Physiological performance of the body in aging

DHULIQAR ALNUWASIR¹ Reza Farzizadeh²

1) Master s student in Sports Physiology, affiliated with the university
2) Professor of Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Department of Sports Physiology, Ardabil, Iran

IOI Code : XKZE-KKDDF
Publication : Second International Exercise Physiology Conference(sportuma2023.ir)
Abstract :
    The population of Greece is among the most aged populations in Europe. The factors of aging are components of the demographic change namely the mortality, the fertility, external migratory movement and internal migration. According to EU statistical office Eurostat in 2005 in Greece the persons over 65 years are accounted for 18% of the total population (from 15% in 1995) [1]. Third age has been established like a phase in human life with its own special characteristics that have to do not only with the physical, physiological impairment or the existence of acute or chronic diseases, but also with changes in social life [2]. Third age is the age of the human life descent. It is worth to note that the effects of the old age are not only organic and physically evident but they have also psychological effects. Unfortunately, today most of the people, especially the younger ones, tend to treat the elderly as a different and often lower group of people who cannot keep pace in today s society. It s really hard to experience the feeling of abandonment by the society knowing that we will be in the same condition one day [3]. Except from the physical changes that are happening to the human body during the third age, there are also important psycho-social problems such as primarily derived isolation due to sadness, wilting due to solitude, long-term illnesses leading to inactivity, abandonment by the relatives, impotence etc. [4]. All the changes that occur in the lives of the elderly make them very sensitive and there are many cases in which the older people are experiencing feelings of loneliness, depression and isolation. The cause of these sentiments is not only the very elderly due to the fragile psychological condition in which they are but also the treatment received from the society as a whole [3]. The purpose of this review is to identify the psycho-social problems of the elderly people, their symptoms, and the way to prevent them, their treatment as well as the role of nurses and health professionals in general. Exploring the psycho-social problems is of utmost importance as this age is characterized by feelings of loneliness, fear, depression and isolation from themselves, unpleasant thoughts but also from negative feelings.

Keywords : dementia dementia is more than mere memory impairment it concerns 5% of the population over 65 years the prevalence is expected to double in the next 20 years [5] it can be manifested as short term memory loss word finding difficulty critical capacity problems difficulty in handling complex everyday things apathy irritability and in more severe cases as apraxia loss of speech intelligibility loss of ability to walk physical irritability [6]