Information Processing in the Elderly

Learning, memory, and attention are all aspects of cognition. Learning is
the acquisition of information, skills, and knowledge, measured by improvement
in responses. Memory involves retaining and retrieving information
for later use. Attention is the mechanism by which individuals process information.
Cognition is how sensory input is transformed, stored, and retrieved
from memory.
Major stages of information-processing models of learning and memory
include registration (input), storage (retention), and retrieval (process input
for response). Attention is a major component of registration in that focusing on stimuli and processing of information begin at this stage. Environmental
influences, age-related sensoriperceptual changes, and pacing of
instruction affect the processing of information.
Environmental influences can produce negative responses from the elderly
because older adults are less comfortable in unfamiliar settings or with
unfamiliar people and have difficulty performing multiple tasks. Additionally,
the ability to block out extraneous information and to focus on multiple
instructions decreases with age.
Sensoriperceptual changes include age-related vision deficits such as altered
color perception as a result of yellowing of the eye lens, difficulty seeing
at various distances as a result of presbyopia, difficulty adjusting from
light to dark, and decreased peripheral vision and depth perception. Sensorineural
hearing loss affects the ability to hear high-frequency sounds and
consonants and hinders communication. Also, excessive noise interferes
with the ability to hear in the elderly.
Pacing of instruction includes both the time it takes to present and the
amount of information presented. With age, there is slowing of physiological and psychological responses. Reaction time increases. Studies have
shown that the elderly learn more efficiently when they are able to learn and
respond at their own pace.