Perception Of Aging

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The aging and care of the elderly can influence a persons’ perception from a young age. We see some of the greatest people we know as old, elderly and frail. Our perception usually starts with our grandparents and with some our parents. Old age today is not seen by a specific number, it can be how a person perceives them self, their lifestyle and health status. In Australia today, we are seeing an aging population and within the next 7 years it is expected that people aged over 65 years will be 20 percent of the population (Bernoth & Winkler, 2016, p.5). This is showing that current Australians are living longer and in better health than generations before us and having one of the longest life expectancies in the world (Bernoth & Winkler, 2016, p. 9). We can expect to see an increased number of the older generation presenting within our health care system with long term health conditions that increase and affect their care needs and quality of life. (Seegert, 2016)

Aging is a gradual, continuous process and is often seen as a negative experience. After starting my research on this subject, I have come to understand that we do not become elderly at any specific age. It can be based on many different factors including, Chronological age is your age in years. Biological age is based on the changes in the body as people age, these changes can be caused by disease and lifestyle. Psychological age which is based on how old we act and feel. (Overview of Aging, n.d.) Stereotypes of aging and the older person can be generally negative, portraying later life as a time of poor physical and mental functions, loneliness, dependency and complex chronic health conditions.

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As a nurse, I can expect to play a major role in the care of our aging population, Understanding now that the physical and psychosocial aspects of aging go hand in hand, (Seegert, 2016) I will aim as a nurse to take this into account and endeavor to build a relationship of trust with my patients, showing care and compassion and understanding that we all have lived different lives and we can all expect a different aging process. A way of doing this would include being aware of, and discouraging the stigma attached to aging and by applying a holistic approach, promoting good health and not focusing entirely on just the physical conditions of a person. (Bernoth, 2016). A positive self-perception of aging is beneficial for mind, body and soul. (Beyer, Wolff, Warner, Schüz, & Wurm, 2015, p. 3)

Currency

My main article used to support my reflection was from a journal called Psychosocial Factors in Healthy Aging – The role of physical activity in the relationship between self-perceptions of aging and self-rated health in older adults written by Ann-Kristin Beyer, Julia K. Wolff, Lisa M. Warner, Benjamin Schüz & Susanne Wurm and first published in 2015. The information is current.

Reliability

My article addresses the perception of aging when including exercise and physical activities into the daily lives of the elderly. It included many credible references throughout and evidence of their opinions. It has been peer reviewed and uses evidence based information for their findings. The article is presented as an academic article shared by CSU.edu.

Authority

The article was written by many academics in the fields of psychology, gerontology and health; they are affiliated with many universities. The corresponding author has provided her email. It is a csu.edu document registered by accredited educational institutions being Charles Sturt University.

Purpose

The purpose of the article is to provide information, based on evidence, to examine the role of physical activity as a possible underlying mechanism in the relationship between self-perceptions of aging and self-rated health. The writers note this in their conclusion.  

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