Aging Process and Health Assessment of the Older Adults

Health Assessment of the Older Adults
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Characteristics of the Aging Process
 Biological and environmental factors are major factors influencing the aging process. Biologically, aging is caused by the gradual and continuous deterioration of body functions at the cellular and molecular levels over time. The mental and physical capacity declines causing vulnerability to disease and death. Non-biological factors influencing aging include living environments, lifestyle habits, socio-economic status, and ethnicity. 
As one ages, the bones become less dense and smaller, making them prone to fracture. As we age, the body absorbs less calcium from food, leading to low bone density (Grote et al., 2019). Older adults also experience loss of muscle mass and strength. A decline in growth hormone and testosterone levels contributes to the loss of muscle mass. Aging is accompanied by changes in vision where an individual cannot see as clearly as before. Changes in the eyes may lead to several eye problems, including dryness, poor adaptability to changes in light, loss of near vision due to stiffening of the lens, inability to see in dim light, and changes in color perception due to yellowing of the lens. Older adults also experience loss of hearing with age, and it becomes more problematic to hear sounds that are high-pitched.
The nerve cells reduce in number as an individual ages, thus affecting memory and thinking skills. Older adults may start to forget names and places that were once familiar. Furthermore, older adults experience the weakening of bladder muscles leading to urinary incontinence. Changes in the cardiovascular system that characterize old age include stiffening blood vessels, forcing the heart to work harder to pump blood. The immunity also declines with age, making older adults vulnerable to infections. The level and activity of hormones decrease, and ...