Aging Mind and Memory - Research Proposal Example

Aging mind and memory Inserts His/Her Inserts Grade Inserts Inserts Here (7, 12, Contents Contents 2 abstract 3 Introduction 4 Objectives 5 Methods 5 Discussion 5 Conclusion 6 Literature review 7 appendix 14 Bibliography 15 abstract The research aims at determining the affect of dementia on the lives of individuals and how it impacts on their social interactions. The research will also identify the ways in which aging individuals can refrain themselves from falling prey to this disease. It will highlight some important information for caregivers who will better understand this disease and will know how to deal with people who have this disease. As we all know prevention is better than cure hence it is important to know what dementia is and how it can be curbed or avoided. If any form of dementia is identified in the earlier stages of development it can be slowed down. Studies and researches suggest that dementia is gradually becoming prevalent in our society. It is important to analyze and evaluate the impact it has on individuals and their behavior. This study focuses on analyzing whether dementia leads to depression and other diseases and what precautionary measures may be taken by caregivers to reduce its impact. A personal contact with a close one suffering from Alzheimer’s lead me to believe that patients who suffer from this disease develop feelings of depression and anxiety. I strongly believe that such feelings are developed by most of the patients suffering from dementia. This research will set out to prove that dementia causes feelings of depression and anxiety. It is a correlation study. The research proposal entails how the variables will be operatioanlised and how this research will be conducted. Introduction This research proposal is an attempt to study the effects of Aging on the most complex organ of the human body, the brain and to assess the associations between perceptions of aging and behavior. Hypothesis: 30% or more aging adults suffer from dementia which deteriorates their quality of life and leads to depression and other diseases. It is very important to know the difference between age-related impairment of memory and dementia. While age-related impairment of memory is a normal aging process and can be improved or avoided by regularly exercising and maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle, dementia is a more serious and complex illness that eventually leads to complete loss of cognition and eventually death. There are many different forms of dementia. One of the most common forms of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists estimate that around 4.5 million people now have Alzheimer’s disease (National Institute on Aging). Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. The risk of developing Alzheimer’s increases with age, in most people the symptoms start to appear after age 60. It is important to know that Alzheimer is not a part of normal aging process but is a fatal disease. A lot of people are of the view that feelings of depression and anxiety eventually develop as an individual ages, however, this may not be true. Feelings of depression and anxiety eventually develop when an individual suffers from dementia. Such feelings can be curbed by providing proper care and attention to patients who are suffering from this disease. Objectives The research report is an attempt to study the effects of Aging on the most complex organ of the human body, the brain and to assess the associations between perceptions of aging and behavior. The purpose of this research is to find out whether dementia leads to depression and anxiety. Methods The methodology to gather data for this purpose is to conduct interviews from individuals who are suffering from this disease, who are taking care of individuals suffering from this disease and doctors who are diagnosing patients who have this disease. Limitations However, every method used to collect research data has a few limitations attached to it thus affecting the Research. Similarly, in our research method used, participants may be unwilling to answer certain questions or may inaccurately answer them. Thus data may not be so accurate. Also they may respond by providing us with biased answers which also in turn affects the quality of our research. Discussion As a person grows older he becomes wiser with experience however the experience of memory loss and cognitive slowing as a byproduct of aging affects our daily routines and impacts our personality in a negative way. Chronological aging as a frame of reference for the study of developmental phenomena is widely used but not very well understood. Two thirds of all people eventually experience some significant loss of mental strength and understanding capabilities as a result of aging. Usually people who are above the age of sixty experience significant cognitive declines, including a weaker memory (memory loss or absentmindedness), a low concentration level, unclear thoughts and a lost focus along with some other neurological problems like the Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease or stroke. (W.Browne, 2003) Conclusion Aging naturally causes changes in physical, cognitive, and social capabilities of a person. Age related changes like declining strength and difficulty in remembering is experienced as a kind of loss. Such Experiences of loss negatively affect health however some people maintain a positive health attitude instead which gives rise to a variety of these experiences. A positive health attitude is associated with persistent beliefs and behaviors. So even in older ages people can maintain their health if their beliefs are positive and they find themselves less susceptible to diseases. Optimism in an individual’s personality and people with a perceived control of life events are those aspects of the personality which help in maintaining good physical health as well. (Carroll Estes, 2009) The Multiple problems of aging are that in older ages minor problems may have a greater psychological impact. Older people suffer from additional problems of mental impairment, economic hardship and social isolation which can cause distress and other the cumulative effect of which could be greater than any disease. Literature review A human brain goes through changes during the aging process. As a person grows older every organ of his body deteriorates and same is the case with the human brain. These changes and deteriorating factors in this organ impact the personality of the individual as a whole because it is the most sensitive and crucial part of the human body. The cognitive declines usually associated with aging are observed in the processing speed and reaction times, Cognitive control, Executive functions and Memory. The most frequent personality disorders among the old age people are paranoid, schizoid and self defeating disorders. There are also treatments of these disorders. (Jason.L.Powell, 2004) The human brain starts to develop problems with sorting and understanding information that it receives, when an individual reaches the age of 40s or 50s. Dr Frisina has noticed this change in him as well as in other aging individuals he counsels. (Mares-Perlman JA, 1998) The slow processing of sensations in the brain due to aging, reflect the cause why so many older adults find it difficult to talk or make any speech in noisy environments. Older adults with “normal” hearing also face the same circumstance. There are a lot of books and studies which tell us that as a person grows older certain personality disorders develop. These Personality disorders are reflected in their interpersonal skills also that older people tend to give unexpected responses to clinical treatment. Patients with such personality disorders are often described in as "difficult." (Committee, 2005) According to the recent studies the older people as compared to the youth are becoming more economically and demographically attractive. However, there are costs of an aging population that the society bears as a whole. (Andrews, 2009) Our society nowadays discriminates the elderly and they are being ill treated. However Primitive agrarian cultures very existence depended upon the knowledge earned from experience, valued their elders, but even they were o moved to killing the non productive members of society because of harsh conditions of subsistence living. (Carroll Estes, 2009) As the population continues to grow older age and life expectancy increases. As a result continued awareness, study and research concerning the psychology of adult development and aging is becoming highly important. The journal tells about the importance of building support systems with awareness programs. (W.Browne, 2003) A very well known age related disease is Alzheimers.this disease and other age related dementia can cause many problems for the individuals and their families Some common age related dementia includes:. Recent memory loss. Usually people suffering from age related Dementia are forgetful and find it harder to remember things. They might ask the same question again and again all the time forgetting that the question had already been answered. Difficulty performing familiar tasks. They might perform a task and then forget to perform it or will forget about performing it at all. Problems with language: people in older ages may forget simple words and use wrong words because of which other people or family members would not be able to understand what they are saying. Time and place disorientation. They may forget where they are, where they were supposed to go or where they live. Misplacing things. The patients usually don’t remember where they put their things and then have a difficulty in looking for them. Changes in mood. Everyone is moody at times but as people grow older they have more mood swings, being happy one time and sad the very next moment. Impact of Neurological Conditions The neurological conditions of aging affect an individual’s : Physical Functioning – this could include spasticity, disturbance of gait, sensory impairments, limb weakness Cognitive Functioning – like problems in concentration, distraction, unable to do planning, wrong judgement, forgetful, failure to learn, hearing loss Emotional Functioning – like anxiety, stress, depression and low self esteem,anger or changes in personality. Social/Behavioural Functioning – this could include inappropriate behaviour, being impulsive, verbal abuse and aggressive, (Jason Powell, 2007) What this research means to: The aging community This research will help the aging community to better understand the problems it faces and also how to get rid of these problems by having an insight on the root causes. The researchers The researchers would know what aspects they need to study further and what other sort of researches need to be conducted in order to find answers to problems. Furthermore, research on the aging mind requires a sound knowledge of the issues. Therefore, future research should more specifically be focused on acquiring age-related knowledge, finding out social environments which are more age-friendly and training programs which are efficient enough to help the older people in allocating their declining resources in a much better way. (Davies, 2004) Older adults The most feared aspect of aging is losing mental function. In fact this constant fear directly affects our quality of life. Many individuals often believe that they are losing their mental functions and as a result, they experience a loss in their self-esteem and withdrawal from society and social settings. Relationship of age-related physiological changes and cognitive decline As individual ages, certain changes take place within the body that are chemical, biological or physical. In a similar manner the human brain also goes through a structural change which is a process known as ventriculomegaly in which the cerebral ventricles expand. As a result of this some of the connections between the neurons are reduced or become inefficient. This is the reason why these physical changes directly affect the psychological processes in the brain. (Browne, 2003) Hearing loss also has an impact on the cognitive function. A recent Brandeis University study found out that people with mild to serious hearing loss may find it difficult to retain what they have heard because most of their concentration span diverts towards trying to listen what is being said rather than trying to comprehend what is being said. This results in forgetting and memory loss. Physical and psychological problems will make people more dependent on others in their everyday life. They can have an impact on the individual’s ability to work or engage himself into any meaningful activity and will negatively affect the social attitude of the person. (Dementia and intellectual disabilities, 2003). Creating better support systems In cases like these the support systems help patients live as actively as possible until death. These support systems address the needs of the older aged patients and their families and provide them with necessary counseling. This is done in order to solve all sort of psychological, social or spiritual problems. The goal is to achieve the best quality of life for the individuals and their families. (Davies, 2004) Neuroscience researcher Dr. Arthur Wingfield suggests that individuals who communicate with people with hearing problem should pay special attention to the decline in cognitive function that may be accompanied along with it, and hence should speak more clearly, concisely and pausing after each clause in their sentence. The recovery from all these problems will depend on some factors like the severity of the condition, age, health status , personality and the availability of support services. At this stage there are a lot of new Alzheimer drug treatments in the process of being developed and tested. New studies are being conducted which will help in coming up with remedies to prevent or at least slow Alzheimer. It takes a longer time for the new drugs to develop and be introduced in the market so it is essential that the research keeps progressing. There are more and more funds being invested to conduct more research on the disease. Social attitudes towards memory loss/decline Memory loss has several implications on our lives. Those aging individuals who face this condition cannot converse well and hence leads to social cut off. It also causes embarrassment, feeling of isolation and loneliness. After Arthrisis and hypertention, memory is the third most prevalent disabling condition. A lot of aging individuals do not take loss of memory seriously, although it can have serious implications on their lives. The quality of life of people who have to face loss of memory deteriorates and their involvements and socializing reduces along with loss of confidence. They feel embarrassed and hence avoid conversation. How are the families and community being affected? Researchers are involved in finding ways to keep our brains young so as to prevent it from aging and to delay the onset of disease that follows from it as a result. A very well known age related disease is Alzheimer. This disease and other age related dementia can cause many problems for the individuals and their families. Families of people with neurological conditions suffer from considerable emotional distress and burden, which can have an impact on their own mental health. A consequence would be Feelings of grief, anger, frustration and guilt which will eventually lead to depression. In fact family and community stress is associated more with a person’s alterations to personality and interpersonal behavior. It results in conflicts and frustration. As more people survive into old age they also begin to suffer chronic illnesses and need some form of help from their families and people around.(Rama K. Jayanti, 2004) Importance of this research The research on age related problems of personality and cognitive function can help in raising awareness of the implications that an aging population can have for the society. More research needs to be conducted and investment needs to be done for the care and treatment of people with such illnesses. (Carroll Estes, Maggie Kuhn: social theorist of radical gerontology, 2009). Aging and its effects on the psychological functioning of a person will influence his ability to mix in with the community, access services like treatment, rehabilitation and education, create problems in family and social relationships, ability to get any emotional support from people and develop a positive quality of life. (Committee, 2005) Therefore, with the help of this research the impacts of aging can properly be understood which help the individuals, their families, communities and the caregivers in better understanding all these problems. More solutions could also be found and better support services can be created withmore awareness. Moreover, new aspects of research that has still not been conducted can be discovered. appendix QUESTIONNAIRE Demographics: Age: Gender: Marital status: Education level: QUESTIONS: Question 1 Aging is the most significant reason why older adults suffer from memory loss? A) Strongly agree b) agree c) not sure d) disagree e) Strongly disagree Question 2 Injuries and chronic diseases mostly cause memory loss on older adults? A) Strongly agree b) agree c) not sure d) disagree e) Strongly disagree Question 3 Older people are less productive because of the sensory losses they suffer from? A) Strongly agree b) agree c) not sure d) disagree e) Strongly disagree Question 4 Study of gerontology is important to get rid of problems like hearing and memory loss? A) Strongly agree b) agree c) not sure d) disagree e) Strongly disagree Question 5 Building of better support systems can lessen the costs of aging suffered by the individual? A) Strongly agree b) agree c) not sure d) disagree e) Strongly disagree Question 6 Age related physiological changes are a cause of alterations in personality of older adults? A) Strongly agree b) agree c) not sure d) disagree e) Strongly disagree Bibliography Andrews, M. (2009). The Narrative Complexity of Successful Aging. research paper , 300. Carroll Estes, E. P. (2009). Maggie Kuhn: social theorist of radical gerontology. International journal of sociology and social policy , 400. Carroll Estes, E. P. (2009). Maggie Kuhn: social theorist of radical gerontology. International journal of sociology and social policy , 300. Committee, S. A. (2005). A Consultation Document. Retrieved november tuesday, 2010, from Addressing the Psychological: http://www.bps.org.uk/downloadfile.cfm?file_uuid=8CDC84DC-1143-DFD0-7E6D-E8FDFBFDF95A&ext=pdf Davies, D. E. (2004). What are the palliative care needs of older people and how might they be met? London: WHO Regional Office for Europe’s Health Evidence Network (HEN). Jason Powell, A. W. (2007). Understanding risk and old age in western society. international journal of sociology and social policy , 500. L.Powell, J. (2004). Aging, technologies of self and bio-medicine. research paper , 300. MICHAEL R. BIEBER, P. (1999). Personality Disorders in Older Adults . Retrieved november tuesday, 2010, from GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY: http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/157/2/297 Rama K. Jayanti, M. K. (2004). effects of aging on brand attitude measurement. journal of consumer marketing , 400. Renee Feinberg, R. A. (1979). on aging-where are the advocates?an annotated bibliographhy. collection building , 300. W.Browne, B. (2003). Liberating imgination about aging. research paper , 300. Read More