Deck 17: Physical and Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood

Question 1

Which of the following is true regarding heredity and longevity and health?

A) Twin studies show that illness rates in siblings do not have a genetic component.
B) Of those whose parents died before 78, 40% had a chronic illness at age 65.
C) Of those whose oldest grandparent had lived past 90, only about 2% had a chronic illness at age 65.
D) Identical twins are more similar in longevity than are fraternal twins.

Answer 1

Of those whose parents died before 78, 40% had a chronic illness at age 65.

Question 2

Why will every industrialized nation in the world face a demographic crisis in the near future?

A) The social security systems in these countries will be bankrupt.
B) The number of young adults will far outnumber the elderly.
C) There will be fewer young and middle-aged workers to provide for the financial well-being of the elderly.
D) The current generation is not adequately planning for retirement.

Answer 2

There will be fewer young and middle-aged workers to provide for the financial well-being of the elderly.

Question 3

Older individuals who have which of the following are two to three times more likely to experience functional disability than elders who do not?

A) Arthritis and hypertension
B) Cancer
C) Impairments in vision
D) No spouse or children

Answer 3

Arthritis and hypertension

Question 4

What is the single largest factor that determines the trajectory of an adult's physical or mental status beyond age 65?

A) Health
B) Marital status
C) Social support system
D) Socio-economic status

Question 5

Which activity seems to be the most important health habit in old age?

A) Exercise
B) Familial support
C) Calorie restriction
D) Socialization

Question 6

Which of the following terms applies to older adults whose physical and/or mental impairments are so extensive that they cannot care for themselves?

A) Frail elderly
B) Gerontological group
C) Caregiver's burden
D) Terminally aged

Question 7

Which of the following is correct about the relationship between disability and activity among older adults in the United States?

A) Nearly 100% of those over 75 report some level of difficulty performing some basic daily life activities.
B) The majority of older adults have little difficulty performing ADLs or IADLs.
C) Nearly all those over age 85 report significant difficulty performing basic daily activities.
D) Disability rates do not increase beyond age 65.

Question 8

If you are a centenarian, you

A) are one of the old.
B) are an octogenarian.
C) are automatically a member of the frail elderly.
D) are at least 100 years old.

Question 9

Which of the following statements is true?

A) From 1960 - 1994 the over-65 population in the U.S. decreased.
B) By 2050 it is estimated that the over-100 population will triple.
C) From 1960 - 1994 the over-85 population in the U.S. decreased.
D) By 2050 it is estimated that the over-85 population in the U.S. will exceed 19 million.

Question 10

In the United States today, the average 65 year old man will live to be how old?

A) 70
B) 75
C) 82
D) 90

Question 11

Which of the following terms applies to intellectually demanding tasks such as managing finances and paying bills?

A) Instrumental activities of daily living
B) Activities of daily living
C) Daily tasks
D) Instrumental personal tasks

Question 12

In the United States today, the average 65 year old woman will live to be how old?

A) 70
B) 75
C) 85
D) 92

Question 13

Which of the following chronic conditions is more common in men over 65 than women over 65?

A) Hypertension
B) Arthritis
C) Asthma
D) Heart disease

Question 14

What is the fastest-growing segment of the population in the United States today?

A) Oldest old subgroup
B) Middle-aged adult group
C) Young old subgroup
D) Baby Boomers

Question 15

Which of the following seems to be even more important in older age as a contributor to longevity and good health?

A) Relationship status
B) Exercise
C) Recreational activities
D) Social networks

Question 16

At what point in the human life cycle do the greatest number of deaths occur?

A) After age 60
B) In infancy and early childhood
C) Between the ages of 70 and 80
D) In young adulthood

Question 17

Which of the following is true regarding the life expectancies of African and White Americans by age 75?

A) African Americans will live longer than White Americans.
B) Their life expectancies will be essentially equivalent.
C) White Americans will live longer than African Americans.
D) There is not enough data on this age group to know.

Question 18

What does your text point out as a major factor in determining the overall well-being of older adults, even if they have a chronic disease?

A) Optimism
B) Marital status
C) Social networks
D) Retirement income

Question 19

Ninety-year-old Mrs. Gonzalez is no longer able to manage tasks such as bathing or using the toilet by herself. A gerontologist most likely would determine that Mrs. Gonzalez needs help with which of the following?

A) Only her activities of daily living
B) Only her instrumental activities of daily living
C) Both her activities of daily living and her instrumental activities of daily living
D) Her independence skills

Question 20

The scientific study of aging is known as ______________.

A) gerontology
B) oncology
C) agontology
D) ontology

Question 21

About how long is the maximum human lifespan?

A) about 105 - 110 years
B) 125 years
C) 122 years
D) 110-120 years

Question 22

Which of the following is a change that occurs in the brain during the adult years?

A) faster synaptic speed.
B) a gain of gray matter.
C) a reduction of brain weight.
D) a pruning of the synapses to eliminate redundant neural connections.

Question 23

Which of the following sensations results from decreased production of saliva?

A) Wooly mouth
B) Wooden tongue
C) Crispy cheeks
D) Cracklin teeth

Question 24

The genetically programmed time limit for cell replication to which each species is theoretically bound is called

A) life expectancy.
B) maximum reproductive capacity.
C) the Hayflick limit.
D) the telomere.

Question 25

Which of the following terms refers to the redundancy in the nervous system that enables neural pathways to move from one set of neurons to another?

A) Synaptic pruning
B) Synaptic plasticity
C) Neural transporting
D) Neural redundancy

Question 26

Mr. Cooper has great difficulty seeing now because the lenses inside his eyes have become clouded over. What is the name of this condition?

A) Glaucoma
B) Cataracts
C) Presbyopia
D) Presbycusis

Question 27

What is the Hayflick limit for human embryo cells?

A) 10
B) 20
C) 40
D) 50

Question 28

If you were to serve a loaf of freshly-baked cinnamon bread to a group of older individuals, which of the following comments would you be most likely to hear?

A) "It smell so good. It's making my mouth water!"
B) "This bread smells and tastes delicious!"
C) "I can't smell a thing, dear."
D) "The flavors of food seem to be so strong, so I really don't care for anything sweet."

Question 29

Which of the following has been linked to minimized atrophy of the cerebral cortex of the brain?

A) Education
B) A flexible personality
C) A social support system
D) Socio-economic status

Question 30

Auditory problems typically are experienced

A) by more women than men.
B) by more men than women.
C) with equal frequency by women and men.
D) only by the oldest old subgroup.

Question 31

Which of the following is a typical hearing difficulty experienced by older adults?

A) loss of ability to hear low-frequency sounds
B) Difficulties in word discrimination
C) Problems hearing when conditions are quiet
D) Inconsistent amplification of deep or bass-like sounds

Question 32

Which of the following is correct regarding vision in late adulthood?

A) Blood flow to the eye increases, which results in an enlarged blind spot on the retina.
B) The pupil does not widen or narrow as much or as quickly, which causes problems in adapting to variations in light and glare.
C) Older adults seem to adapt more flexibly and positively than middle-aged adults to the difficulties of living with serious vision impairments.
D) The incidence of cataracts decreases greatly among adults who are older than 75.

Question 33

What is the most likely cause of slower reaction time for everyday tasks and activities for an older individual?

A) The preliminary effects of Alzheimer's disease
B) Geriatric dysthymia
C) Pruning of redundant neural connections
D) Dendritic loss and slowing of synaptic speed

Question 34

Macular degeneration is most likely to occur in __________.

A) childhood
B) adolescence
C) early adulthood
D) late adulthood

Question 35

Grandpa Ezra complains that he frequently hears ringing or buzzing sounds in his ears. What is Ezra experiencing?

A) Presbycusis
B) Auditory hallucinations
C) Tinnitus
D) Auditory neuropathy

Question 36

What causes the loss of "computational power" and the appearance of symptoms of old age to occur?

A) It is age related - beginning when an individual is approximately 60 years old.
B) When unused or redundant neural pathways are pruned
C) Significant loss of dendritic interconnectivity
D) When neuron loss reaches the peak of 25,000 eliminated neurons daily

Question 37

What is the name of the string of repetitive DNA at the tip of each chromosome in the body?

A) Reticular formation
B) Teledyne
C) Synapse
D) Telomere

Question 38

Which of the following is an obstacle to good hearing among the elderly?

A) Excessive amplification of higher frequencies.
B) Increased production of ear wax, blocking the ear canals.
C) The bones of the middle ear become less calcified and more elastic.
D) The cochlear membranes become too flexible and are less responsive

Question 39

Which of the following is correct with regard to the way aging affects the senses of taste, smell, or touch?

A) Reduced secretion of saliva causes a sensation of "wooly mouth."
B) The ability to taste the four basic tastes of salty, bitter, sweet, and sour declines across adulthood.
C) The loss of the sense of taste can lead to inadequate nutrition or dietary imbalances.
D) Elderly adults lose their sensitivity to heat and cold in a proximodistal pattern, which causes sensation to be lost first in the center of the body.

Question 40

Which of the following is likely to be true of older adults who are experiencing hearing loss?

A) They are likely to be socially isolated and unhappy.
B) They may be clinically depressed.
C) They are likely to be women.
D) They may be perceived as disoriented or forgetful.

Question 41

What effect do free radicals have on the body?

A) They cause the steroid oxidase to build up in the body over time.
B) They destroy the telomeres at the end of DNA chains.
C) They enter into potentially harmful chemical reactions which cause irreparable cell damage.
D) They cause the build up of atoms that possess an unpaired electron.

Question 42

What does your text suggest about older women's sexual behavior?

A) They are more inhibited, due to their awareness of differences in their physical appearance compared to when they were younger.
B) They are less sexually active because of cultural prohibitions against expressed sexuality among the aged.
C) They are more sexually adventurous and willing to experiment.
D) They are more inclined to be sexually active with more than one partner - in other words, less bound by ideas of monogamy.

Question 43

Which of the following is the name of the theory which says that aging is a result of species-specific genes?

A) Programmed senescence theory
B) Telomeric theory
C) The Hayflick limit
D) Race-specific DNA theory

Question 44

What is the most serious consequence stemming from the loss of balance among older adults?

A) A reduction in dexterity when attempting to perform household tasks
B) An increase in depressed mood as a result of impaired mobility
C) Reduced stamina
D) An increase in falls

Question 45

Which of the following would be less affected by the general slowing down that older adults experience?

A) Driving a car
B) Writing a grocery list
C) Translating thoughts into action
D) Being a generally optimistic person

Question 46

Which of the following is a neurological disorder that includes problems with memory and thinking that affect an individual's emotional, social, and physical functioning?

A) Alzheimer's disease
B) Geriatric dysthymia
C) Clinical depression
D) Dementia

Question 47

What effect does Alzheimer's disease have on the eating habits of its sufferers?

A) Total loss of appetite
B) Disruption of normal satiety mechanisms
C) They forget to eat
D) The belief that they don't need to eat

Question 48

Which of the following activities would most likely help an older person sustain their sense of balance?

A) Playing chess
B) Taking a psychology class
C) Tai Chi
D) Playing cards

Question 49

Which of the following suggests that all adults retain excellent function until their physical and mental functioning plummets in the few years before death?

A) The spiral hypothesis
B) The downward trajectory hypothesis
C) The sundowning factor
D) The terminal drop hypothesis

Question 50

Research on the cellular processes involving free radicals suggests that it may be beneficial to eat less of which of the following?

A) Protein
B) Fat and food additives such as preservatives
C) Red meat such as beef
D) Carbohydrates

Question 51

Which of the following is the BEST definition of Alzheimer's disease?

A) The late stage of alcohol-induced dementia
B) A severe form of dementia for which the cause is unknown
C) A more severe variation of Wernicke's syndrome
D) The mental deterioration that strikes the oldest old and the frail elderly

Question 52

Which of the following is statistically true of older drivers?

A) They have more accidents per miles driven than younger drivers.
B) They have very few automobile accidents.
C) They have more accidents overall than younger drivers.
D) There is no statistical difference in numbers of accidents between older and younger drivers.

Question 53

What is the biggest single behavioral effect of age-related physical change in late adulthood?

A) Increased irritability
B) Loss of energy
C) Lack of sexual desire
D) A general slowing down

Question 54

After eating, the blood sugar rises, resulting in chemical message being sent to the brain that causes the individual to feel "full." What is the term for this sensation of fullness?

A) Glucose satisfaction
B) Insulin resistance
C) Satiety
D) Sugar-response effect

Question 55

Your text suggests that burns are more common in late adulthood than earlier, why?

A) Older persons cook for themselves more often and thus have more opportunity to be injured.
B) An older person's skin is more heat-responsive and less able to withstand a level of temperature that would have been tolerated earlier.
C) Loss of sensitivity to heat and a slower reaction time lead to increases in accidental burns.
D) Impaired ability to concentrate or focus on complex tasks leads to an increased incidence of various injuries, including burns.

Question 56

Mr. Garrett often overeats, complaining that he feels hungry all the time. His doctor has suggested that this problem is due to a malfunction in the sensation associated with blood sugar levels known as

A) deprivation.
B) satiety.
C) insulin.
D) diabetes.

Question 57

Which of the following is likely to affect sexual activity in older age?

A) Medications
B) Increasing testosterone levels
C) Cultural taboos
D) Lack of interest

Question 58

Which of the following is a benefit of foods that are high in antioxidants?

A) Significantly increased longevity
B) Lower rates of heart disease
C) Decreased terminal drop period
D) Return to normal vision for patients with retinal degeneration

Question 59

Which of the following are a group of neurological disorders that involve memory and thinking -- affecting social, emotional and physical functioning?

A) The deleriums
B) The dementias
C) The senescences
D) The mood disorders

Question 60

How are sleep patterns typically affected by age?

A) Older adults typically sleep very soundly for longer periods through the night than they did when they were younger.
B) Older adults commonly have longer periods of REM sleep, or dream sleep.
C) Older adults must nap more during the day in order to accumulate the sleep they need.
D) Older adults tend to become "night people" by going to bed later at night and getting up later in the morning.

Question 61

Intellectually demanding daily living tasks are called ________ activities of daily living.

Question 62

Which of the following does research indicate to be the strongest predictor of depression among older adults?

A) Loss of a spouse
B) Other forms of mental illness
C) Poor health
D) Loss of income

Question 63

How are the length of time in the U.S., English language skills, and depression correlated among elderly Chinese and Mexican immigrants?

A) They are not correlated.
B) They are negatively correlated.
C) They are positively correlated.
D) There is a positive correlation among Hispanic immigrants and a negative correlation among Chinese immigrants.

Question 64

Which of the following is definitively diagnostic of Alzheimer's disease?

A) The presence of plaque in the arteries of the brain
B) The presence of chronic mild dementia
C) Changes seen on an MRI scan as the person is showing cognitive declines
D) The presence of neurofibrillatory tangles in the brain

Question 65

Which of the following is NOT one of Baltes's criteria for defining wisdom?

A) Understanding of mortality
B) Procedural knowledge
C) Understanding relevance of values
D) Factual knowledge

Question 66

Which of the following is true regarding the risk factors for depression and dysthymia among the elderly?

A) The strongest predictor of depression and dysthymia among older persons is marital status.
B) Among the elderly, depressed men outnumber depressed women two to one.
C) Elders living in poverty are at a higher risk for depression than others.
D) Well-educated older adults are more likely to be depressed.

Question 67

In the United States, the average 65 year old woman will live to age ________.

Question 68

Which of the following is a likely reason that elderly men have higher rates of completed suicide than elderly women?

A) Men in declining health view themselves as a burden.
B) Women are more likely than men to have multiple combined risk factors for suicide.
C) Women are more likely to choose violent methods, such as firearms, when they attempt suicide; men use less violent methods that often go undetected until it is too late.
D) More men than women attempt suicide.

Question 69

In the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, you can expect the individual to show a

A) failure to recognize family members.
B) loss of memory for recent events.
C) loss of memory for long-ago events.
D) propensity toward repetitive conversation.

Question 70

The largest impairments in memory typically appear after what age?

A) 65
B) 70
C) 75
D) 85

Question 71

Which of the following is true regarding the incidence of Alzheimer's disease among people of African descent?

A) The disease is more prominent in Africa than in African Americans in the United States.
B) The disease is less prevalent in Africa, but in the United States African Americans exhibit higher rates than White Americans.
C) The disease is more common among white people in Africa than black people in Africa.
D) African Americans whose African ancestors showed no signs of dementia are more prone to show dementia in current generations.

Question 72

Which of the following is a cognitive characteristic that includes knowledge and its application to problem solving?

A) Intelligence
B) Wisdom
C) Horse sense
D) Creativity

Question 73

Some researchers suggest that African Americans have lower rates of depression than white Americans because African Americans are especially likely to utilize which of the following when dealing with emotional difficulties?

A) A social support network of friends
B) Physical exercise
C) Their religious faith and their church
D) Antidepressant medications and mental health services

Question 74

What is the most effective treatment for depression in older adults?

A) Antidepressant medications
B) A combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medication
C) Increased involvement in a social support network that includes family, friends, or community members
D) Dietary and nutritional supplements

Question 75

Seventy-year-old Maybell enjoys making quilts for her family. Specifically she likes to make quilts that represent some aspect of the family's history. In which of Cohen's phases is Maybell?

A) The liberation phase
B) The revolution phase
C) The summing-up phase
D) The reevaluation phase

Question 76

________ is the scientific study of aging.

Question 77

________ restriction is one of the most beneficial contributors to healthy eating habits.

Question 78

Which of the following is a common cause of dementia?

A) Anxiety
B) Obesity
C) Multiple blows to the head
D) Schizophrenia

Question 79

What is currently the most widely accepted explanation for declines in memory among older adults?

A) Lack of motivation to use memory strategies
B) Drug interactions that interfere with the physiological basis of memory formation and retrieval
C) Loss of speed in central nervous system processes related to information-processing and memory function
D) Low-level dementia that interferes with memory but not with other aspects of functioning

Question 80

In the United States today, the average 85 year old man will live to age ________.