Deck 18: Disorders of Aging and Cognition

Question 1

Caregiving can take a heavy toll on the close relatives of people with neurocognitive disorders. First, discuss who the caregivers usually are and what special challenges they face. Second, discuss programs that offer support for this group of caregivers.

Answer 1

not answered

Question 2

The MOST common mental health complaint of the elderly resulting from a loss of a spouse or friend is _____.

Answer 2

depression

Question 3

Describe how neurocognitive disorder due to Pick's disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Lewy body disease differ from one another.

Answer 3

not answered

Question 4

Your elderly grandmother has been prescribed antidepressants to treat her unipolar depression. What risks are associated with this treatment approach?

Question 5

An individual is experiencing a significant cognitive disturbance. How would you determine whether the person has delirium or neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease? What criteria must be present to meet the DSM-5 requirements for a diagnosis of each condition?

Question 6

Psychological problems of the elderly can be divided into two groups. Discuss the two groups of disorders, and explain how disorders that occur in persons of all ages are different when they occur in the elderly.

Question 7

Within hours, a person develops a clouded state of consciousness and has great difficulty concentrating and focusing attention. This person is experiencing _____.

Question 8

Research suggests that _____ drugs are currently being given to almost 30 percent of the total nursing home population in the United States.

Question 9

Alzheimer's disease is of increasing concern in our aging society. What treatment would you recommend for those who have Alzheimer's disease?

Question 10

Alzheimer's disease is considered a(n) _____.

Question 11

Pick's disease involves degeneration of the _____ and temporal lobes.

Question 12

An individual is receiving drug treatment for Alzheimer's disease. What type of drug treatment has the person most likely been prescribed, and what is the goal of drug therapy?

Question 13

The elderly face issues of discrimination within our society. What are some sources of discrimination against the elderly?

Question 14

A kind of psychotic disorder in which individuals develop beliefs that are false but not bizarre is called _____.

Question 15

An individual is able to live alone but is experiencing memory and learning problems. The MOST accurate diagnosis would be _____.

Question 16

The field dedicated to the mental health of the elderly is _____.

Question 17

Besides alcohol use among the elderly, the unintentional misuse of _____ is a concern.

Question 18

Given the importance of a health-maintenance, or wellness promotion, approach to aging, discuss several important steps you would advise young people to take to avoid mental health problems as they age.

Question 19

The two MOST important memory structures contained in the temporal lobes related to Alzheimer's disease are the amygdala and the _____.

Question 20

Trace the common pattern of development of Alzheimer's from its initial stage until the person's death.

Question 21

Studies of the "oldest old" show that compared with people in their 80s and early 90s, the oldest old are usually:

A) less agile.
B) less healthy.
C) less clear-headed.
D) more agile, healthier, and clearheaded.

Question 22

Among the "oldest old," those who are older than 100 years old, the MOST common concern is the fear of:

A) reduced physical endurance.
B) death.
C) fewer new experiences.
D) decreased mental abilities.

Question 23

As the percentage of the population who are 65 or older continues to rise, one would NOT expect the _____ to rise as well.

A) number of geropsychologists
B) percentage of people with neurocognitive disorder
C) percentage of people with substance use disorder
D) number of nursing homes

Question 24

The MOST feared psychological problem among the elderly is:

A) stress.
B) loss of sexual function.
C) Alzheimer's disease.
D) alcoholism.

Question 25

An individual seeking help from a geropsychologist is MOST likely:

A) elderly.
B) suffering from intellectual disability.
C) suffering from enuresis or encopresis.
D) receiving play therapy.

Question 26

An elderly (older than 65) member of your community has just started using the Internet to keep up with friends and family. This community member is:

A) very rare. Almost no elderly individuals understand how to use the Internet.
B) very rare. Increasing numbers of elderly individuals know how to use the Internet but don't actually use it.
C) less common than previously. Many elderly individuals once used the Internet but have not kept up with the changing technology, so their usage has decreased.
D) increasingly common. The number of elderly individuals using the Internet has increased dramatically in recent years.

Question 27

Dementia is now classified as:

A) Alzheimer's disease.
B) neurocognitive disorder.
C) neuroleptic disorder.
D) delirium disorder.

Question 28

Psychological disorders among the elderly can be divided into two groups:

A) personal losses and mental stress.
B) the process of aging and disorders of cognition.
C) environmental factors and genetic factors.
D) physical problems and sensory problems.

Question 29

Neurocognitive disorder due to Parkinson's disease can be difficult to distinguish from neurocognitive disorder due to _____, which also causes cognitive problems and difficulties with movement.

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic shared by most centenarians?

A) being somewhat physically and sexually active
B) having a close relative who also lived to a very old age
C) having unimpaired sensory functions
D) fearing cognitive decline more than death

Question 31

Children of people with Huntington's disease have a(n) _____ percent chance of developing the disorder.

Question 32

Which statement about Alzheimer's disease is true?

A) It can be treated with a combination of antianxiety and antipsychotic medications.
B) Its onset typically occurs prior to age 65.
C) It is currently incurable and difficult to treat.
D) Most people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease die from it within a year after being diagnosed.

Question 33

Regarding old age, stress, and illness, which of these statements is NOT true?

A) Most people over age 65 have two or more chronic illnesses.
B) A large percentage of elderly people suffer from insomnia or other sleep problems.
C) Elderly people often contend with significant losses (such as death, sense of purpose, sensory ability).
D) Most people over age 65 develop psychological disorders due to the stressors in their lives.

Question 34

Day-care and assisted living facilities are examples of the _____ approach to treatment for neurocognitive disorder.

Question 35

Among elderly persons who would benefit from mental health services, most:

A) do not get the treatment they need.
B) see a mental health care provider but are noncompliant with their treatment plans.
C) resist using these services even when opportunities are available.
D) seek services from those who are not qualified to offer effective treatment.

Question 36

Medical scientists agree that current generations of young adults should take a health-maintenance, or _____, approach to their own aging process.

Question 37

A _____ is a person who specializes in the mental health of older persons.

A) cognitive-behavioral psychologist
B) mental health advocate
C) geropsychologist
D) developmental psychologist

Question 38

Based on census data, the percentage of the U.S. population who are 65 and older has:

A) steadily increased over the past century and is projected to continue to increase.
B) remained stable over most of the past century but has increased dramatically during the past 30 years.
C) increased rapidly during the last decade due to the "Baby Boom" of the 1950s and 1960s.
D) steadily increased over the last decade but is projected to stabilize after 2020.

Question 39

The percentage of the U.S. population today aged 65 and older is approximately:

A) 4 percent.
B) 7 percent.
C) 15 percent.
D) 25 percent.

Question 40

Many caregivers of those with Alzheimer's disease are relatives. It is common for these caregivers to experience anger and _____.

Question 41

Compared with younger people, those older than 65 are:

A) more likely to experience depression, whether they live in nursing homes or not.
B) about as likely to experience depression if not living in a nursing home and more likely to experience depression if living in a nursing home.
C) less likely to experience depression, whether they live in nursing homes or not.
D) less likely to experience depression if living in a nursing home and more likely to experience depression if not living in a nursing home.

Question 42

Which of the following would provide the STRONGEST evidence that age-related health problems produce depression?

A) a study showing that depressive symptoms increase after age-related health problems occur
B) a study showing that depressive symptoms increase as one gets older
C) a study showing that older people with depressive symptoms subsequently develop health problems
D) a study showing a positive correlation between depressive symptoms and health problems for older people

Question 43

A friend says, "My 70-year-old grandmother is in good physical health but has been diagnosed with depression. Should she even bother getting therapy? She is pretty old, after all." Based on current research, the BEST answer is:

A) "No, older adults with depression don't usually respond well to therapy."
B) "Maybe, only about 15 percent of elderly patients show improvement, though."
C) "Yes, more than half of elderly patients show improvement with treatment."
D) "Yes, be sure to use individual therapy, since group therapies don't work well with the elderly."

Question 44

An elderly individual has just been diagnosed with depression. In the future, that individual would be expected to:

A) recover more slowly than average for injuries but recover at a normal rate for illnesses.
B) recover at a normal rate for injuries but recover more slowly than average for illnesses.
C) recover more slowly than average for both injuries and illnesses.
D) recover at a normal rate for both injuries and illnesses.

Question 45

Treatment for depression among the elderly:

A) is not different from that used to treat younger people.
B) typically involves the use of antidepressant medication only.
C) typically involves the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy only.
D) is common among nursing home residents but not for those living alone.

Question 46

Regarding treatment of depression in the elderly, studies show that:

A) drug treatments may need to be altered because drugs are broken down differently in the older body.
B) individual and group therapies are rarely used.
C) electroconvulsive shock therapy is the treatment of choice.
D) therapy is not effective most of the time.

Question 47

Which therapy is used to treat depression in the elderly after other therapy attempts fail?

A) cognitive-behavioral therapy
B) antidepressant medication
C) electroconvulsive therapy
D) group therapy

Question 48

Survey research shows that alcohol-related disorders affect about:

A) 15 to 20 percent of the elderly, more often men.
B) 15 to 20 percent of the elderly, more often women.
C) 3 to 7 percent of the elderly, more often men.
D) 3 to 7 percent of the elderly, more often women.

Question 49

Regarding anxiety disorders and aging, which statement is NOT true?

A) Symptoms of anxiety disorders are often misinterpreted as symptoms of a medical condition.
B) The prevalence of anxiety among the elderly is comparable to that of other age groups.
C) Declining health is one of the main sources of anxiety among the elderly.
D) Drug treatments should be used cautiously because of how they are metabolized in the elderly.

Question 50

To date, research shows that anxiety among the elderly is related to:

A) specific experiences.
B) losses.
C) health.
D) drinking.

Question 51

_____ is when people start abusing alcohol in their 50s and 60s, often in response to negative events and pressures of growing older.

A) Late-onset alcoholism
B) Early-onset alcoholism
C) Geriatric alcohol abuse disorder
D) Socially driven problem drinking

Question 52

"I'm no fool, no sirree! I'm gonna live to be 103. . . ." sang the Disney character Jiminy Cricket decades ago. If Jiminy Cricket had been a human (most crickets live only a few weeks), what's the BEST advice you could have given him to live a very long life?

A) "Accept life's challenges with optimism, have good health habits, and inherit 'longevity' genes."
B) "Avoid life's hassles, have good health habits, and accept ongoing, preventive psychological counseling."
C) "Find a 'personal space' where you can get away from the world, and inherit 'longevity' genes."
D) "There's nothing you can do; extreme longevity is entirely genetic."

Question 53

The MOST common anxiety disorder among the elderly is:

A) obsessive-compulsive disorder.
B) agoraphobia.
C) panic attack.
D) generalized anxiety disorder.

Question 54

What is the relationship between age and anxiety in the elderly?

A) As age increases, the rate of anxiety disorders increases.
B) As age increases, the rate of anxiety disorders decreases.
C) As age increases, the rate of anxiety disorders increases and then decreases.
D) There is no relationship between age and anxiety disorders.

Question 55

Statistically speaking, which of these individuals is at greatest risk for depression?

A) an older man living alone
B) an older woman living alone
C) an older man in a nursing home
D) an older woman in a nursing home

Question 56

An individual is extremely sad, can't sleep well, and experiences very low, and decreasing, self-esteem. These are features of depression among:

A) both the elderly and the young.
B) the elderly, but not the young.
C) the young, but not the elderly.
D) neither the young nor the elderly

Question 57

Researchers differentiate older problem drinkers into those who have _____ and those who _____.

A) been abusing alcohol for most of their life; are late-onset alcohol abusers
B) problems abusing other drugs; do not abuse other drugs
C) been diagnosed with depression; have a diagnosed anxiety disorder
D) lived in assisted living facilities; have lived independently their entire lives

Question 58

As people age, the incidence of alcohol abuse and other forms of substance abuse:

A) increases.
B) decreases.
C) remains the same.
D) frequently appears for the first time.

Question 59

A person who abuses alcohol often drinks alone, blacks out occasionally, and falls a lot. These characteristics are:

A) more than twice as common in young alcohol abusers as they are in elderly alcohol abusers.
B) slightly more common in young alcohol abusers than they are in elderly alcohol abusers.
C) slightly more common in elderly alcohol abusers than they are in young alcohol abusers.
D) more than twice as common in elderly alcohol abusers as they are in young alcohol abusers.

Question 60

Among the elderly, there is a positive correlation between:

A) depression and mortality rate.
B) depression and longevity.
C) illness and longevity.
D) illness and coping.

Question 61

Approximately what proportion of nursing home residents receive antipsychotic drugs?

A) one-tenth
B) one-fifth
C) one-quarter
D) one-third

Question 62

Statistically speaking, which person is LEAST likely to develop alcohol use disorder?

A) a man in his 20s who lives with his parents
B) a man in his 20s who lives alone
C) a man in his 70s who lives in a nursing home
D) a man in his 70s who lives in alone

Question 63

Those who begin unhealthy drinking patterns later in life typically begin as a response to:

A) negative events and pressures of growing older.
B) medication side effects.
C) a desire to fit in with the peer group.
D) pressure from their teenage grandchildren.

Question 64

Most elderly people with schizophrenia were initially diagnosed and treated for it:

A) when they were much younger.
B) when they entered nursing homes.
C) shortly after reaching old age.
D) after they began living alone.

Question 65

Among the elderly, psychotic cognitive symptoms are usually caused by:

A) schizophrenia.
B) delirium and neurocognitive disorders.
C) delusional disorders.
D) depression.

Question 66

A rapidly developing, acute disturbance in attention and orientation that makes it very difficult to concentrate and think in a clear and organized manner is:

A) delusional disorder.
B) delirium.
C) Alzheimer's disease.
D) dissociative disorder.

Question 67

Which problem related to substance abuse is more typical among the elderly than other age groups?

A) alcohol use disorder
B) drinking in reaction to negative life events
C) misuse of prescription drugs
D) misuse of illicit drugs

Question 68

Which of the following is NOT associated with delirium among the elderly?

A) being admitted to a hospital
B) having a fever, infectious disease, or a head injury
C) being a nursing home resident
D) being overweight or obese

Question 69

How is delirium similar to delusional disorder?

A) Both are marked by rapid onset.
B) Both increase in rate after age 65.
C) Both involve auditory hallucinations.
D) Both have the same symptoms.

Question 70

Helen falsely believes that others are conspiring against her, cheating her, or spying on her, and she behaves in angry, irritable, and depressed ways. Helen is exhibiting:

A) a delusional disorder.
B) a cognitive disorder.
C) delirium.
D) acute anxiety.

Question 71

Most elderly people take drugs to treat problems with:

A) anxiety.
B) psychosis.
C) pain.
D) blood pressure.

Question 72

A 65-year-old in very good health typically will experience occasional:

A) neurocognitive disorders.
B) memory difficulties.
C) delusions.
D) hallucinations.

Question 73

A clouding of consciousness that develops over a short period and can often be reversed if its underlying cause can be found is called:

A) neurocognitive disorder.
B) delirium.
C) delusional disorder.
D) cognitive mapping.

Question 74

Which is NOT a factor that contributes to the misuse of prescription drugs among the elderly?

A) confusion about keeping track of all the medications one must take
B) overprescribing of medications or prescribing of drugs that negatively interact with other drugs
C) the advent of newer, cheaper, and more potent narcotic medications
D) use of antipsychotic medications to control the behaviors of those who are in nursing homes

Question 75

The elderly have a _____ rate of psychotic symptoms compared with younger individuals, and the onset of schizophrenia is _____ among the elderly than among younger individuals.

A) higher; more common
B) higher; less common
C) lower; more common
D) lower; less common

Question 76

An 80-year-old hospitalized individual is recovering from surgery but now has gotten an infection. Over the course of a few days, the person shows increasing confusion and consistently misinterprets what others are trying to communicate. The MOST probable diagnosis for this condition is:

A) neurocognitive disorder.
B) delirium.
C) schizophrenia.
D) substance abuse.

Question 77

An elderly person who develops false beliefs that are not bizarre is MOST likely suffering from:

A) delusional disorder.
B) disorders of cognition.
C) memory problems.
D) sleep disorder.

Question 78

Samuel, age 69, reports taking six prescription drugs, in addition to regularly taking two over-the-counter drugs. Among the elderly, Samuel is:

A) unusual; the average elderly individual takes fewer than half this many drugs.
B) unusual; the average elderly individual takes twice this many drugs.
C) normal; the average elderly individual takes about this amount of drugs.
D) close to normal; the average elderly individual takes somewhat more drugs.

Question 79

Compared with people closer to age 55, people older than 85 are about _____ as likely to experience delirium.

A) two times
B) three times
C) ten times
D) more than ten times

Question 80

Studies have shown that misuse of medications in U.S. nursing homes occurs MOST often when staff members:

A) use antipsychotic drugs to control the behaviors of those who don't show psychotic symptoms.
B) mistakenly give drugs to the wrong residents.
C) discontinue drugs that could have controlled residents' inappropriate behaviors and irrelevant thoughts.
D) mistake complex drug interactions for symptoms of delirium.