PSYCHOLOGICAL REASONS FOR AGEING

PSYCHOLOGICAL REASONS FOR AGEING

Liliane Israel defined psychological aging as an “effect of time on a man’s personality and his emotional and spiritual life”. The process of human aging is complex and individualized, occurs in the biological, psychological and social sphere.

Biological aging is defined as (Filip R.) the natural occurrence of irreversible, increasing with age changes in metabolism and the physicochemical properties of cells, leading to impaired self-regulation and regeneration, and structural and functional changes in tissues and organs. The biological agents include: physical inactivity, improper nutrition, psychomotor load, acute and chronic medical conditions, and the psychosocial: changes in the environment, isolation, loneliness, and lack of preparation for old age.

Circulator system changes. Along with age, there occurs a decrease in the velocity conduction of myocardial cells, hypertrophy of the left ventricle, an increase in the number of cells of connective tissue, and the deposition of calcium and lipofuscin, as well as amyloid degeneration, fatty degeneration, calcification and fibrosis of the valve and mitral apparatus. Diameter expansion of the arteries is diagnosed, together with thickening of the medial and internal membrane and stiffening of walls.

Respiratory system changes. With age, the size of the trachea and bronchi decrease, causing a reduction in the vital capacity and maximum respiratory capacity. Lung elasticity and the number of bronchioles and alveoli is reduced, increasing the physiological dead space. This leads to muscle weakness and impaired respiratory cilia which, in turn, leads to impaired self-cleansing of the bronchial tree. The chest becomes stiffer and barrel shaped.

Digestive system changes. Old age results in receding gums and missing teeth, decrease in the secretion of saliva and mucus, reducing gastrointestinal motility, together with gastric emptying and slowing of muscle tension. In the stomach, there is a decrease in the secretion of gastric acid secretion and the gastrin sequence. Decongestion of the pancreatic endocrine function and regenerative capacity of the liver are impaired, and in about 30% of those aged over 60, bowel diverticula are present.

Nervous system changes. Old age causes a reduction in the weight of the brain, white matter atrophy, curves flatten, furrows deepen, and widening of the lateral ventricles and third ventricle. With older, healthy people, a moderate atrophy of grey matter is observed, whereas with people with stupefaction the atrophy is very high. In the brain, senile plaques containing amyloid arise, lipofuscin accumulates in the cytoplasm of cells, leading to disorders in neurotransmission and signal transduction mechanisms. There is also a weakening of reflexes and decreased muscle tone.

Senses organs changes. Old age results in impaired eyesight: reduced visual acuity and accommodative power, Presbyopia, atrophy of tissue around the eyes, reduction of adipose tissue around the eyes, causing a droopy upper eyelid and rolling inside and outside of the lower eyelid. Hearing deficiency is also observed in old age – senile deafness, together with a weakening in smell and taste. The hearing of high frequency sounds is more impaired. There occurs a reduction in the understanding of speech.

Changes in the skin and its appendages. With age, skin thickness, the number of sweat glands and nerve endings decrease. These changes lead to impaired function of the permeability of the skin, reactivity of the immune response to inflammation, wound healing, and the thermoregulation production of sebum and sweat. (Rowe)

Psychosocial aging. Treated as a phenomenon secondary to biological aging. Changes that occur with age in the functioning of individual organs affect the mood, attitude to the environment, physical condition and social activity, and designate the place of the elderly in the family and society. It however, to a great extent depends on how a person is prepared for old age, and takes effect over time. Mental aging refers to the human consciousness and its adaptability to the aging process. Acceptance of old age contributes to the feeling of happiness and life satisfaction, the lack of which causes the feelings of solitude and physical suffering (Bromley).

The aging of humans is a diverse process in all spheres of life, including the biological, psychical and social. The aging process may be fortunate, typical or pathological. It is characterized by involutional changes in particular systems and organs, leading to the gradual reduction of body efficiency, co-existence of diseases and changes of symptomatology. Probability of depression and stupefaction. Social aging is connected with the loss of social roles, reduction of interpersonal relations and feeling of loneliness.

REFERENCES

Dziechciaż M, Filip R. Biological psychological and social determinants of old age: Bio-psycho-social aspects of human aging. 2014

Rowe JW, et al. Human ageing: usual and successful 1987

Carman MB, et al. the psychology of normal ageing. 1997

Parnowski T. Psychologiczne starzenie się człowieka. In: Grodzicki T, Kocemba J, Skalska A (eds.). Geriatria z elementami gerontologii ogólnej. Gdańsk: Via Medica; 2007.p.31–36 (in Polish).