Key Terms
Aging
A NORMAL physical and psychological process; not a disease, not a sentence to disability.
Lifespan
The length of time a person or living thing can be expected to live.
Human growth and development
All physical and psychological changes that occur over the course of a person's life.
Physical changes
Changes that occur within the body (skin, bones, organs).
Psychological changes
Changes that occur within the mind and behavior (memory, mood, concentration).
Genetics
A person's genes; strongly influences how people develop and what physical changes occur.
Ageism
Discrimination against someone based on their age. Racism: discrimination based on someone's race.
Stereotypes
Fixed, generalized beliefs about a group; media portrayals often show elderly as helpless, forgetful, incontinent, and u
Condescending terms to NEVER use with patients
"honey," "dear," "sweetie," "cutie," "sweetheart." Always address patients by title and last name (Mr., Mrs.) UNLESS the
What sudden cognitive changes could indicate
Stroke, Alzheimer's, vascular/oxygenation problem in the brain, medication side effects, drug-drug interactions, dehydra
What incontinence could indicate
Medication side effects, urinary tract infection, electrolyte imbalances.
What falls could indicate
Medication side effects, medication interactions, acute (sudden) illness.
Innate immune system
First-line barriers; skin, mucous membranes, stomach acid, cough reflex, fever response.
Adaptive immune system
More complex; includes spleen, thymus, tonsils, bone marrow, circulatory and lymphatic systems; produces T cells (white
Key structures
Kidneys: filter blood and make urine. Nephrons: filtering units of the kidney; decrease in number with age.