BIOL355 Midterm: Gerontology review
14 Mar 2017
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Document Summary
Gerontology: branch of science dealing with the broad study of the aging process. Gerontologist: uses multidisciplinary concepts and approaches to try and understand the complex aging process. Geriatrics: branch of medicine dealing with the medical care and treatment of the elderly. Geriatrician: doctor concerned with health, care, and diseases of the elderly. Interaction of processes influences aging: social, biological, psychological, spiritual, cultural, environmental. None of the above processes can influence chronological aging. The scientific investigation of biological mechanisms of how and why we age. Looks at physical changes in body structure that occur over time. Observe changes in appearance (wrinkles, hair, decreased height, degreased mobility), functional capacity. Chronological age: time from birth for an individual. Poor indicator of biological age because it"s subjective, arbitrary, and relative. Factors differ between individuals in magnitude and type. Biological age: based on a person"s functional capacity.
