Chapter 12 Vocab

centenarian

A person age 100 or older.

liver spots

Harmless age spots that are flat gray, brown, or black, vary in size, and may appear on the face, hands, shoulders, or arms.

incontinence

Involuntary urination or defecation.

cataracts

Eye condition in which the lens of the eye thickens and causes cloudy or distorted vision.

glaucoma

Eye condition that involves damage to the optic nerve, and in which vision is distorted.

macular degeneration

Eye disease that causes people to have difficulty seeing objects inside the center of the field of vision.

periphery

The outer edges of the center field of vision.

diabetic retinopathy

Eye disease that involves damage to the blood vessels in the retina, which causes blurred vision.

presbycusis

Hearing loss associated with age, most often caused by damage to the inner ear.

tinnitus

A ringing sound in the ears.

sleep apnea

A condition in which the airway collapses or becomes blocked and causes a person to have pauses in breathing while sleeping.

dentures

Manufactured, custom-made teeth that replace natural teeth.

Medicare

A government health insurance program that helps older adults pay for medical costs.

Social Security

A government retirement fund that provides supplemental income to Americans who are at least 62 years of age and who have met employment contribution eligibility standards.

integrity versus despair

Erikson's final socio-emotional stage in which people either come to terms with their life or fall into despair over failings and unmet goals.

matriarch

The oldest and most influential female family member.

patriarch

The oldest and most influential male family member.

ageism

Bias against, or unfair treatment of, persons based on their age.

dementia

A brain disorder that involves cognitive declines and memory loss. this also impairs a person's ability to perform everyday tasks, such as self-dressing, cleaning, eating, and remembering where items are placed.

Alzheimer's disease

A progressive brain disorder that includes not only memory loss, but also progressively severe confusion.

hospice care

A form of care given by trained medical professionals, which focuses on making a person comfortable in his or her last days and hours of life.

Last Will and Testament

A legal document that gives explicit directions on how to divide a person's financial assets once he or she dies.

beneficiaries

People who are recipients of financial assets once a person dies.

living will

A legal document that informs family and medical workers of preferences for being kept alive by artificial means, or allows the decision to let them pass, when there is no chance of recovery.

intestate

To die without a will.

widow

A woman who has lost her husband to death.

widower

a man who has lost his wife to death.

bereavement

A term used to describe the sate of losing a loved one through death.

grief

the mental anguish or sadness that accompanies bereavement.

mourning

The period when people remember and grieve for the loss of a beloved one.