Aging and Cognitive Status

The following paragraph will identify the physical manifestations of aging, thus illustrating the most commonly viewed perception about elderly – forgetfulness. What is it all about and why and how does it affect human lives. This essay will answer the question as to whether forgetfulness is a pathologic or biologic characteristic of aging.The premise on which this paper operates on is the inference and personal opinion of the author relative to the effects and conditions of forgetfulness, its impact to both young and old alike.Aging is tantamount to the degeneration of all bodily functions, until such time when the function exhausts itself and degenerate. This is because the life span of the human cell only extends up to such time until it no longer regenerates.As we age, the usual optimal level of bodily functions that we have gotten used to begins to slow down. This also holds true with the cognitive and motor functions. In the cognitive aspect, aging brings along the tende ncy of memory loss and focus. Older people sometimes finds it hard to remember events that took place in the past, even more so with events which took place just recently.Cognition won’t be as efficient and sharp as it used to be. There is the deterioration of vision and eyesight that sometimes causes a great deal of confusion among elderly and sometime the same culprit as that of accidents and fall.As for motor functioning, there is the slowing down of bodily movements, as in the case of slow movement. One of the possible reasons can be attributed to the poor vision, where in they move slowly because they can not see very clearly therefore requiring them to make sure every step they make.Certain cells in the brain die causing it to alter cognition in a way also affecting other functions like the satiety, taste buds memory and etc.This is true to almost every human being, although the rate of deterioration may differ on a case to case basis, depending on how the body has been taken cared for while in their youth (AAGP. 2004). Almost every elderly, experiences a certain percentage of memory loss, deterioration of vision and taste buds, as well as that of motor functions at certain point in time.Although, the hearing, memory, taste and vision loss is common among elderly, this can also happen in earlier stages of life, especially so with accidents causing injury or trauma to the central nervous system. Forgetfulness also happens to young people, which is especially true when there are a lot of things going on in a person’s life.Sometimes, there are just too many things to take care of, responsibilities at home, in school, the family and even to self. Sometimes it is the kind of lifestyle that causes this.Memory lapse can be a bothersome thing, however temporary they may be; the idea of forgetting things can be so irritating especially if you lost it at the time it is most needed.The best thing to do if this happens to younger people like me is to s top whatever it is that I am doing and concentrate, de-stress and relax, so that the thought comes back when the body is at the state of ease and comfort (Rauch. 2005).Reference PageAAGP [American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry]. (2004). Geriatrics and Mental Health factsheet. Retrieved online on 14 Feb 2007 from http://aagponline.org/prof/facts_mh.aspRauch, Kate. (2005). Why are many elderly people forgetful? It may be the blues. A WebMDarticle published in MedicineNet webpage last Jan 30, 2005. Retrieved 14 Feb 2007 from: http://www.webmd.com/content/article/13/1674_50449