Provisionally approved 7-09-02
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF AGING
Level IV
RATIONALE: Understanding the health and physical changes associated with aging, and the extent to which they are influenced by social and economic factors, is important for individuals involved in social policy development, program planning and administration, and the delivery of services to an aging and elderly population.
The demographic revolution and the graying of America is complex and has necessitated a re-categorization of who is “old.” It is important to differentiate between the “young old,” those persons aged (65-74), those who are “old-old,” aged (75-84), and “older-old,” those who are aged 85 and older. There is general agreement that the needs are different for each group as are the services to be provided. However, human aging is individualized, as it occurs at different rates in different body systems. Therefore, use of chronological age as an indicator of health is misleading.
Aging is neither a disease nor an illness but it does increase an individual’s susceptibility to disease and disability. The aging process is characterized by a decrease in the reserve capacity of the body’s organ systems. This decrease in reserve systems alters the body’s homeostatic equilibrium, which is essential to a person’s functional capacity. Once this capacity is disturbed, it’s not easily restored. Therefore, older adults must be more concerned with healthy lifestyles for health maintenance.
The rapid growth in the number of older persons challenges both medical and social science researchers to expand the knowledge of the physical aging process as it relates to health promotion and disease and disability remediation or prevention, and to develop policies that support social and economic factors that influence healthy aging. Understanding the subtleties of physical aging and health sensitizes the student to the diversity that exists in working with elders in the aging service network.
COMPETENCY: Can identify and describe the physical changes that accompany the aging process, and can relate these changes to social and economic factors which influence the health status of older individuals.
CRITERIA:
1. Describe physical changes in body systems which are characteristic of the aging process.
2. Discuss the effect of social and economic factors on elders’ health status.
3. (a) Identify two health problems common to the elderly, (b) discuss the individual, environmental, institutional, and societal factors that contribute to their development, and, (c) discuss how they limit elders’ ability to live independently.
4. Analyze individual, familial, community, institutional, and governmental responses to the two health problems described in Criterion 3.
5. Present health promotion and health maintenance strategies which could prevent or limit the incidence and severity of the two health problems discussed in Criterion 3.
PORTFOLIO LINKS: You are expected to use the Level III Communications Portfolio writing standards as guidelines for the essays required by this competency.
STANDARDS:
The descriptions and assertions made when addressing each criterion must be supported by research-based professional literature where appropriate.
1. For Criterion 1, description of changes in body systems must include at least three of the following: skin, cardiovascular, muscular-skeletal, digestive, respiratory, genitor-urinary, sensory, and neurological systems.
2. For Criterion 2, discussion of social and economic factors must include the interaction of race, class, and gender, and their effects on access to health care.
3. For Criterion 3, the two health problems selected must affect two distinct body systems. Discussion of the influencing factors must include race, class, gender, health care availability, and health care practices.
4. For Criterion 4, each approach selected must be assessed in terms of both strengths and weaknesses.
5. For Criterion 5, the presentation of health promotion and maintenance strategies must include discussion of their limitations.
EXAMPLES OF DEMONSTRATION:1. Prior Learning: A student working in a health care setting has prepared informational materials for elders and their caregivers describing changes in the body associated with aging; information specific to two prevalent health problems including health promotion and illness prevention strategies for healthy aging; and tips for care givers on dealing with these common concerns. The student presents these and also writes a brief paper addressing Criterion 2.
2. Independent Learning: A student negotiates an independent learning contract with a faculty member who assists in identifying necessary literature and agrees to evaluate the final paper.
3. Course: A student participates in a class and successfully completes all required assignments.
4. Field Project: In collaboration with an advocacy group focused on elderly health care, a group of students and a supervising faculty member develop an information and advocacy packet that covers the competency criteria and that promotes the group's lobbying efforts for legislation designed to provide early intervention for elders with heart disease and respiratory problems.