THE THEORIES OF

AGING
ARNELLE L. BALINAO, MAN
INSTRUCTOR
◦Is there anyone who is not interested of knowing
how human organism ages?
◦Does everyone wants to live a healthy life?
◦Who among you wants to know what the future
holds?
◦Understanding the knowledge of Theories of
Aging and the mystery of aging suggest
beneficial paradox that the maximum lifespan of
human beings may be achieved due to our
inability to grow old
Theories:

◦Psychosocial Theories
◦- explains theories in terms of mental
processes, emotions, attitudes, motivation
and personality development that is
characterized by life stage transitions
◦Sociological Theories
◦- these are the changing roles.
Relationships, status and
generational cohort impact the
ability of olders adults to adapt.
 A. BIOLOGICAL THEORIES
 Concerned in answering basic questions regarding
physiologic processes that occur in all living organism as they
chronologically age.
 Address the anatomic and physiologic changes occurring with
age.
1. GENETIC THEORY/MUTATION THEORY
2. IMMUNOLOGIC THEORY
3. WEAR AND TEAR THEORY
4. RATE OF LIVING THEORY
5. WASTE THEORY
6. COLLAGEN THEORY
7. ENDOCRINE THEORY
1. GENETIC THEORY/SOMATIC MUTATION
THEORY
• * Holds that changes in replication of DNA-RNA (deoxyribonucleic
acid –ribonucleic acid) are the causes of aging.
• * The lifespan is believed to be programmed before birth into the
genes of DNA, and the changes in cells cause the changes in
organization and function associated with aging.
• * The genetic theory of aging believes that lifespan is largely
determined by the genes we inherit. According to the theory, our
potential age is primarily determined at the moment of conception.
The Evidence Behind the Theory:

◦There is evidence to support this theory.

1. People with parents who have lived long lives are more likely to
live long themselves (though this could be partially explained by
learned behaviors, such as food preferences).
2. Also, identical twins (who have the exact same genes) have
closer lifespans than siblings.
2. IMMUNOLOGIC THEORY

 * Immune System- important in keeping our bodies healthy. Not only

does it protect us against viruses and bacteria, it also helps to
identify and remove cancer cells and toxins. As we age, the
potential for these elements to cause damage in our bodies increases.
 * States that aging is cause by the change in the immune system.
There is a factor, perhaps a virus that initiates a change that causes
the immune system to fail to recognize its own cells as they age.
AUTOIMMUNETHEORY/
IMMUNOLOGIC THEORY
 - the rate of aging is largely controlled by the immune system.
- - As we age, the numbers of critical cells in the immune system
decrease and become less functional. Starting before age 20, the
thymus (which produced certain immune cells) begins to shrink.
How Genes Impact Lifespan:
◦ Some genes are beneficial and enhance longevity –
*for example.
- A gene that helps a person metabolize cholesterol would reduce a
person's risk of heart disease.
- But some genes are harmful, like those that increase the risk
cancer.
◦ Some gene mutations are also inherited, and may shorten
lifespan.
◦ (Mutations can happen after birth, since exposure to toxins ,
free radical and radiation can cause gene changes.)
The Bottom Line:
◦ It is estimated that genes can explain a maximum of 35 percent of
lifespan.
◦ The other determinants are your behaviors, exposures, and just
plain luck.
Note:
◦ So don't think that you are doomed just because your family
members tend to die young -- and also don't think that you can
ignore your health if your family members tend to live long.
Autoimmune Theory
 * The immune system is the most important line of defense
against foreign substances that enter the body.
 * With age the system's ability to produce necessary antibodies
that fight disease declines, as does its ability to distinguish
between antibodies and proteins.
 * In a sense the immune system becomes self-destructive and
reacts against itself.
 Examples of autoimmune disease:
 * lupus, scleroderma and adult-onset diabetes.
 IMMUNOLOGIC THEORY
 A programmed decline in the immune system leads to an
increased vulnerability to disease, aging and death
 Example- Decreased T cells (helper cells) in adults
 Increased diseases in older adults
 Increased autoimmune diseases in adults
3. WEAR AND TEAR THEORY

◦The body is like a machine. Parts wear out and the

machine breaks down.
◦ Cells and tissues simply wear out.
Wear-and-Tear Theory:
*The general idea that changes associated with ageing are the
result of chance damage that accumulates over time.
 *Dr. August Weismann, a German biologist, first introduced this
theory in 1882.
 -He believed that the body and its cells were damaged by
overuse and abuse.
◦ Wear and Tear is not confine to our organs, however; it also takes
place on the cellular level
◦ With age the body loses its ability to repair damage caused by
diet, environmental toxins, bacteria or a virus. Thus many elderly
people die of diseases that they could have resisted when they were
younger.

 Years of damage to cells, tissues and organs eventually wears them

out, killing both them and the body
Example- Wearing out of the skeletal system such as in
osteoarthritis
 Wear and tear can be viewed as a result of aging and not the cause
of it.
4. RATE OF LIVING THEORY
◦ The body has a fixed rate for potential for living.
-The faster one lives, the sooner one ages and dies. The
faster an organism uses oxygen, the shorter it lives.
◦ This theory states that people have a finite number of breaths,
heartbeats or other measures.
◦ In ancient times, people believed that just as a machine will
begin to deteriorate after a certain number of uses, the human
body deteriorates in direct proportion to its use.
 The greater an organism’s basal metabolic rate, the shorter
the life span.
 Free radicals or other metabolic by-products play a role in
senesce.
Example:
a. Animals with the most rapid metabolisms tend to have the
shortest lifespans, i.e, birds have a shorter lifespan than
humans.
 Studies examining the relationship between metabolic rates
and longevity have produced inconsistent results, limiting the
usefulness of this theory.
Modern version of Rate of living theory
◦ The theory recognizes that the number of heartbeats does not predict lifespan.
Instead, researchers examine the speed at which an organism processes
oxygen.
◦ There is evidence, when comparing species, that creatures with faster
oxygen metabolisms die younger.
Example:
Tiny mammals with rapid heartbeats metabolize oxygen quickly and have
short lifespans.
On the other hand Tortoises, metabolize oxygen very slowly and have long
lifespans.
The Evidence:
◦ Researchers genetically engineered mice with a defect in the
hypothalamus to cause the mice to overexert. Because the
hypothalamus in mice is near the temperature control center, the
mice's brain thought the body was overheating and lowered the
core temperature. The results show that a drop of 0.6 degrees
Celsius extended the life of the mice by 12 to 20 percent. The
lower temperature may slow the rate of oxygen metabolism. The
problem is that the lower temperature may also change a number
of other systems and processes in the body.
◦ Bottom Line:
There really is no data that slowing the metabolism extends
human life. In fact, a slower metabolism would put someone at
risk for obesity and other nutritional-related illnesses. Your best
bet is still a healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise, a diet with
lots of plants, and a positive, relaxed attitude.
5. WASTE THEORY

• * Chemical wastes collect in the body and produce deterioration

by interfering with cellular functioning.
• - In the course of their life spans cells produce more waste than
they can properly eliminate.
• This waste can include various toxins which when accumulated
to a certain level, can interfere with normal cell function,
ultimately killing the cell .
◦ Evidence supporting this theory is the presence of a waste
product called lipofuscin leading to age pigment.
◦ The cells most commonly found to contain lipofuscin are nerve
and heart muscle cells, both critical to life.
◦ Lipofuscin is formed by a complex reaction that binds fat in the
cells to proteins. This waste accumulates in the cells as small
granules and increases in size as a person ages.
◦ Because lipofuscin builds up over time, it has been described as
"the ashes of our dwindling metabolic fires.
6. COLLAGEN THEORY
Collagen stiffens with age, producing loss of elasticity in organs,
skin, tendons, blood vessels, etc. The resultant stiffness
adversely affects function.
*Collagen- a CHON that is the principal constituent of white fibrous
connective tissue (as occurs in tendons) also found in skin, bone,
cartilage and ligaments. It is relatively inelastic but has a high
tensile strength.
7. ENDOCRINE THEORY
Events occurring in the hypothalamus and pituitary are
responsible for the changes in the hormone production
and response that result in the organism’s decline.
◦Hormones: The body's hormones change as we age,
causing many shifts in organ systems and other
functions.
◦Endocrine Theory: Changes in hormones control aging.
 Biological clocks act through hormones to control the pace of
aging. Hormones effects growth, metabolism, temperature,
inflammation and stress.

 Examples- Menopause
 Decreased level of estrogen & progesterone
 Hot flashes, insomnia
◦ First proposed by Professor Vladimir Dilman and Ward Dean
MD, this theory elaborates on wear and tear by focusing on
the neuroendocrine system.
◦ This system is a complicated network of biochemicals that
govern the release of hormones which are altered by the
walnut sized gland called the hypothalamus located in the
brain.
◦ The hypothalamus controls various chain-reactions to
instruct other organs and glands to release their hormones.
The hypothalamus also responds to the body hormone
levels as a guide to the overall hormonal activity.
◦ But as we grow older the hypothalamus loses it precision
regulatory ability and the receptors which uptake individual
hormones become less sensitive to them. Accordingly, as
we age the secretion of many hormones declines and their
effectiveness is also reduced due to the receptors down-
grading.
 B. PSYCHOSOCIAL THEORIES
Describe the aging individual in terms of his/her social
-

group/culture.
-Explain the thought processes and behaviors of aging persons.

1. DISENGAGEMENT THEORY
2. ACTIVITY THEORY
3. CONTINUITY THEORY
1. DISENGAGEMENT THEORY

The basis of this theory arises from the fact that human beings
are mortal and must eventually leave their place and role
in society. Therefore, it is their responsibility to look for
suitable replacement.
 developed by Cummings and Henry in late 1950’s.
 “aging is an inevitable, mutual withdrawal or disengagement,
resulting in decreased interaction between the aging person
and others in the social system he/she belongs to.”
2. ACTIVITY THEORY
Assumes that the norm exist for all mature individuals. The
degree to which the individuals “acts like” or “looks like” a
middle-aged is the determinant of the aging process.
◦ One must constantly struggle to remain functional and take one
activities to replace the lost one.
ACTIVITY THEORY
 developed by Robert Havighurst in the 1960’s.
 supports the maintenance of regular activities, roles, and social
pursuits.
 persons who achieve optimal age are those who stay active.
 as roles change, the individual finds substitute activities for
these roles.
3. CONTINUITY THEORY
Accounts for the continuous flow of phases in the life cycle and does
not limit itself to change.
◦ It assumes that persons will remain the same unless there are
factors that stimulate change or necessitate adaptation.
CONTINUITY THEORY
 proposed by Havighurst and co-workers in reaction to the
disengagement theory

 “basic personality, attitudes, and behaviors remain constant

throughout the life span”
The implications to Nursing:
◦In psychological Theories enlighten us about the
developmental task and challenges face by
older adults
◦In sociological theories, nursing has learned how
to support system, functionality, activity and role
engagement, cohorts and societal expectations
can influence to adjustment to aging and life
satisfaction.
Nursing theories of Aging:

◦1. Functional Consequences Theory

◦2. Theory of Thriving
Functional Consequences Theory

◦Environmental and biopsychosocial

consequences impact functioning
◦Nursing’s role is the risk reduction to
minimized age-associated disability inorder
to enhanced safety and quality of living
Theory of Thriving:

◦Failure to thrive results from a discord

between the individual in his or her
environment or relationship
◦Nurses identify and modify factors that
contribute to disharmony among these
elements
“ENJOY THE BALLET, LORETTA ….AND TRY
TO SELL MY TICKET.”
THEORIES OF AGING and Understanding
Stories of Life Transitions:
◦Aging starts at birth
-Embryo formation of growth
◦Process of growth and development
-Starts of the meeting of the ovum
◦Storage of pleasant aging
◦-Philosophy of growing old:
◦ If you are a product of pre-marriage – there is a study that
something has gone wrong. These people are actually the
difficult people to deal with. Somethings wrong with embryo
formation
◦Importance of Decades of Life:
(meaning of life)
10; 20; 30; 40; 50; 60; 70; 80
Meaning of Life

◦1st Trimester of life- anxiety and fears

◦2nd Trimester – emotional development
◦3rd Trimester – uncertainty
◦“The person who offends, and the person who has been
offended and awaiting for a revenge.”
◦1st Birthday - Baby’s birthday
◦Family orientation
◦Guest are relatives
◦Venue should be at home
◦2nd Birthday – 10 years
◦Garden orientation
◦Ecology – nature

◦3rd Birthday - 20 years

◦Guest will be boys.
◦Heterosexual orientation
◦Debut
◦Courting moments
◦Love and passion
◦ 4th Birthday – 30 years
◦ Physiologic education(promotes and disseminates educational scholarship in order to enhance teaching and
learning)

◦ Considered to be very important

◦ By then you will be Degree Bachelors
◦ Orientation is employment
◦ You are already earning at this point
◦ 40 years
◦ This is the height of maturity development
◦ Maturation of the cartilages
◦ Social maturity
◦ Life begins at 40
◦ A person should already be certain and secured
◦ A good relationship with in-laws if married.
◦ Reliable, sincere, honest
◦ With a house and a job
◦ Highly related to in-laws, friends and relatives.
◦ Begin to think of growing old
◦ Knows what he will enjoy in life
◦ Study to the best of his ability
◦ Eat what you want
◦ Fullness of maturity
◦ Stories of goodness to others, auxiliaries(providing supplementary or additional help and
support.)
◦50 years
◦Masteral and Doctoral Degree
◦All academics are done
◦Enter midlife
◦Reality –that one day I will get sick and save for
the future
◦Begin to second rule ( crochet, cross stitches
etc.)
◦Life is at stake
◦happy when earning more
◦Very hard to in - laws
◦Moment of younger girls, widows and young girls
◦Grooming (perfumes)
◦Cataracts and arthritis
◦ 60 years
◦ Celebrating birthday, you invite people
◦ Lechon
◦ 65-Teacher ( goodbye teaching)
◦ Enjoy pension
◦ Enjoy life to keep you young
◦ Very generous to help others
◦ Develop all kinds of work.
◦ by this time no more enemies
◦ Celebrate with a bump
◦ 70’s
◦ Time to think and be creative
◦ Travel age
◦ Research(ethnographic research)
◦ Begin to discover the world
◦80’s
◦When you reach the 80’s you should reach
the 3 legacies
◦1st zero- Biological legacies
◦2nd zero – legacy of what you have learned
- financial
-donation
- develop / given talents and your way of
teaching
◦3rd zero - Values of spirituality
◦Good person
◦Honest
◦Integral
If you have not reached the 3 legacies:
-you have a painful and sad life
◦90’s
◦Frequent visitors
◦You can learned from your grandchildren
◦You must have forgiven all the people you
have hurt
◦All debt should be settled
◦100’s
◦A lot of hugging
◦Words of gratitude
THEORIES OF
AGING
Theories of Aging:

◦Multiple
◦Bio-behavioral Approach
◦Happy Retirement
◦Graceful Aging
Happy Retirement:
◦ 60 – 65 years old
◦ Gainful retirement
◦ Earning
1. Gainful employment
2. Preparation- observing sleep patterns
3. Personal – Am I related to people, Look into your health.
4. Second option:
- play guitar, if you have a guitar
- money to buy what you want
- instructor
Graceful Aging:
Operates on principles of relationships.
◦Significant, normal childhood-
◦No regrets, accept and enjoy significant
achievements in your life.
◦Siblings camaraderie
◦Parental presence
◦Grew up till age 10 years old
◦Onward with decades of life
◦Employment age
◦Charitable acts. Give what you have and the
reward is health
◦Health
◦Eat well, sleep, relate and pray well
◦Connections with relatives
◦Peers and across the world
Loyal friends
◦Continuous reading
◦Bonding outing
◦Hobbies
◦Music
◦15-30 mins a day
◦Music atuned you to deafness
◦Travels
◦With friends and relatives
◦income
◦Communications
◦Always communicate
◦Meal together
◦Family and at home with siblings
◦Grooming trends
◦Dress don’t keep
Keeping well in older years

◦Doing something you like

◦Communication – very important to get out of
yourself
◦Graceful acts -Sharing what you have
◦Sharing- knowledge (leader to people)
who will listen to you
◦Detachment – no hoarding
◦Sleep and rest
◦Satisfying simple needs
◦Enjoying relations – new friends and
companions
◦Aging is very individual and personal- your own
way of growing. Everyone is unique in our own age
◦Hallmark of happy aging is radiance of kindness
and goodness. (radiance of the heart)
◦Person is full of love and joy
◦Prayerful and humble.
 To be old… (passing line is 75y/o
◦Reward
◦Grace
◦Repository of wisdom
◦Pot of goodness and kindness
◦Let us thank God for being old!