Although the thinking methods of the elderly are no different from those of middle-aged people, the thinking of the elderly is relatively slow, so I would like to talk about my personal views on the thinking methods of the elderly. Below I will introduce to you what are the thinking characteristics of the elderly. I hope it will be helpful to you.
Thinking characteristics of the elderly
Thinking is one of the most complex psychological activities of human beings. It summarizes and reflects objective reality through the mediation of people's existing knowledge and experience. Human beings can understand the essence and internal connections of things through thinking. This is an advanced and rational cognitive process, which mainly includes the abilities of generalization, analogy, reasoning and problem solving.
1. Manifestations of thinking changes in the elderly
Thinking declines later, especially the thinking ability related to the majors that one is familiar with can still be maintained in old age. However, due to the decline in perception and memory, the elderly have reduced conceptual, logical reasoning and problem-solving abilities. In particular, the agility, fluency, flexibility, originality and creativity of thinking are worse than those of young and middle-aged people. . The manifestations of weakened thinking and disorders in the elderly are as follows:
1) Slow and poor thinking, difficulty in associating certain things, slow reaction, and slow language; some elderly people are unwilling to learn and think about problems, resulting in vocabulary shortage , the association is easy to be interrupted, and the speech often stops suddenly.
2) The mind is free and fast. For example, the person can quickly associate things in his youth and speak endlessly.
3) Compulsive thinking: involuntary, accidental and meaningless associations, or recurring thinking associations that are difficult to eliminate.
4) Logical obstacles mainly manifest as confusion in reasoning and concepts, complicated and tortuous thinking processes, and lack of logical connections in content.
2. Strategies for coping with changes in the elderly’s thinking
The weakening of people’s thinking ability in old age manifests itself to different degrees in each elderly person. Some people still think very clearly, and even still think clearly. There are creative minds, and some people have severe thinking disorders. Therefore, we should pay attention to the comprehensive physical and mental health care of the elderly, encourage the elderly to treat life with a positive attitude, cultivate their thinking quality, and restore and maintain their good thinking ability.
Psychological characteristics of the elderly
A large number of studies have shown that the psychological changes in old age are accompanied by the decline of physiological functions, causing certain psychological functions or certain aspects of psychological functions to appear. Decline or decline, while other psychological functions or certain aspects of psychological functions remain stable, or even produce new adaptive compensatory functions. Psychological changes in the elderly refer to changes in mental abilities and psychological characteristics, including sensory perception, intelligence, and personality characteristics. The psychological changes of the elderly are mainly manifested in the following aspects.
1. Changes in intelligence
Intelligence is the ability to learn or gain from practical experience. It is more difficult for the elderly to speed up their learning within a limited time than for the young. The elderly are not as good at learning new things as the young, and their internships are also susceptible to interference. Human intelligence is closely related to individual factors (such as heredity, physical condition, etc.) and social environmental factors (educational level, occupation, etc.).
2. Changes in memory
As age increases, the memory ability of the elderly slows down and declines. Conscious memory is dominant, unconscious memory is supplemented, recognition ability is still good, and recall ability is poor. Poor, manifested in being able to identify acquaintances but being unable to name them. Older people's meaning memory is intact, but their mechanical memory is not as good as that of younger people. In addition, the elderly experience rapid memory decline within a specified period of time. Memory is related to human physiological factors, health, mental status, memory training, and social environment.
3. Changes in thinking
Thinking is the highest form of human cognitive process and a more complex psychological process. However, due to the decline of memory in the elderly, both in concept formation and solution Both the thinking process of the problem and creative thinking and logical reasoning are affected, and there are great individual differences.
4. Changes in personality
When a person reaches old age, personality (that is, a person’s characteristics or personality, including personality, interests, hobbies, tendencies, values, talents and specialties, etc.) There are also corresponding changes, such as the uneasiness and anxiety caused by excessive concern and worry about health and economy, conservatism, loneliness, willfulness, nostalgia and grumbling caused by the inability to grasp the status quo, etc. In recent years, some people believe that the main contradiction in old age is the integrity of personality or the feeling of despair.
5. Changes in emotion and will
The emotion and will process of the elderly vary greatly due to different social status, living environment, and cultural quality. Emotional activities are relatively stable during the aging process. Even if there are changes, they are caused by changes in living conditions and social status, and are not determined by age itself.
Characteristics of the physical and mental development of the elderly
After entering old age (after 60 years old), a series of physical and psychological changes have taken place, which are many different from those of middle-aged and young people. The characteristics can be summarized as follows: (1) Gradual decline of physiological functions: The decline of physiological functions in old age is a physiological phenomenon of the natural development of the human body. The main manifestations are as follows: ① Brain atrophy caused by the reduction of brain cells, leading to the decline of brain function. It is manifested in the decrease in the excitability of the nerve center and the increase in inhibition; the recovery process of nerve cells is also weak, and the regulation and control ability of the entire brain is reduced.
② The sensory perception ability declines, which is manifested in decreased vision. In particular, the sensitivity to high-frequency light waves declines rapidly. Generally, you need to wear reading glasses when reading books, newspapers and articles; your hearing is weakened, especially your ability to resist interference, you need to speak loudly to hear clearly, and the frequency of speaking must be slow to hear clearly; your sense of smell is reduced and you are prone to fatigue; your sense of taste is reduced, and your taste buds Atrophy, often tasteless food; reduced tactile sensitivity, slow response to temperature, cold and pressure sensations, and sluggish movements; aging of the motion analyzer, reduced balance ability, often prone to falling; reduced operating ability, often trembling hands and feet. ③ Decreased attention, manifested in scattered attention and difficulty in concentrating; slow transfer of attention, even sluggishness, easy to get into trouble, attention allocation often focusing on one thing and not another, focusing on one thing and another.
④ Memory loss, manifested in poor recent memory, mechanical memory, and instantaneous memory, and forgetfulness; long-term memory is okay, but sometimes it gets stuck. For example, the names of relatives, friends, comrades-in-arms, and colleagues who were very familiar to me suddenly cannot be remembered, but they suddenly come to mind again later. ⑤Thinking ability is reduced, which is reflected in the intensity, speed and flexibility of thinking, which are not as good as in young and middle-aged people. In particular, the ability to resist interference and regulate thoughts is significantly reduced. Thoughts are easily disrupted and it is often difficult to think coherently. After the thoughts are set, it is difficult to turn to thinking and they are often stubborn. ⑥ Decreased imagination ability, mainly due to unclear memory of the representation of original things, and reduced ability to accept new things, and the amount of information stored is significantly reduced.
⑦Reduced operational ability, mainly due to poor coordination of hands and feet, especially slow movements and lack of dexterity. Sometimes the hands are not tightly held, the feet are unstable, and even tremble. However, old age also has its advantages, which is that mental decline occurs much later than physical decline. Especially for those who use their brains frequently, their intelligence not only does not decrease, but also increases compared with that of young and middle-aged people. For example, for some late-blooming scientists, artists, writers and politicians, the age of 60-70 is still at the peak of their intelligence. According to statistics, among the 83 Nobel Prize winners in literature before 1979, 53 were over 60 years old, accounting for 64 of the winners; 25 were between 70 and 80 years old, accounting for 31; only 5 were under 60 years old. , accounting for 5. This is enough to see the advantages of old age intelligence. Therefore, the elderly should not feel inferior due to the decline of physiological functions. The elderly have deep experience, broad knowledge, and rich experience. They are good at theoretical thinking and foresight. They can consider problems comprehensively, profoundly, and realistically, and they can also make the remaining heat shine.
(2) Gradual psychological aging variation: After the elderly retire, as interpersonal communication decreases and the living circle shrinks, feelings of isolation, loneliness, and attachment gradually arise, and as time goes by, , the ability of self-activity and self-care is reduced, the sense of dependence, aging and even death gradually arises, and a trend of psychological aging appears. Cognitively, there is a unity of opposites between maturity and decline. Cognitive maturity is one of the important psychological characteristics of the elderly. As Confucius said, "When I am fifteen, I am determined to learn; when I am thirty, I stand up; at forty, I am not confused; at fifty, I know the destiny; at sixty, my ears are attuned." At seventy, one should follow one's heart's desires without exceeding the rules. ?
However, due to the aging of the senses and the decline of brain function, it will inevitably lead to cognitive decline. The acceptance and memory of recent things are poor, thus affecting the further development of cognition. In terms of mentality, it is manifested as the unity of opposites between positivity and negativity. A positive attitude still occupies a dominant position among the elderly. As the saying goes, an old man is brave and aims for a thousand miles. ?It fully shows the direction of people’s everlasting heart. However, due to the decline of physiological functions and illness, a psychological experience of "having more than enough energy but not enough energy" arises spontaneously.
Psychological characteristics of the elderly
A large number of studies have shown that the psychological changes in old age are accompanied by the decline of physiological functions, causing certain psychological functions or certain aspects of psychological functions to appear. Decline or decline, while other psychological functions or certain aspects of psychological functions remain stable, or even produce new adaptive compensatory functions. Psychological changes in the elderly refer to changes in mental abilities and psychological characteristics, including sensory perception, intelligence, and personality characteristics. The psychological changes of the elderly are mainly manifested in the following aspects.
1. Changes in intelligence
Intelligence is the ability to learn or gain from practical experience. It is more difficult for the elderly to speed up their learning within a limited time than for the young. The elderly are not as good at learning new things as the young, and their internships are also susceptible to interference. Human intelligence is closely related to individual factors (such as heredity, physical condition, etc.) and social environmental factors (educational level, occupation, etc.).
2. Changes in memory
As age increases, the memory ability of the elderly slows down and declines. Conscious memory is dominant, unconscious memory is supplemented, recognition ability is still good, and recall ability is poor. Poor, manifested in being able to identify acquaintances but being unable to name them. Older people's meaning memory is intact, but their mechanical memory is not as good as that of younger people. In addition, the memory of the elderly declines rapidly within a specified period of time. Memory is related to human physiological factors, health, mental status, memory training, and social environment.
3. Changes in thinking
Thinking is the highest form of human cognitive process and a more complex psychological process. However, due to the decline of memory in the elderly, both in concept formation and solution Both the thinking process of the problem and creative thinking and logical reasoning are affected, and there are great individual differences.
4. Changes in personality
When a person reaches old age, personality (that is, a person’s characteristics or personality, including personality, interests, hobbies, tendencies, values, talents and specialties, etc.) There are also corresponding changes, such as uneasiness and anxiety caused by excessive concern and worry about health and economy, conservatism, loneliness, willfulness, nostalgia and grumbling caused by the inability to grasp the status quo, etc. In recent years, some people believe that the main contradiction in old age is the integrity of personality or the feeling of despair.
5. Changes in emotion and will
The emotion and will process of the elderly vary greatly due to different social status, living environment, and cultural quality. Emotional activities are relatively stable during the aging process. Even if there are changes, they are caused by changes in living conditions and social status, not by age itself.
Physiological and psychological characteristics of the elderly
Abstract: The elderly are a social group. In recent years, with the increasing proportion and total number of elderly people, population aging has become a prominent social issue. As age increases, a series of changes occur within the human body. Changes in old age can involve various systems of the human body, including physiological and psychological changes.
This article focuses on issues related to mental health in old age, in order to draw attention to the elderly and further improve the health care work for the elderly.
Keywords: Physiological and psychological health of the elderly
Physiological characteristics of the elderly
Aging is a natural law in human life. A person’s life goes through childhood, From youth, adulthood to old age, a series of signs of aging will gradually appear at a certain age. It is generally believed that the age of about 50 is called early senility, the age of 60 is considered old age, and the age of 90 or above is longevity. Therefore, aging is a gradual process of physiological decline.
1 Mechanical movement relies on energy, and all human activities are also inseparable from energy. As people age, their basal metabolism and oxygen consumption continue to decrease, reaching a low point in old age, so the elderly require less energy than adults. In terms of energy production, older people have fewer cells than adults. From the perspective of energy production, the ATP, creatine phosphate, and glycogen in the cells of the elderly also decrease accordingly, and these decreases have far exceeded the decrease in energy demand, limiting the body's working ability to a certain extent. Therefore, the elderly should replenish their bodies with energy in a timely manner according to their actual conditions.
2. Life is the way protein exists. The protein metabolism of the elderly is in a negative balance, that is to say, catabolism and anabolism. The levels of essential amino acids in the body decrease. At the same time, due to the There are also certain changes in the activity and content of some enzymes in cells. As people age, the proportion of proteins in some tissues also changes. Some protein molecules turn into complexes. These complexes are large and inactive, and are deposited in cells, affecting the normal functions of cells and becoming a symptom of aging.
Three people often say: “It’s hard to buy old age and lose weight if you have money.” Indeed, subcutaneous fat often increases as people age. Due to the accumulation of saturated fatty acids in the elderly, the ability of cholesterol esterification in the liver increases, resulting in an increase in cholesterol and an increase in blood lipids. The binding ability of lipoproteins and cholesterol in the elderly increases, and cholesterol easily deposits in the blood vessel walls, causing atherosclerosis. At the same time, triglycerides and free fatty acids in the blood of the elderly also increase significantly. Therefore, there is some truth in the saying that it is difficult to buy thin products in old age if you have money.
4 The brain is the central organ of human mental and neurological activities. Some studies have shown that the brain weight of the elderly is 6.6-11% less than that of youth, the brain surface area is 10% less than that of young people, and the number of brain nerve cells can be reduced by 10%. --30. Therefore, the elderly have reduced mental working ability, are prone to fatigue, insomnia, memory loss, and lack of emotional color in life. However, the brains of the elderly also have their advantages, such as the development of adaptive mechanisms, which enable them to have higher IQ levels and strong logical thinking and understanding abilities. Therefore, it is best to engage in activities with light load and slow rhythm based on their actual situation. A job that requires high intellectual and logical thinking. Some elderly people may also suffer from insufficient blood supply to the brain due to cerebral arteriosclerosis, cerebral embolism and other reasons, resulting in softening and necrosis of brain tissue, atrophy of the cerebral cortex, and reduced intelligence and logical thinking ability.
5 The heart is the power device for blood circulation and occupies an extremely important position in human life. The heart of the elderly has certain characteristics. In a normal aging heart, when physiological needs are reduced, the heart rate slows down, the myocardium atrophies, the volume becomes smaller, and the contractile function of the myocardium sometimes decreases, making it susceptible to heart disease. Figures published in the United States indicate that one million people die from myocardial infarction or sudden death every year. It was also reported that 36 patients over 70 years old had coronary heart disease, 44 had myocardial fibrosis, and 29 had myocardial degeneration. Hypertension and other heart diseases cause pathological enlargement of the heart, which is often seen clinically.
6 Due to the decrease in the regenerative function of liver cells in the elderly, the aging of the liver is more obvious, often becoming smaller in size and lighter in weight. This change is more obvious after the age of 60. At the age of 90, the liver The weight is only 50% of normal people, so liver disease in the elderly is often serious, and abnormal proliferation can cause liver cancer.
7 The kidneys of the elderly suffer from reduced renal function due to the reduction of glomeruli and renal tubules.
8 The elasticity of the lung tissue of the elderly will decrease, the alveoli will expand, and the anterior and posterior diameter of the thorax will expand and the movement will be limited, resulting in a decrease in total lung volume and vital capacity. Some people have found that the maximum ventilation volume at the age of 80 is only 20 years old. 50 hours. Respiratory mucosa atrophy and mucociliary function decrease, making chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and pulmonary heart disease common diseases in the elderly.
9 The elderly have reduced gastrointestinal function, which is mainly manifested by reduced secretion of gastric acid and digestive enzymes. Smooth muscle and mucous membranes atrophy, reducing the ability to digest food and absorb nutrients. Gastrointestinal motility slows down, defecation is delayed, and senile constipation occurs. Some elderly people also develop allergic enteritis due to chronic intestinal dysfunction. Therefore, the elderly should arrange their diet and nutritional content according to their gastrointestinal characteristics.
10 In terms of reproductive system, the elderly also show obvious changes. The number of sperm in older men decreases, their mobility decreases, and their sexual desire also decreases, manifesting as decreased reproductive function. Prostatic hypertrophy, a common disease, often causes acute urinary retention, difficulty urinating, and even sudden death in elderly male patients. As older women age between 45 and 49 years old, they will develop the well-known "menopausal syndrome" due to endocrine disorders. Cause special changes in physiology, personality and psychology. The internal and external genitalia of older women will also shrink and dry up with age.
11 In terms of bones, the organic colloid components in the bones of the elderly decrease, while the inorganic components increase, which can increase from 50 to 80 in young people, causing bones to become brittle, reduce toughness, and prone to fractures. Bones with osteoporosis may deform after being stressed, such as a hunchback. Cartilage in the elderly sometimes undergoes changes such as fatification and calcification. The rough, uneven and deformed surfaces of the joints make the elderly unstable and have difficulty moving. Bone hyperplasia in some parts often brings great pain to elderly patients.
12 In terms of facial features and skin, the elderly have cystic ptosis of the lower eyelids, reduced corneal transparency, thin conjunctiva, easy bleeding under the bulbar conjunctiva, decreased adjustment function of the lens, "presbyopia", and even lens opacity and cataracts. . Shrunk earlobes and hearing loss are also common in older people. The elderly have reduced olfactory function and dry nasal mucosa. Atrophic changes in tooth roots often cause tooth loss. The skin of the elderly is thin, wrinkles increase, and skin elasticity decreases. Hypofunction of sebaceous glands results in dry skin and hypofunction of sweat glands, which blocks heat dissipation and makes heat stroke more likely. The changes in the tissues and organs of the above-mentioned parts of the elderly are like "old trees withered branches" showing signs of decline. However, if the elderly master their own physiological characteristics, take certain measures according to their actual situation, combine movement and stillness, and pay attention to health care, You will be able to make better use of your residual heat, and by then even the sunset scenery will be infinitely better.
Psychological characteristics of the elderly
Due to the drastic changes in the role of the elderly in society, from the status of contributing to the country and society to the status of being supported by society? Idle person?. The status has changed, from being busy with various work tasks to being idle all day long without a job. Living at home and social interaction is significantly reduced. At this time, if the children are separated or the wife is sick or passes away, it is easy to have corresponding neuropsychiatric disorders. At this major turning point, it is naturally easy for physiological and psychological changes to occur. Some are prone to anger, depression, anxiety, loneliness and desolation. At the same time, negative psychological states such as low self-esteem, aging, and loss occur, and some are not at the same time. Various discomforts such as restless sleep, blood pressure fluctuations, loss of appetite, and fatigue may occur. If the original coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, etc. will become more serious at this time, it is very necessary to formulate a practical life plan after retirement and rebuild a new life after retirement.
Elderly people are prone to the following psychological states: (1) Loss mentality. The cause of modernization requires modern concepts, modern scientific knowledge, modern mental qualities, and a strong body. However, the elderly generally have shortcomings in these aspects, and they are most likely to feel depressed at this time. (2) Nostalgia. For individuals, changes in living environment and value goals have increased the psychological contrast among veteran cadres, and thus their nostalgia has also become stronger. (3) Indifferent psychology.
He neither pursues fame and wealth deliberately nor is he pessimistic about the world. Although he lives in poverty, he is content with himself, and although he works hard, he is content with it. (4) Inferiority mentality. Its manifestations include: being timid and cautious, not daring to think or venture, not daring to take risks, for fear of breaking the peaceful life and balance; prone to loneliness, because the contact with others is relatively reduced after leaving the job, and it is easy to develop feelings of loneliness, attachment and The need for communication cannot be met, and the mood is melancholy; jealous and suspicious. Compared with comrades of the same year and in the same position, there is a great contrast, which on the one hand intensifies the inferiority complex, and on the other hand it is also easy to breed jealousy; childishness psychology. The first characteristic is dependence, dependence on the organization and family, giving up personal efforts and waiting for everything to be taken care of. The second is willful, easy to be impulsive, prone to losing temper, prone to irritation, relying on one's elders to act domineering. The third is passionate, nosy, and a teacher. Fourth, he is stubborn and has a stubborn personality, and is rigid and difficult to adapt to. Sometimes paranoid to the point of being inhumane.
The main way for the elderly to achieve mental health
The elderly must learn to self-psychologically adjust and do self-care.
1 Update concepts. First of all, we need to have a new understanding of the concept of aging. "It has been rare in ancient times to be seventy years old, but now it is not uncommon to be eighty years old." The elderly should establish the concepts of self-confidence, self-improvement and self-reliance. Japan advocates that the elderly should be financially independent, physically independent, mentally independent, and rely on themselves in everything. This mental state can resist aging. Only by getting rid of the "old age consciousness" psychologically and maintaining the "forever young" mentality can we delay aging.
2. We must treat the disease correctly and build up the confidence to fight against the disease tenaciously. As the saying goes, "Old people often get sick". Although this statement is not absolute, it is more or less a generalization of people's experience. For example, the elderly are prone to osteoporosis and fractures, but they should not stay outdoors all day or even stay in bed because of fear of fractures. Instead, you should increase your calcium intake in the diet, drink more milk, and exercise more to prevent and treat osteoporosis. In addition, because the elderly have weaker resistance, immune function and stress ability, they often suffer from several diseases at the same time and are more susceptible to chronic diseases. Therefore, attention should be paid to the role of psychological factors in the disease. Some people suffering from cancer have long sleepless nights, no thoughts about food and drink, are extremely nervous, depressed or sad. As a result, they are in an abnormal mental state, which lowers the body's immunity and accelerates the deterioration of the disease. However, although some people suffer from cancer, Although you are terminally ill, you can "forget about yourself and the disease". Keep your spirits up and live, study and work like a healthy person, which is conducive to the recovery of the disease and delays the deterioration of the disease.
3 Life lies in movement. Appropriate and reasonable physical exercise can improve the mental state of the elderly, making them energetic, energetic, energetic and youthful. There are many sports activities suitable for the elderly, such as doing gymnastics, practicing qigong, walking in the morning and evening, jogging, playing badminton, table tennis, cycling outings, etc. When exercising, you should pay attention to the differences among individuals, follow the rules of body function, and maintain good health. Develop a stable and regular activity habit, combining movement and stillness, step by step, and persevere. Many examples have proven that insisting on various physical exercises can enhance physical fitness, enrich life, delay aging and prolong life.
4 Carry out activities that are beneficial to physical and mental health and enrich the life of the elderly. Psychological research shows that each person's psychological activities largely depend on the environment in which he or she lives. The root cause of many psychological discomforts among the elderly is the lack of active, healthy, and colorful life content in their lives. In view of the inertia of the elderly, we must work harder to create conditions to help them find leisure methods that suit their own characteristics, such as knowledge-based leisure, travel-based leisure, collection-based leisure, etc. At the same time, each of us, especially close relatives, must not mistake the psychological problems of the elderly for mental illnesses that are taboo and untreatable. We should seek active treatment from a psychologist at the appropriate time, and the effect will be very good.
5. Learn to get along with others. When people live in society, they must rely on and interact with each other. The elderly have difficulty reading due to memory loss and inattention; blurred vision brings inconvenience to going out; and hearing loss causes communication difficulties. Negative psychological reactions caused by life difficulties caused by physical aging are psychological problems that the elderly often encounter and are difficult to resolve. The most common mental illness among the elderly is loneliness.
Therefore, the elderly should learn to get along with others, keep in touch with friends, frequently give friendship and warmth to others, and receive friendship and warmth from others. Psychologists have found that contact with friends can relieve pain and tension, promote the treatment of diseases, and promote good health. Old people also need to learn to make some young friends. On the one hand, you can keep yourself young, and on the other hand, you can also learn a lot of knowledge from young people, strengthen ideological communication with young people, and reduce the generation gap in understanding. Therefore, the elderly should do their best to stay in touch with society and do what they can for others, especially young people, so that they can be in a young and lively atmosphere and make themselves feel young psychologically.
6. Have spiritual and emotional sustenance. Older people should avoid violent mood swings and adopt an optimistic attitude in everything. When you reach the age where you should retire, it is a good thing to happily retire and enjoy a happy life in your later years. However, some elderly people often leave their jobs and have fewer social interactions. They no longer do the work they are used to doing every day, and the people they interact with every day have disappeared or become rare. In this way, they often lose their sense of rhythm and responsibility at work, and feel empty in life. , if there is a spiritual loss, resulting in a sense of loneliness, depression, and depression. This kind of psychological change will bring disadvantages to health. Therefore, we must correctly understand that retirement and old age are the laws of natural development, and we must think openly about everything. We should continue to cheer up, be optimistic and positive, re-arrange reasonable life, study and work plans for ourselves, use our remaining energy to do useful things for the people, so that we can live a more fulfilling and meaningful life in our later years, and eliminate loneliness and anxiety. and melancholy.
References: "A Brief Discussion on the Psychology and Health of the Elderly" Wang Huijuan, Journal of Luoyang University, Volume 11, Issue 1
"Psychological Crisis and Health Education Countermeasures for the Elderly" Ren Zhankui China Health Education Volume 14, Issue 9, 1998
"A Brief Analysis of the Physiological Characteristics of the Elderly" Li Shixin Journal of Yan'an University (Natural Science Edition) Volume 17, Issue 2
"Psychology of the Elderly Adjustment" China Psychological Counseling Network
"Mental Health in the Elderly" Zhu Tongbao, Chinese School Doctor 1994.03
"Psychological Mood and Psychological Rehabilitation and Health Care in the Elderly" Tang Yun Journal of Hefei University of Technology (Social Science Edition) 1996.03
"Interpersonal Relationships and Mental Health of the Elderly" Xiao Jian Middle-aged and Elderly Health Care 2000.04
"Common Psychological Problems and Adjustment Methods for the Elderly" Fan Qinglan and Wang Guozhen Chinese Medical Series 2002.07
Thinking characteristics of the elderly
Thinking is one of the most complex psychological activities of people. It is mediated by people's existing knowledge and experience and summarizes and reflects objective reality. Human beings can understand the essence and internal connections of things through thinking. This is an advanced and rational cognitive process, which mainly includes the abilities of generalization, analogy, reasoning and problem solving.
1. Manifestations of thinking changes in the elderly
Thinking declines later, especially thinking abilities related to familiar majors can still be maintained in old age. However, due to the decline in perception and memory, the elderly have reduced conceptual, logical reasoning and problem-solving abilities. In particular, the agility, fluency, flexibility, originality and creativity of thinking are worse than those of young and middle-aged people. . The manifestations of weakened thinking and disorders in the elderly are as follows:
1) Slow and poor thinking, difficulty in associating certain things, slow reaction, and slow language; some elderly people are unwilling to learn and think about problems, resulting in vocabulary shortage , the association is easy to be interrupted, and the speech often stops suddenly.
2) The mind is free and fast. For example, the person can quickly associate things in his youth and speak endlessly.
3) Compulsive thinking: Involuntary, accidental, meaningless associations, or recurring thinking associations that are difficult to eliminate.
4) Logical obstacles mainly manifest as confusion in reasoning and concepts, complicated and tortuous thinking processes, and lack of logical connections in content.
2. Strategies for coping with changes in the elderly’s thinking
The weakening of people’s thinking ability in old age manifests itself to different degrees in each elderly person. Some people still think very clearly, and even still think clearly. There are creative minds, and some people have severe thinking disorders. Therefore, we should pay attention to the comprehensive physical and mental health care of the elderly, encourage the elderly to treat life with a positive attitude, cultivate their thinking quality, and restore and maintain their good thinking ability.