Psychology of Ageing

Psychology of Ageing

Past I -Introduction to Psychology of Aging

The Psychology of Aging is the discipline that deals with issues of psychological and neuropsychological Elder during the aging process. The progressive aging of the population is a phenomenon that particularly affects many countries around the world. To date there is no prospect of recovery or interventions that can stop brain degeneration, but much can be done to improve the living conditions of those who are affected by the disease and care of those who are prey. The stimulation of memory, for example, is a resource for working with patients with cognitive impairment. The role of Psychology in this area becomes very important, as it is expected that the local health authorities and private centers or contracted for the elderly, in order to comply with the law in making diagnoses or neuropsychological rehabilitation in the field, must have at least within a Psychologist / Neuropsychologist. The contexts of intervention are various: from residential aged care to research facilities (eg hospitals with "memory clinics"), clinics, associations that deal with older people and their rights to private study (Bowen, Atwood, 2004). This paper focuses on the study and analysis of the different aspects related to the psychology of aging.

Thesis statement

It is the will of an elderly individual to feel young that can affect the psychology of the individual in their elderly age, and keep them young physically, from heart and from mind, as well.

Part II- Theories of Aging

The changes induced by 'aging are often evident in our experience of everyday life (i.e. no supporting data and scientific theories), observing closely the evolution of the daily life of the elderly. Not equally evident is why you get older in this way. On this issue, scholars are divided and have advanced several theories. Francis Bacon (in History of the life and death) listed the various explanations that science of the sixteenth century gave aging. Since then, the scientific thinking has made great strides, but on this topic are still many theories that contend the square (Bowen, Atwood, 2004). Leaving aside the most beautiful, you are presented with those currently considered a scientific basis.

The Genetic Theories

In recent decades, genetics has made ??great strides and it is quite normal to think that will play a vital role to stop aging. Theory of error catastrophe - the biochemical processes at the basis of cellular life is governed by the transmission of information between the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid), responsible for protein synthesis. If during the process of information transmission errors occur, they propagate with a snowball effect until the catastrophe (cell death). This theory is more "philosophical" and that is just for experimental reasons "historic". Theory Hayflick - In 1961, the biologist Leonard Hayflick has developed a theory that every cell in the human body is inextricably linked to the species of belonging. He observed that some types of cells reproduce continuously (for example those of the skin), other types never ...