to choose a healthy lifestyle to enjoy the goodness that life has to offer. A healthy lifestyle results to healthy aging because you are what you eat. The price for healthy aging is; having a good diet that is balanced, going slow on drugs and alcohol, exercise and a sane mental state. A healthy lifestyle promotes good health and long life. One is able to concentrate on their career and be able to plan for retirement.
According to Bjorklund (2010), people choose their careers depending on their gender, family influence and genetics. Older people are more satisfied with their careers as opposed to the youth. Women start planning for their retirement earlier than men and it is affected by their age. I agree with her opinion because this is what happens in the society most cases. For example, a youth of middle age will keep shifting his career until he settles for what his heart pleases. By the time he is content, he is grown and finds satisfaction in the career that he is doing and sticks to it. He then thinks of retirement much later in his life.
As one ages, there is need to plan for the future since there are very many changes that take place. “Growing Old in a New Age” suggest that one should be prepared for changes such as in love and the sources one derives love from, to embrace their sexuality and create time for intimacy in the way one loves best. One should be able to cope up with loses such as of a job or of someone who is dear, change in relationships and social life in general. It also educates one on how to maintain family ties and keep a close relationship with relatives since they are important in a person’s life (“Annenberg foundation”, 2011).
To conclude, it is important to know about aging and to be prepared for it mentally, physically, spiritually and also emotionally. Healthy aging is advisable since one is ready for it in all aspects. It makes one to be ready for the challenges ahead and be brave enough to face them. An aging population that is unhealthy is not very productive at all.
References
Annenberg Foundation. (2011). Growing Old in a New Age: Teacher’s Resources. Web.
Bjorklund B. R. (2010). Journey of Adulthood Seventh Edition: Work and Retirement (chapter 7), Prentice Hall, Amazon.
Traditionally, old age is associated with both physical and mental frailty. However, a number of studies exist that disprove the notion that specific abilities deteriorate in the elderly. This paper is concerned with disproving the myth that mental and physical deterioration inevitably accompany old age.
Analysis
The elderly are perceived as inactive, infirm, dissatisfied with life, and needing nothing more than peace and rest. The traditional biological model of aging emphasizes a decline and deterioration in function (Victor, 2013). The role of age is dominant in the measurement of intellectual ability, which is proven by IQ tests (Botwinick, 2013). However, a number of studies disprove that these notions exist.
A population-based, mixed-methods study evaluated whether physical, cognitive, and mental functions in individuals decreased with age. The goal of the study was to comprehensively assess these central areas of functioning by investigating “which health and psychosocial characteristics were most important for explaining individual differences in mental health indicators (i.e., depression and life satisfaction)” (Jopp, Park, Lehrfeld, & Paggi, 2016, p. 2). The participants were interviewed as per their daily lives and health status, and the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Global Deterioration Scale were employed to measure their cognitive functioning. An assessment of their mental health was made using the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Statistical analyses were then used to interpret the results.
The results indicated that the majority of the participants dealt with multimorbidity; however, 67% subjectively perceived themselves as being in good health and experiencing moderate difficulties with their daily tasks. The findings demonstrated high cognitive function, with 93% having no or little cognitive limitations. More than 80 % of the participants of the study did now show any symptoms of depression; life satisfaction was found to be moderate. Overall, the findings indicated that the elderly subjects were in rather good psychological health and were capable to meet challenges typically associated with their age (Jopp et al., 2016).
A community-based study of Thomas et al. (2017) was concerned with the hypothesis of whether mental health improves with age. The researchers examined both linear and non-linear trends of health (including physical, mental, and cognitive conditions) throughout life (Thomas et al., 2017). Cross-sectional data were obtained via phone interviews using a random digit dialing method. Self-report measures of physical health, cognition, and the positive and negative attributes of mental health were collected and analyzed via power polynomial regression models. The findings revealed that the old age is typically connected with better mental health despite the fact that the other two conditions deteriorate with aging (Thomas et al., 2017).
A study by Carvalho, Rea, Parimon, and Cusack (2014) is a meta-review on the correlation between physical activity and cognitive function in persons over 60 years of age, employed methods of a randomized controlled trial, prospective cohort, case-control, and longitudinal studies. The researchers hypothesized that physical activity improves cognition. Those with systemic disorders and comorbidities that made exercising impossible were excluded from participation.
The study discovered evidence that aerobic exercise is more effective in slowing degenerative neurological processes via cerebral blood flow improvement. Moderate physical activity was demonstrated to enhance existing cognitive function and aid in the maintenance of optimal cognitive function, as well as prevent or delay the progression of cognitive diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, or other neurocognitive disorders (Carvalho et al., 2014). However, the researchers indicated that the majority of the evidence was not on the highest quality, which increases the risk of bias and necessitates further studies. To conclude, as per Carvalho et al. (2014), moderate-level physical activity of elderly people help them improve to maintain and even improve their cognitive abilities while preventing or delaying the debilitating disease.
To further address the notion, a 2014 longitudinal research design study by Robitaille et al. (2014) on the subject of social contact intensity, cognitive activity, and depressive symptoms acting as mediators for the relationships between physical activity and cognitive functioning in the elderly employed multilevel structural equation modeling via statistical analyses. The researchers tested the hypothesis that “social contact intensity, engagement in cognitive activities, and depressive symptoms will mediate the within- and between-person relationships between physical activity and cognitive functioning” (Robitaille et al., 2014, p. 335). The findings demonstrated a direct correlation between extended social contact intensity and greater engagement in cognitive activities, which in turn resulted in better cognitive performance. Physical activity was found to be beneficial for the prevention of the cognitive decline in older adults, as it was capable of providing them with an opportunity to build relationships and involve in various cognitive activities preventing the decline (Robitaille et al., 2014).
Conclusion
The findings of these studies suggest that mental deterioration is not inevitable, as the participants were found to preserve high cognitive function and mental health. Additionally, the elderly were found to prevent cognitive deterioration by moderate physical exercise, indicating sufficient physical health, and socializing. The research, however, excluded those suffering from severe conditions; thus, the findings that disprove the myth may be biased. As society perceives the elderly as unable to live a full life and unwilling to be physically and socially active due to their frailty, their needs and abilities are negated, and they are excluded from contribution. However, as the studies indicate, old age is not synonymous with impairments, infirmity, and depression. Mental and physical deterioration, thus, are not inevitable. Therefore, a need for more social, community-based programs exists to engage the elderly in living a full and active life.
References
Botwinick, J. (2013). Cognitive processes in maturity and old age. Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Springer.
Carvalho, A., Rea, I. M., Parimon, T., & Cusack, B. J. (2014). Physical activity and cognitive function in individuals over 60 years of age: A systematic review. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 9, 661–682. Web.
Jopp, D. S., Park, M. K. S., Lehrfeld, J., & Paggi, M. E. (2016). Physical, cognitive, social and mental health in near-centenarians and centenarians living in New York City: Findings from the Fordham Centenarian Study. BMC Geriatrics, 16(1), 1-10. Web.
Robitaille, A., Muniz, G., Lindwall, M., Piccinin, A. M., Hoffman, L., Johansson, B., & Hofer, S. M. (2014). Physical activity and cognitive functioning in the oldest old: Within-and between-person cognitive activity and psychosocial mediators. European Journal of Ageing, 11(4), 333-347. Web.
Thomas, M. L., Kaufmann, C. N., Palmer, B. W., Depp, C. A., Martin, A. S., Glorioso, D. K.,… Jeste, D. V. (2016). Paradoxical trend for improvement in mental health with aging: A community-based study of 1,546 adults aged 21–100 years. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 77(8), e1019-e1025. Web.
Victor, C. R. (2013). Old age in modern society: A textbook of social gerontology. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
The problem of cataract blindness is essential to discuss because the occurrence of the condition in aging adults increases at an extremely high rate. According to the findings of the World Health Organization, out of forty million blind people across the globe, 42% (approximately 16 million people) lost their vision due to cataracts (as cited in Andrews, 2017). It has been estimated that with the increase of the geriatric population worldwide, cataract is expected to affect approximately fifty-four million people aged sixty who have lost their vision (Andrews, 2017).
This presents additional challenges for people’s health as blindness leads to a higher occurrence. An important issue to mention is that the rate at which cases of cataracts grow supersedes the rate at which it is solved surgically, which presents high expenditures on healthcare systems.
In the United States alone, cataract surgeries are estimated to cost the country more than $3.4 billion annually (Andrews, 2017). However, less developed regions such as Africa cannot address the problem through significant governmental spending, and the increase of new cases of cataract-related blindness remains unsolved. There is an increased demand for healthcare systems around the globe to promote the message of resolving the issue as it directly influences the elderly’s quality of life. Decreased vision leads to higher risks of falls, which are among the leading causes of older people’s mortality and injuries. In this paper, the topic of cataracts will be discussed, with extra attention paid to aging as the key contributing factor to the condition.
Background
A cataract is characterized by a clouding of a usually clear eye lens: “opacity within the clear natural crystalline lens of the eye” that in time results in a significant deterioration of vision (Andrews, 2017, p. 1). Patients who have experienced the condition state that seeing through an eye with a cloudy lens is similar to looking through a fogged-up glass. Thus, clouded vision caused by a cataract usually makes it harder for people to perform everyday tasks such as reading, driving, and even seeing expressions on other people’s faces. It is important to mention that the majority of cataracts develop with time and do not present any challenges for vision at first; however, as time goes on and a person ages, there are serious changes in vision.
Symptoms
The symptomology of cataracts can progress due to the slow development of the condition. The most common signs and symptoms that may point to cataract include the following:
Blurred and clouded vision;
Difficulties with seeing clearly at dark times of the day;
Increased sensitivity to light flashes and glares;
Increased regularity of changing prescription in eyeglasses or lenses due to changing eyesight;
Inability to see true colors (i.e., colors are fading);
Seeing dots, circles, and blurred spots around lights;
Double vision with one eye;
Need for using brighter lighting for reading, writing, or doing other daily activities.
It is important to mention that cataract development usually occurs in patients with increased risk factors for having the condition. Such risk factors range from the quality of life to health conditions contributing to the overall decreased well-being. These risk factors include the following:
Diabetes, obesity;
Aging;
High blood pressure;
History of eye surgeries, inflammation of the eye, or injury;
Prolonged use of medications containing corticosteroids;
Smoking and excessive drinking;
Daily and prolonged stays in the sun.
Pathophysiology
In the process of aging, proteins that make up the eye lens undergo a post-translational change associated with the accumulation of fluorescent chromophores, oxidation susceptibility, increased light-scatter, as well as cross-linking (Michael & Bron, 2011).
Since the eye lens grows in the course of the entire life, its core is continuously influenced by a variety of external factors that increase the risks of oxidative damage. Thus, as a person ages, the transparency of the lens worsens and becomes less flexible, which contributes to the increased resistance to changing its shape when necessary to accommodate environmental factors (Michael & Bron, 2011). Therefore, cataracts are related directly to the process of aging, which points to the need to explore age-related changes that lead to the development of cataracts.
Nuclear, cortical, posterior subcapsular, and congenital cataracts have been differentiated as four types of the condition that patients develop. Nuclear cataracts affect the center of the eye lens and can lead to an initial improvement of reading vision through causing nearsightedness (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2018). However, as time goes on, the lens gets a yellow color or can even turn brown, thus severely decreasing a person’s ability to see.
Cortical cataracts affect the eye lens’s edges and initially create whitish streaks or spots on the external edge of the cortex. With time, the opacities extend to reach the lens’s center and thus make it harder for light to pass through it. Posterior subcapsular cataracts affect the eye lens’s back part, which means that they predominantly interfere with reading vision and tend to “progress faster than other types” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2018, para. 10). Congenital cataracts are characterized by conditions with which people are born due to a variety of reasons ranging from intrauterine traumas to genetics.
Aging and Cataract
In the discussion about the development of cataracts, the term aging will be applied in the sense of cellular changes that occur within a certain period of time and consequently lead to the impairment of an organ’s function. It is important to note that aging is Changes in physical behavior, and changes in the lens protein are the main causes of cataract development in older patients. Changes in physical behavior are associated with both biochemical and biophysical fluctuations.
Increased light scatters and decreased elasticity is the key physical changes in the eye that increase the likelihood of cataract development. Increases in light-scattering of the eye lens usually start after an individual reaches 40 years (Michael & Bron, 2011). Decreased elasticity of the eye lens is associated with the gradual rise of stiffness in the nucleus of the lens. In younger adults, the nucleus can be deformed quite easily due to the higher elasticity of the cortex.
At 40, both regions reach equal levels of elasticity, with the lens becoming stiffer as time progresses. When it comes to the changes in the lens’ proteins, post-translational changes in crystallins, conformational changes, the loss of chaperone function, and the loss of antioxidant capacity of the lens. These modifications are all associated with the increased susceptibility of proteins being subjected to oxidative damage, which subsequently leads to clouded vision and the development of a cataract (Pescosolido, Barbato, Giannotti, Komaiha, & Lenarduzzi, 2016).
To conclude, the aging of the eye lens is associated with the loss of transparency and flexibility. While the changes are impossible to reverse, cataract surgery has been the most effective method for overcoming the condition and giving aging patients their clear vision back.
Discussion
As found from the analysis of research on the topic of cataracts, the condition is the most prevalent among older individuals since changes in the eye lens’s transparency and flexibility occur throughout life and thus can severely deteriorate the eyesight. While aging is the main risk factor that increases the likelihood of cataract development, poor quality of life, especially when it comes to excessive tobacco and alcohol consumption, can contribute to disease occurrence.
However, today, there are no solid and effective strategies that can contribute to the prevention of cataract development. For example, Mathew, Evin, Tao, and Davis (2012) conducted an analysis of nine trials and found no correlations with the use of supplements (e.g., vitamin C, E, antioxidants, beta-carotene) and the decreased likelihood of cataract development. Only recently, researchers have found some positive qualities in the use of methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MSRA), which is an oxidative stress product that can protect cells against oxidative stress damage. Therefore, there is a potential for future research on the use of MSRA in combination with other therapies for presenting long-term protection against cataract development.
Cataract surgery remains the most widespread method of dealing with cataracts because of several benefits that are impossible to achieve without it. First, the surgery increases patients’ quality of life significantly. Such daily activities as driving in the evening become easier while the adverse mental effects of poor vision decreased, making patients happier and more fulfilled. Also, improved vision due to surgery decreases the risks of injuries due to falls, which is an especially concerning problem for geriatric patients who predominantly have complicated recoveries from fractures and other complications.
Falls are “among the leading causes of death in older patients,” which means that contributing to the decreased risks of accidents is essential (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014, para. 1). Thus, cataract surgeries cannot only improve one’s eyesight; they can directly influence prolonged life and reduce mortality risks compared to patients who did not undergo such a procedure. It is recommended for older adults to consult their ophthalmologists when the first signs of a cataract start appearing. Importantly, there should not be hesitations concerning eye surgery at later stages of the condition because the procedure is short as has the potential of restoring independence and improving the overall quality of life.
Conclusion
The adverse impact of cataracts on the quality of the older population’s life is getting greater with each year. While researchers are currently investigating the effectiveness of supplements or such substances as MSRA, there are still no solid methods of prevention that can help older patients prevent the occurrence of the condition. Surgery remains the most widespread method for eliminating cataracts because it does not take a lot of time and the recovery is usually mild.
Despite this, the challenge of overcoming the problem of cataract development remains unresolved, with higher and higher amounts of monetary support needed to address the rising demands of healthcare systems to address the issue. It is especially prevalent in less developed countries where there are not enough resources to cover the rising occurrence of cataracts in the older population.
References
Andrews, N. (2017). The pathophysiology of cataract and major interventions to retarding its progression: A mini review. Advances in Ophthalmology & Visual System, 6(3), 1-4.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Falls are leading cause of injury and death in older Americans. Web.
Michael, R., & Bron, A. J. (2011). The ageing lens and cataract: a model of normal and pathological ageing. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 366(1568), 1278-1292.
Pescosolido, N., Barbato, A., Giannotti, R., Komaiha, C., & Lenarduzzi, F. (2016). Age-related changes in the kinetics of human lenses: prevention of the cataract. International Journal of Ophthalmology, 9(10), 1506-1517.
Aging services involve caring for elderly people in society. This could also include aged people who are disabled too. In this facility, there are usually homes that take care of adult people. Housing is a very important factor to the elderly, and according to research, these groups of people always use almost thirty percent of their income in paying for housing facilities. The American Association for Homes and Services for Aging is an organization that cares for such elderly people. They even include baby boomers. These are people born between 1946 and 1963 in United States, Canada, or Australia. (Burney, 1999)
This occurred after World War II, when birth rates were above normal. Surveys carried out in the United States show that there is a need that is not being met, especially for baby boomers who are about to retire. Research shows that elderly people are living longer, and there is a dire need to take care of them.
It is very important to provide affordable housing for the aged people in society. The staff and development project strives to meet the core tenets of AAHSA. This includes commitment. This project there is ensuring that the staffs are committed to caring for elderly people. There are different types of homes that are provided to this group of people (Senge, 1999).
There are adult family homes where the project manager ensures that the staff working therein reports on a daily basis. In this project, time management is very important. There are also nursing homes that take care of disabled and aged people in society. Such people need care for twenty-four hours. In this project, the manager ensures that staffs are a good number such that they can take care of the disabled for twenty-four hours without strain. In this case, the staffs assume responsibility for the well-being of adults and safety too.
This project fulfills community involvement in various ways. One of them is where community members are allowed to volunteer their services in the boarding homes for the elderly. This is where assisted living for elderly people in such homes. This project has made it open for community members to volunteer their services to these homes. Such services include washing clothes for the elderly or general laundry work. Community members also help in preparing meals for elderly people since most of them are too old to do it by themselves. In the case of disabled, elderly people, they are fed and also washed by community members. There is the provision of nursing care through community members volunteering.
This also includes giving elderly people with mental health some specialized care. Through this, the project meets community involvement as one of AAHSA’s quality elements (Senge, 1999).
One of the elements of AAHSA includes research findings and education. This is quite essential in any aging service. This project ensures that this element is incorporated. There is a team that is responsible for research in this project. The team carries out research concerning any issue affecting the aged people in the society. This includes matters concerning housing for baby boomers and their general care. This also includes disabled people in society, especially the aged (Burney, 1999).
Human resource development is an area that is critical in any organization. It has got a big impact on the success of an organization. This normally involves human resource managers in an organization going through learning and training. In this project, this is carried out both formally and informally. It is carried out formally whereby the human resource managers go for professional studies on how to run projects. In this, they are taught various courses relevant to management. This includes leadership and control measures that are really essential. A critical evaluation shows that this has been effective, as managers have become more equipped with knowledge that is essential in aging services. This is a core element of AAHSA and has been implemented, leading to better results in this organization or project. This has been proved that knowledge is power (Burney, 1999).
Staff development is also essential and the workplace. This is very evident in this project as employees are given proper tools for accomplishing their tasks; hence effectiveness is enhanced. In providing services for the aged, relationship building is essential yet hard to accomplish. This is because one deals with people from various cultures. In such a scenario, effective communication helps in building relationships. In the long run, employees are empowered as effective leaders since they are well aligned with the mission statement of this institution. This is the long run empowers disabled and elderly residents such that they are able to live life to the fullest. This helps them get necessities that help them be active in life (Senge, 1999).
Governance and accountability are also some of the ten elements of quality in AAHSA. This project fulfills this element in various ways. Accountability is fulfilled by this project through report writing by each staff concerning assigned duties. These reports are later on analyzed by the human resource managers. Auditing is always carried out, and this greatly influences accountability. Governance is fulfilled in this project through implementing management practices like controlling, leading, planning, and organizing (Senge, 1999).
Affordable housing for the elderly is essential in society today. Aging services aid elderly people to easily access affordable housing. Research shows that baby boomer that is about to retire have various needs that need to be considered by aging services. This staff development project meets the core tenets of leadership AAHSA. This includes commitment which is fulfilled through proper management. There is community involvement which is fulfilled through volunteering of community members. Research is very important in this field of providing aging services. This project has fulfilled this by incorporating a research team of professionals that carry out research on various issues affecting the aged in society. This has really influenced the success of this project.
References
Burney D. (1999): Leading in a culture of change; Good to Great; New York; Prentice Hall.
Senge, P. (1999): The Dance of Change; New York; Macmillan Press.
In the implementation of various policies in rural places, some issues may occur. These issues are caused by the fact that there are numerous definitions of a rural area that can be defined in various ways. Indeed, Krout and Hash reveal compositional, ecological, behavioral, and social, and economic factors of determining rural places (2015). Therefore, it is challenging for people to understand if they live in a rural or urban location. These challenges affected my experience of professional relationships with older adults.
As someone who has quite extensive experience of working with older adults and elderly patients (45-100 years) in the oncology, medical-surgical nursing, and telemetry units, I have to confirm that meeting the needs of patients in a rural setting requires more consistency in patient-nurse communication. Last summer I was volunteering in one of the hospitals in my city, where people from all the neighboring districts come to receive medical services. The administration of the hospital decided to conduct a patient satisfaction survey for older adults. These types of surveys aim to identify gaps and develop an effective plan for quality improvement in the hospital (Al-Abri, & Al-Balushi 2014). I was asked to collect information about the patients who are older than 65 using individual questionnaires. This age group was chosen to find out if patients experience any specific difficulties due to their age while obtaining medical services. One of the questions included in these surveys was about interviewees’ areas of living.
Unfortunately, the majority of people did not know if their residence could be considered rural or urban. This led to the situation when some people just missed the question or refused to continue participation in the interview. Moreover, I, personally, did not enjoy conducting surveys in the hospital because in most cases, people are busy or do not feel well enough to spend their time answering questions.
References
Al-Abri, R., & Al-Balushi, A. (2014). Patient satisfaction survey as a tool towards quality improvement. Oman Medical Journal, 29(1), 3-7. doi:10.5001/omj.2014.02
Krout, J., & Hash, K. (2015). What is rural? Introduction to Aging in rural places. In K.M. Hash, E. T. Jurkowski, & J. A. Krout (Eds.), Aging in rural places: Programs, policies, and professional practice. (pp.3-22). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC.
Are you wondering why you are losing strength as you are growing older? Once we reach the age of 30, our bones stop growing and making new cells, and we are left to live the rest of our lives with the current condition of our bones. The musculoskeletal system of our body provides us with several important features. Firstly, the bones provide our bodies with the internal structure that helps us stand straight, walk upright and even lay down. Secondly, the bones give us the axial balance that allows us to move forward, backward, and even turn around. Thirdly, the muscles of our body are the sources of strength that we immediately use for any activity, from the simplest movement such as writing a letter to difficult activities such as weightlifting. It is therefore important that we understand how bones and muscles work and that we maintain good health and not abuse or misuse these parts of our body.
Has it ever come to your mind that whenever you find difficulty performing an activity these days, you would remember those earlier days when this same activity was easier to do? Take the example of jogging. If you are experiencing shortness of breath now, you will quickly recall that you used to do the same length of running ten years ago, and you never felt any difficulty jogging then. Or maybe going up a flight of stairs, and you end up catching your breath on the last few steps of that trip. Our usual response is, “I’m getting old.” It’s true, each one of us is growing old, and there’s no exception to that. And as we grow older, the parts of our bodies grow old, too. The bones and muscles of our body need enough movement each day in order to maintain their pliability and strength. Physical exercise is another important aspect of our daily lives that may help enhance the potential of our bones and muscles.
Let’s drink milk every day! There is this saying that milk is only for kids. This is so untrue. Milk contains calcium, which is the main component of bones. The Food and Drug Administration has indicated that children should consume around 2 glasses of milk every day, while for adults, 3 glasses of milk would be enough to maintain their bones. Therefore, the best scenario for healthy bones and muscles is to start early in life. Drinking milk starting at an early age and continuing on until the elderly years is very good.
There is also this old saying that goes, “Everything in life is free.” Yes, indeed! And one of the most important things is sunlight. Exposure to sunlight enhances our bodies to produce vitamin D, which helps in maintaining strong bones and muscles. Getting some sun can’t get any better than that! You can also save your money by getting your daily free doses of vitamin D by going out and getting some sun on yourself for a short period of time.
So no matter how old you are, it is important that you keep your bones and muscles strong. Walk for life. If you want to live longer, keep on moving. A stroll at the park, a little gardening here and there, visit a friend living close by—these examples of simple activities can be very helpful in maintaining your bones and muscles. You also get to go around and have fun too while helping yourself in maintaining strong bones and muscles. Keeping your bones and muscles healthy will also decrease the chances of suffering from bone fractures, as well as slips and falls. So what do you think? Let’s go get our dose of milk and calcium today.
Successful aging is a definition that has been widely accepted in the scientific community since the early 60s, and it still has not lost its relevance. Medical specialists and theorists of psychology create a variety of concepts and definitions that in their opinion most fully reflect the idea of successful aging.
The considered article “Resilience in Later Adulthood and Old Age: Resources and Potentials for Successful Aging” written by Greve and Staudinger (2015) offers a systematization of this vague concept. The presented model of successful aging includes six interrelated aspects: physical, emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, and professional. It is possible to allocate the general components in the concept of the authors.
Main body
A physical component that includes the following subcategories is health, nutrition, exercise, and appearance. The psychological part consists of some subcategories reflecting the willingness to change, positive emotions and attitudes, openness to new experiences, and the desire for independence. The cognitive component is represented by cognitive activity; it is aimed at mastering new experiences. The social component is presented by subcategories: relationships with family and friends, as well as recreation and hobbies. Particular attention is paid to learning, social roles, and culturally expected behavior.
Components of the professional aspect of successful aging, according to Greve and Staudinger, are: “career choices, job enjoyment, and productivity” (814). Spiritual and material components were described not so detailed as others. The authors identified the following subcategories of the spiritual dimension: religion, inner peace (for example, realizing the value of life after an illness), faith, and altruistic behavior.
Conclusion
While most definitions of successful aging are based on the systematization of as many categories as possible, it seems more rational to assess the success of human aging by their individual needs. Some people do not need money and career heights to feel fulfilled in life. For example, some people want to develop themselves intellectually and spiritually; such people are less prone to all sorts of dementia because their mind is continually getting loads.
Based on the above, although the structure proposed by Greve and Staudinger gives a comprehensive terminological understanding of the issue, it seems that the successful aging for each person is something different. It is most closely intertwined with the fulfillment of human desires and ultimately impossible without finding harmony in the world and inside.
Work Cited
Greve, Werner, and Ursula M. Staudinger. “Resilience in Later Adulthood and Old Age: Resources and Potentials for Successful Aging.” Developmental Psychopathology, Volume Three: Risk, Disorder, and Adaptation, vol. 3, 2016, pp. 796-840.
Human beings will grow from one stage of life to another. The final one is that of old age and it is characterized by sagging skins, spots, and dull tone. While this is a natural process, this paper explains why people use the word “aging” in a derogatory manner.
Aging and Use
Aging is a natural process that human beings should appreciate. Nikolaev and Pavlova (2016) refer to this natural occurrence as the accumulation of psychological, emotional, physical, and mental changes over a period of time. All people will undergo the process and eventually die. Normally, the word is used to describe individuals who are above 60 years of age. People can also use it to examine and describe how old age is associated with various illnesses, such as arthritis, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer.
Several reasons explain why many people continue to use the above word in a derogatory manner. Firstly, the norm has emerged whereby elderly persons receive little or no support. In many cases, individuals will apply specific terms to explain how aged individuals are incapable of pursuing their goals (Giasson, Queen, Larkina, & Smith, 2017). Secondly, the negative image many people associate with aging explains why they use the word in a derogatory manner. Thirdly, labeling aging as a risk factor for diseases also explains why this is the case. Fourthly, the absence of powerful strategies to encourage more citizens to live harmoniously with the elderly complicates the situation.
Conclusion
Human beings should appreciate the idea that they will eventually age and learn to respect all senior citizens. They can benefit from guidelines aimed at promoting positive relationships between the elderly and the young. The use of the word in a respectful manner will empower more senior citizens to pursue their aims successfully.
References
Giasson, H. L., Queen, T. L., Larkina, M., & Smith, J. (2017). Age group differences in perceived age discrimination: Associations with self-perceptions of aging. The Gerontologist, 57(2), S160-S168. Web.
Nikolaev, B., & Pavlova, N. (2016). Age discrimination in the US higher education and employment. International Journal of Environmental & Science Education, 11(18), 10875-10883.