Care of the Older Adults

THEORIES OF AGING
Session 3
 Theories of Aging

• Human aging is influenced by a composite of

biologic, psychologic, social, functional, and
spiritual factors.

• Aging may be viewed as a continuum of events

that occur from conception to death
I. BIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF
AGING

• The biological theories explain the physiologic

processes that change with aging.

• Two categories:
1. Stochastic/statistical perspective
2. Nonstochastic theories
BIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF
AGING
1. Stochastic/Statistical Perspective

– identifies episodic events that happen

throughout one’s life that cause random cell
damage and accumulate over time.
Stochastic Theory:
FREE RADICAL THEORY

• Aging is due to oxidative metabolism and the

effects of free radicals.

• Free radicals are produced when the body uses

oxygen, such as with exercise.
Stochastic Theory:
ORGEL / ERROR THEORY

• Cells accumulate errors in their DNA and RNA

protein synthesis that cause the cells to die.

• Proposes that aging would not occur if destructive

factors such as radiation did not exist and cause
“errors” such as mutations and regulatory
disorders.
Stochastic Theory:
WEAR & TEAR THEORY
• Over time, cumulative changes occurring in cells
age and damage cellular metabolism.

• Excessive wear and tear caused by exercising may

accelerate aging by increasing free radical
production.
Stochastic Theory:
CONNECTIVE TISSUE/CROSS-
LINK THEORY
• it proposes that, over time, biochemical processes
create connections between structures not normally
connected.
2. Nonstochastic Theories
– view aging as a series of predetermined events
happening to all organisms in a timed
framework.

– founded on a programmed perspective that is

related to genetics or one’s biological clock.
Nonstochastic Theory:
PROGRAMMED THEORY

• As people age, more of their cells start to decide

to commit suicide or stop dividing.
Nonstochastic Theory:
GENE/BIOLOGICAL CLOCK
THEORY

• This theory indicates that there may be genes that

trigger youth and general wellbeing as well as
other genes that accelerate cell deterioration.
 Nonstochastic Theory:
GENE/BIOLOGICAL CLOCK
THEORY
CIRCADIAN RHYTHM MELATONIN

It is secreted by the pineal gland

It is thought that biological rhythms and is considered to be the
lose some rhythmicity with aging. hormone linked to sleep and
wake cycles.
Nonstochastic Theory:
NEUROENDOCRINE THEORY
• This theory describes a change in hormone
secretion and adrenal glands, and how it
influences the aging process.

• Major hormones are involved with aging:

• Estrogen
• Growth hormone
• Melatonin
Nonstochastic Theory:
IMMUNOLOGIC/AUTOIMMUNE THEORY

• This theory describes the normal aging process of

humans and animals as being related to faulty
immunological function.
PSYCHOSOCIAL THEORIES OF
AGING

• Two categories:
1. Sociological Theories
2. Psychological Theories
Sociological Theory:
ACTIVITY DISENGAGEMENT
THEORY

Sociological theorists have attempted to explain

older adult behavior in relationship to society with
such concepts as disengagement, activity, and
continuity.
Sociological Theory:
SUBCULTURE THEORY

Rose proposed that although this subculture

segregates the elderly from the rest of society,
older adults prefer to interact among themselves.
Sociological Theory:
CONTINUITY THEORY

Late 1960’s - Havighurst and colleagues

recognized that neither activity nor disengagement
theories fully explain successful aging from a
sociological point of view.
Sociological Theory:
AGE STRATIFICATION THEORY

• Age stratification transitioned aging theory from a

focus on the individual to a broader context that
alerted gerontologists to the influence of cohort
groups.
Sociological Theory:
PERSON-ENVIRONMENT-FIT THEORY

• Early 1980’s - Lawton’s person-environment-

theory introduced functional competence in
relationship to the environment as a central theme.
Sociological Theory:
GEROTRANSCENDENCE THEORY

• 1994 - Tornstam’s theory of

gerotranscendence. This proposes that aging
individuals undergo a cognitive transformation
from a materialistic, rational perspective toward
oneness with the universe.
Psychological Theory:
HUMAN NEEDS THEORY
• Maslow surmised that a hierarchy of five needs
motivates human behavior: physiologic, safety
and security, love and belonging, self-esteem,
and self-actualization.
Psychological Theory:
THEORY OF INDIVIDUALISM
• Jung’s theory of individualism is not specific to
aging.

• 1960 – He proposed a lifespan view of

personality development rather than attainment
of basic needs.
Psychological Theory:
STAGES OF PERSONALITY
DEVELOPMENT

• 1963 - According to Erikson, personality

develops in eight sequential stages that have a
corresponding life task that one may succeed at
or fail to accomplish.
Psychological Theory:
LIFE COURSE PARADIGM
• 1970’s - the predominant theme of behavioral
psychology moved toward the concept of “life
course,” in which life is divided into stages with
predictable patterns.
Psychological Theory:
SELECTIVE OPTIMIZATION WITH
COMPENSATION THEORY

• 1987 - Baltes’s theory of successful aging

emerged from his study of psychological
processes across the lifespan that focuses on
the individual.
 Implications for Nursing
• Nursing has incorporated psychosocial theories such
as Erikson’s personality development theory into its
practice.

• Psychological theories enlighten us about the

development tasks and challenges faced by older
adults.

• Nursing has learned how support systems,

functionality, activity can influence adjustment to aging
and life satisfaction.
 NURSING THEORIES OF
AGING
Functional Nursing’s role is risk reduction to
Consequences Theory minimize age-associated
disability in order to enhance
safety and quality of living.

Theory of Thriving Failure to thrive results from a

discord between the individual
and his or her environment or
relationships.
Theory of Successful Aging

- Aging successfully means remaining physically,

psychological, and socially engaged in meaningful
ways that are individually defined.
 Theory of Successful Aging

Flood’s theory of successful aging provides a more

comprehensive framework to guide nursing practice.
RATIONALIZATION ACTIVITY

1. Nurse Bianca is aware that the theory of aging

most likely to explain why the older population is at
risk for autoimmune disorder is known as:
a. cross-link theory.
b. free radical theory.
c. error theory.
d. autoimmune theory.
2. The family member of a patient asks if vitamin C will
prevent aging. In formulating an appropriate response,
the nurse considers what theory?
a. free radical theory.
b. autoimmune theory.
c. wear-and-tear theory.
d. continuity theory.
3. Nurse Maria implements the concepts of the activity
theory of aging when instructing the older client with
osteoarthritis to:
a. continue her daily walking routine.
b. curtail further increases in physical activity.
c. document preferred end-of-life
interventions.
d. avoid exposing herself to crowds.
4. The 45-year-old patient reports to the nurse he feels
he is going through a "mid-life crisis." The nurse
recognizes this phenomenon refers to the theory
developed by which psychologist?

a. Jung
b. Erikson
c. Newman
d. Havighurst
5. The patient in the clinic tells the nurse she can "feel
her biologic clock ticking." The nurse knows the patient
views aging based on which theory?

a. Gene theory
b. Programmed theory
c. Rate of living theory
d. Somatic mutation theory
6. An 80-year-old female who enjoys good health explains to
her primary provider that she attributed her health status to her
regular intake of berries, fruit, green tea, which she states “help
cleanse the damaging molecules out of my body”. Which of the
following theories of aging underlies the client’s health
behaviors?

a. Free radical theory

b. Biogerontology
c. Disposable soma theory
d. Cross-linking theory
7. The nurse would recognize successful aging according to
Jung’s theory when a long-term care facility resident
demonstrates which of the following behaviors?

a. The resident takes special care to dress for dinner in a

manner that pleases his tablemates.
b. The resident asks permission to sit on the patio with other
residents.
c. The resident asks persons in his hall if his television is
bothering them.
d. The resident wears a large cowboy hat at all times because
he likes it.
8. The nurse in the long term care facility who cares for
primarily order adults knows these adults are in which
stage of Erikson’s developmental tasks?

a. Trust vs mistrust
b. Integrity vs Despair
c. Industry vs Inferiority
d. Generativity vs stagnation
9. Which theory suggests that older people who have
low levels of social activity have a high degree of life
satisfaction?

a. Activity
b. Age stratification
c. Disengagement
d. Exchange
10. Based on the free theory of aging, what would be an
appropriate behavior that might increase one’s life
expectancy?

a. Exercise for 45 minutes at least three times a week.

b. Eat food rich in antioxidants.
c. Eat a low-calorie, high protein diet.
d. Do nothing. Life expectancy is determined through
genetic programming.
The End