Biological changes in humans are significant as we enter into aging. Wrinkles start to appear as well as gray hairs and more critically we "lose muscle bone mass and bone weight, lower metabolic rate, lower reaction time, decreased sexual activity and experience functional declines in all organs. With aging, there are significant decreases in a number of biological processes. Compared to a 30-year-old (100% benchmark), a 75-year-old human, for example, has only 92% of the original nerve conduction velocity, 80% brain blood circulation, 70% heart capacity, 40% of maximum physical performance, and 38% taste buds" (Kolling et. al., 2014, p. 103). These are only a some of the many biological changes humans may endure as they age into late adulthood.
These changes are factors that affect domestic violence in late adult hood as we become more vulnerable. Other factors dealing with domestic violence with elders include a continuum from previous years, dementia and/or brain dysfunctions, and even envy when one partner ages at a different rate than the other. Because of the biological changes that make us perceive older adults as frail, we do not look at intimate partner violence in late adulthood as less serious and express sympathy towards the population (Stewart, et. al., 2013, p. 5).