 Decreased cardiac output

 Diminished ability to respond to stress

 Heart rate and stroke volume do not
increase with maximum demand
 Slower heart recovery rate
 Increased blood pressure
 Complaints of fatigue with increased
activity
 Increased heart rate recovery time
 Normal BP ≤140/90 mm Hg
 Increase in residual lung volume
 Decrease in vital capacity
 Decreased gas exchange and diffusing
capacity
 Decreased cough efficiency
 Fatigue and breathlessness with sustained
activity
 Impaired healing of tissues as a result of
decreased oxygenation
 Difficulty coughing up secretions
 Decreased protection against trauma and
sun exposure
 Decreased protection against temperature
extremes
 Diminished secretion of natural oils and
perspiration
 Skin appears thin and wrinkled
 Complaints of injuries, bruises, and
sunburn
 Complaints of intolerance to heat
 Bone structure is prominent
 Dry skin
 Loss of bone density
 Loss of muscle strength and size
 Degenerated joint cartilage
 Height loss
 Prone to fractures
 Kyphosis
 Back pain
 Loss of strength, flexibility, and endurance
 Joint pain
 Male: Benign prostatic hyperplasia
 Female: Relaxed perineal muscles,
detrusor instability (urge incontinence),
urethral dysfunction (stress urinary
incontinence)
 Urgency/frequency syndrome, decreased
“warning time,” bathroom mapping
 Drops of urine lost with cough, laugh,
position change
 Decreased salivation
 Difficulty swallowing food
 Delayed esophageal and gastric emptying
 Reduced gastrointestinal motility
 Complaints of dry mouth
 Complaints of fullness, heartburn, and
indigestion
 Constipation, flatulence, and abdominal
discomfort
 Reduced speed in nerve conduction;
 Increased confusion with physical illness
and loss of environmental cues;
 Reduced cerebral circulation (becomes
faint, loses balance)
 Slower to respond and react
 Learning takes longer
 Becomes confused with hospital
admission
 Faintness
 Frequent falls
 Vision: Diminished ability to focus on close
objects; inability to tolerate glare; difficulty
adjusting to changes of light intensity; decreased
ability to distinguish colors
 Hearing: Decreased ability to hear
highfrequency sounds
 Taste and smell: Decreased ability to taste and
smell
 Holds objects far away from face
 Complains of glare
 Poor night vision
 Confuses colors
 Gives inappropriate responses
 Asks people to repeat words
 Strains forward to hear
 Uses excessive sugar and salt
 Female: Vaginal narrowing and decreased
elasticity; decreased vaginal secretions
 Male: Decreased size of penis and testes
 Male and female: Slower sexual response
 Female: Painful intercourse; vaginal
bleeding following intercourse; vaginal
itching and irritation; delayed orgasm
 Male: Delayed erection and achievement
of orgasm
 The social, psychological, and physiologic functions of
eating influence the dietary habits of the aged person.
 Decreased physical activity and a slower metabolic rate
reduce the number of calories needed by the older adult
to maintain an ideal weight.
 Apathy, immobility, depression, loneliness, poverty,
inadequate knowledge, lack of oral health, and lack of
taste discrimination also contribute to suboptimal nutrient
intake.
 Budgetary constraints and physical limitations may
impair food shopping and meal preparation.
 Sleep disturbances frequently occur in
older people, affecting more than 50% of
adults 65 years of age or older.
 The elderly often experience variations in
their normal sleep–wake cycles, and the
lack of quality sleep at night often creates
the need for napping during the day
 Successful psychological aging is reflected
in the older person’s ability to adapt to
physical, social, and emotional losses and
to achieve contentment, serenity, and life
satisfactions.
 The older person will often have fewer choices
and diminished resources to deal with stressful
events.
 Common stressors of old age include normal
aging changes that impair physical function,
activities, and appearance
 Disabilities from chronic illness
 Social and environmental
 Losses related to loss of income and decreased
ability to perform previous roles and activities
 The deaths of significant others