Middle Adulthood: When does "middle" begin?
ages 40 to 65
midpoint, not end of life
continuations of adulthood changes
Physical Changes with Age
Vision: by the 40's, visual "accommodation" becomes more difficult for nearby objects
by the 60's, the lenses loses their capacity to adjust to objects at varying distances entirely, presbyopia ("old eyes")
color vision declines, "night vision" declines
glaucoma--poor fluid drainage leading to destructive buildup of pressure in eye--becomes the leading cause of blindness
Hearing
about 14% of Americans between 45 and 64 suffer from hearing loss, often due to age-related changes called presbycusis ("old hearing")
after age 50 high frequency loses become more apparent
gender, and possibly population differences
males have earlier, more rapid loss
Skin
the skin become less elastic and supple, "age spots" appear, blood vessels in the skin become more visible
sun exposure tends to exacerbate wrinkling and spotting
smoking
Voice
young adult voices tend to be full and resonate; older adult voices tend to be thinner or weaker
age related changes show lowering of pitch, increased breathlessness, and mumbling, slower & less precise pronunciation, decrease volume
may reflect changes in larynx, respiratory system, and muscles; may reflect poor health that are not part of normal aging
Muscle-Fat
both males and females tend to loss muscle mass and gain weight
basal metabolic rate slows, leading to a decreased caloric need (but not appetite)
weight bearing/resistance training exercise can help offset both excess weight and muscle loss
Skeleton
mineral content of bones declines, bones become more porous, and bone density declines
disk collapse in the spinal column lead to a decrease in height
great loss of bone density lead to the disorder of osteoporosis
Reproductive System
the climacteric, the mid-life transition in which fertility declines, brings an end to reproductive capacity in women and decreased fertility in men
menopause: estrogen production decreases over a decade the concludes with menopause, late 30's to late 50's--the end of menstruation and reproductive capacity
decreased genital size and sensitivity, become less easily stimulated, and the vagina lubricates more slowly during arousal
hot flashes and sexual problems are linked with menopause
common reports of less satisfying sleep, irritability, and mood problems are not clearly linked to menopause
psychological and physical effects
expectation and "meaning" dramatically affects the experience of menopause
marked cultural and subcultural differences
males experiences a decrease in quantities of semen and sperm produced after age 40, testosterone production reduces
erectile dysfunction--inability to attain/sustain an erection when desired--becomes more common in mid-life
drugs that increase blood flow to the penis and commonly prescribed for treatment
sildenafil (Viagra) was approved by the FDA in 1998 for treatment of erectile dysfunction in males