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Health and Social Care Level 3 - Unit 4 - P5
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- PEARSON (PEARSON)
Health and Social Care Level 3 - Unit 4 - P5. This has been marked and a pass was achieved.
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P5 – Explain the physical and psychological changes which may be associated withageing
In this assignment, I will be explaining the physical and psychological changes associated with ageing. I will discuss six
changes for physical and six changes for psychological.
Physical;
Physical changes are changes which afect the body when we age. Examples of physical changes are...
Skin; When we get older the skin becomes less elastc, fat stored under the skin reduces, the skin appears to
be looser and it develops wrinkles. Also, if an individual has had a lot of excessive exposure to the sun their
skin would become damaged. This is due to the ultraviolet rays which cause freckles, age spots, wrinkles and
rough/leathery skin. Sun cream has ultraviolet protecton which would lower the damage.
Senses; Elderly individuals ofen experience a decline in their senses, such as sight and hearing. Afer the age
of 45 the eye's ability to focus starts to wear out, and by the age of 65 there is usually litle focusing power
lef. Cataracts are caused by changes in the lens of the eye, the lenses become hard and cloudy when we get
older. A symptom of cataracts is blurred vision and it usually occurs between the ages of 50 and 60. Another
illness that afects eye sight for the elderly is glaucoma, which is when the fuid pressure within the eye
increases. Furthermore, for many older people the sensitvity of the nerve cells in the inner ear decreases
which means they cannot hear high pitched sounds. There can even be a complete loss of nerve cells which
causes hearing loss. Also, older people can have an increase of wax in the outer ear which results in a
blockage of the transmission of sound to the sensory nerves.
Menopause; The menopause is a tme when a woman's period stops. This is caused by a massive decrease in
the hormone oestrogen. The decrease in oestrogen can cause osteoporosis, which is a disease which
weakens bones and makes them more fragile. Women are more prone to get osteoporosis because it is
linked to oestrogen which is a female hormone. Some individuals are more likely to get osteoporosis
because it can be genetc. The disease can be prevented by exercise because it would make muscles and
bones stronger.
Musculoskeletal system; It is common for elderly people to encounter muscle thinning, decline in mobility
and arthrits. As we age our skeletal muscles shrink, this usually starts at age 40. The cause of muscle
shrinkage can be lack of exercise or an unhealthy diet. Issues that are linked to the musculoskeletal system
are less efcient absorpton of nutrients and arthrits. The absorpton of food, minerals and vitamins become
less efcient in older people, which can lead to malnourishment even if they are eatng the same foods as
they were when they were younger. Supplements can be prescribed to prevent this. Furthermore, arthrits is
when joints become damaged, cartlage becomes thinner and less elastc as we get older. People with
arthrits experience pain and stfness in their hips and knees when they move.
Cardiovascular system; Elderly people are prone to developing a narrowing of the arteries and blood vessels
due to cholesterol. This process is called 'atherosclerosis'. 'Athero' signifes faty deposits and 'sclerosis'
signifes the hardening of arteries. Atherosclerosis can be caused by high blood pressure which puts the
individual at risk of stroke or heart atack. Furthermore, the walls of the blood vessels can become less
elastc, which causes the heart to work harder, increase in siee and cause a rise in blood pressure. Faty
deposits can cause blockage in an artery if they break away, which can lead to breathlessness and chest
pains associated with angina. This can even lead to heart atack if blood fow is severely blocked.
Respiratory system; If an individual has issues with the cardiovascular system, such as blood not being
pumped around the body efciently, they may become breathless. Also, the chest muscles may become
weaker in older people and their lungs may become less efcient. Chronic diseases may develop in older
people, such as bronchits which is an infammaton of the airways which connect the windpipe to the lungs.
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