Menopause and Aging

By Kerry Wagner
Aging
 Midlife is a very  Society views
broad term youth as a
describing when a standard of judging
women is between a women’s value to
the ages of 45 and society
65
 Aging can be a
difficult process for
some people
Negative Affects of Aging
 Age discrimination  Increases
 Loose capacity to emotional,
reproduce physical, and
 Children move out financial stress
 Death of loved  Balance caring for
ones (partner, aging parents and
child, sibling, caring for your
parent) children
 More susceptible to
illness
Positive Affects of Aging
 Retirement  Gain a new outlook
 More time to do on life
things that you love
 Develop new roles
in the family
(becoming a
mother-in-law or
grandparent)
 Renewed pleasure
in long term
relationships
What is Menopause?
 The end of a  Ovaries no longer
women’s monthly produce enough
period estrogen to
 Can occur as early continue
as 40 or as late as menstruation
60 (average age is  Overall decrease of
51) estrogen in the
 A series of body
emotional and  No predictable rate
physical changes of transition to
in a women’s body menopause
 What happens during
menopause?
 Changes in a women’s period
◦ Cycles gradually become shorter and lighter until
they stop all together
 Hot flashes/ night sweats
◦ Decreasing estrogen affects bodies temperature
control mechanism
 Sleep problems
◦ Waking up early and not being able to go back to
sleep
◦ Relationship between change in hormones and
bodies sleep mechanism
What happens during menopause?
 Vaginal Changes
◦ Vaginal walls become thinner, more dry, less
flexible
◦ Less vaginal lubrication is produced
◦ Vaginal Atrophy- avoidance of sex because of
discomfort
 Urinary Changes
◦ Leak urine accidently
◦ Increased urine output at night
◦ Urinary Incontinence- inability to control leakage of
urine
 Changes in sexual desires
◦ Less interest in sex because of decreased
hormones
 What happens during
menopause?
 Change in Memory and Mood
◦ Memory gaps or inability to concentrate
◦ Menopause does not cause depression but could
produce mild/negative mood changes
 Abnormal Bleeding
◦ Includes excessive bleeding and light bleeding
◦ Excessive bleeding could be a sign of a more serious
problem
Hormones Effect on the Body
 Decrease in bone
density
 Mood
swings/negative
feelings
 Relief of hot flashes
and insomnia
 Dry eye syndrome-
decrease production
of tears for proper
lubrication
 Effects on body may
outweigh benefits
 Medical Options for Managing
Menopause
Hormone Therapy: Other Options:
 Use to be  Selected estrogen
considered a miracle receptor modulators-
drug that promotes prevent bone loss and
youthfulness reduce risk of bone
fracture
 Long term benefits  Bisphonates- reduce
being challenged bone thinning and risk
 Hormone therapy of fracture
increases women’s  Both have fewer risks
risk of breast cancer than hormones
and blood clots
 But not much
information about long
term effectiveness and
safety
Sexuality and Aging
 Sexual feelings are  Some women
determined by a explore
women’s relationships with
perception of her other women
own body rather  Use birth control
than age until period stops
 Difficulties having completely for two
sexual relations years
after a divorce or  Changing attitude
death of a loved about
one sex/overcoming
 Lowered sexual obstacles
function
Preventative Health
 Stay Active  Avoid Smoking
◦ Prevent loss of bone ◦ Smoking increases
and muscle mass loss of bone density
◦ Include aerobic,  Adequate calcium
weight bearing, and and vitamin D
strength training
workouts
intake
◦ Help reverse bone
loss and protect
against osteoporosis
 Eat well
◦ Help prevent and
manage chronic
health problems
Social and Political Issue with
Aging
 Ageism- society  Elderly women are
separates people twice as likely to
by age, this be living in poverty
separation creates compared to
age discrimination elderly men
 Ageism causes  Gap in healthcare
people to feel coverage
ignored, ◦ To young for
marginalized, or Medicare and not
invisible poor enough for
Medicaid
Researching Menopause
 More research is
needed on basic
biology of aging
 Not much is known
about aging needs
of African American
women
 Studies today are
funded by drug
company interests
Where to find support?
 Aging can be very  Support groups
emotionally and can give women
physically draining strength to get
 Support groups are through difficult
a great way to situations
share experiences
and concerns
 Social engagement
can reduce feelings
of isolation