The Ageing Process (Essay)

Ageing  is the accumulation of changes in a person over time. Ageing in humans refers to a multidimensional process of physical, psychological, and social change. Some dimensions of ageing grow and expand over time, while others decline. Reaction time, for example, may slow with age, while knowledge of world events and wisdom may expand.

Differences are sometimes made between populations of elderly people. Divisions are sometimes made between the young old (65–74), the middle old (75–84) and the oldest old (85+). However problematic this is, chronological age does not correlate perfectly with functional age, i.e. two people may be of the same age, but differ in their mental and physical capacities. Each nation, government and non-government organisation has different ways of classifying age.

Ageing is a gradual and continuous process.

Ageing can be defined in various ways, including:

• “a distinct and progressive decline in function which makes us more vulnerable to disease”,
• “a loss of adaptability and failure to maintain the body’s homeostasis (metabolic equilibrium)”,
• “a process leading to the functional impairment of tissues and organs”,
• “A series of changes that lead to the loss of function of organs and cells, with the eventual outcome of death”.

It is basically the changes that occur with time, to make a person different from how they were when younger. Obvious, visible signs of ageing, such as greying hair and wrinkles, will be accompanied by less obvious, but progressive deterioration of bodily systems, (such as bone thinning, and stiffening of the arteries), and gradual increased susceptibility to disease and death.

The process of ageing is still not fully understood, but it is felt that there are many mechanisms involved. One of the most favourite theories is that the formation of “free radicals”, (a by-product of the body’s use of oxygen), causes damage at cellular level, and the ability of the individual’s maintenance and repair systems to counter this process determines how quickly a person ages.

With ageing, there is an increased risk of death, due to internal and/or external factors.

However, individuals vary greatly in the rate at which they age, and how they age, which is genetically determined, and it is important to bear this in mind when considering the older person’s functional ability. An older person‘s unique characteristics of genetic makeup and lifestyle may render them much more healthy than a person 20 years younger.

Several other factors, which are not intrinsic, may influence the rate of ageing. Lifestyle features, such as poor diet, lack of exercise, and cigarette smoking can exacerbate osteoporosis, atrophy of muscles, and reduced lung function, for example. Where you live (that is, in a developed world country or a third world country, as well as how advantaged is your local community), is important as well as other environmental factors, such as exposure to toxins and infections, and psychological issues, such as depression (with resultant lack of motivation to live a healthy lifestyle).

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