Late Adult Hood

Late Adulthooh

Human Lifespan Development

Barbara Kennedy

University of Phoenix

Late Adulthood

Late adulthood generally begins around the age of 65. During late adulthood there are many different changes that will take place. These changes that take place can consist of the following, sickness, death, aging, and dying. These issues effects every person at some point in their lives and each individual have some form of coping mechanism to deal with these changes.

The science that deals with the aging process is called gerontology. Many biological changes occur in later adulthood, which includes the following:

Vision and hearing can show impairment as people age. "Loss of accommodation of the lens is one of the most striking changes in vision. Most people by the age of 65 are farsighted due to the eye lenses becoming hardened and losing elasticity. A cataract may form when the lenses become cloudy and vision is significantly impaired. Glaucoma is another serious age-related eye disorders associated with age. This disease will cause pressure to increase within the eyeball and, unless treated, it will result in blindness". http://www.essortment.com/all/agingprocessge_roqp.htm.

Hearing often decreases with age. For example, "the hair cells in the organ of Corti (inner ear) can cause a decline in hearing frequencies. The eardrum and ossicles are less able to transmit mechanical sound waves. Many elderly people have hearing impairment because of aging. There can be a loss of appetite connective tissue cells replace taste buds. The sense organs all will most likely become impaired as the person ages" (http://www.essortment.com/all/agingprocessge.com)

As adults age, the "skin can become dry, thin and inelastic as it ages and "sagging" on the body can cause skin folds and wrinkling. The hair can become thin and the pigmentation of the skin will change". http://www.essortment.com/all/agingprocessge_roqp.htm

In terms of health and...