Deck 17: Physical and Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood

Question 1

Researchers define functional status as

A) abilities such as bathing, dressing and using the toilet.
B) complex mental activities, such as playing bridge.
C) a measure of an individual's ability to perform certain roles and tasks.
D) an engaged and intellectually active lifestyle.

Answer 1

abilities such as bathing, dressing and using the toilet.

Question 2

Which of the following is an NOT an accurate statement about vision in late adulthood?

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

Answer 2

Older adults seem to adapt more flexibly and positively to the difficulties of living with serious vision impairments than middle-aged adults.

Question 3

The dendritic loss in late adulthood is attributed to

A) a decrease in useful dendritic connections.
B) synaptic plasticity.
C) synaptic speed.
D) when unused or redundant neural pathways are pruned.

Answer 3

a decrease in useful dendritic connections.

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT consistent with the theory that there is a genetic process that limits the lifespan?

A) The Hayflick limit represents the point at which cells can no longer replicate themselves accurately.
B) By the average age of 50, a woman's ovaries will cease to produce estrogen.
C) The number of telomeres is reduced each time a cell divides, and a 70-year-old person has fewer telomeres than a child does.
D) Human embryo cells in a nutrient solution will double about 50 times before the cell colony degenerates.

Question 5

The redundancy that is built into the human brain to permit nerve impulses to move from one neuron to another even if dendrites have been lost is

A) synaptic plasticity
B) the action potential
C) programmed senescence
D) the Hayflick process

Question 6

What key factor is correlated with lessening atrophy in the brain's cerebral cortex?

A) a social support system
B) a flexible personality
C) socioeconomic status
D) education

Question 7

What is the fastest-growing segment of the population in Canada?

A) oldest old subgroup
B) young old subgroup
C) old old subgroup
D) centenarians

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of changes that occur in the brain during the adult years?

A) an increase of grey matter
B) a decline in the density of dendrites
C) increased synaptic speed
D) a pruning of the synapses to eliminate redundant neural connections

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT a typical hearing difficulty experienced by older adults?

A) irregular amplification of deep or bass-like sounds
B) tinnitus
C) difficulties in word discrimination
D) loss of ability to hear high-frequency sounds

Question 10

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

A) marital status
B) health
C) social support system
D) socioeconomic status

Question 11

Which of the following is an accurate statement about the relationship between disability and activity among older adults in Canada?

A) The rate of disability among Canadians aged 75 years and older is increasing.
B) Since women are more likely than men to suffer from arthritis, they are also more likely to be limited in their ability to engage in the activities and tasks necessary for independent life.
C) The majority of older adults have difficulty performing ADLs or IADLs.
D) The prevalence of cataracts among seniors restricts their activity levels more than any other disability.

Question 12

Older individuals who have ________ are two to three times more likely to experience functional disability than elders who do not.

A) arthritis and hypertension
B) cancer
C) no spouse or children
D) impairments in vision and hearing

Question 13

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

A) dendritic loss and slowing of synaptic speed
B) the preliminary effects of Alzheimer's disease
C) pruning of redundant neural connections
D) the decline in sensory input and processing

Question 14

What term is used to describe older adults whose physical and/or mental impairments are so extensive that they cannot care for themselves?

A) oldest old
B) fragile elderly
C) frail elderly
D) feeble elderly

Question 15

Which of the following is an accurate statement about life expectancy in Canada?

A) Life expectancy decreases as adults get older.
B) The fastest growing segment of the Canadian population is the group aged 25-45.
C) The life expectancy of women is longer than that of men.
D) The gender gap regarding life expectancy is widening.

Question 16

The theoretical proposal that each species is subject to a genetically programmed time limit after which cells no longer have any capacity to replicate themselves accurately is called

A) the Telomere Theory.
B) the Functional Status.
C) the Hayflick Limit.
D) the Telomere Limit Theory.

Question 17

According to researchers,which of the following health habits is most clearly linked to longevity and to lower rates of diseases (heart disease,cancer,osteoporosis)?

A) eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day
B) getting sufficient sleep
C) physical exercise
D) combining a low-fat, high-fibre diet with vitamin supplements

Question 18

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

A) her independence skills.
B) both her activities of daily living and her instrumental activities of daily living.
C) self-care and grooming skills.
D) only her instrumental activities of daily living.

Question 19

What is the Hayflick limit for human cell division?

A) 10
B) 50
C) 90
D) 40

Question 20

A common vision problem of aging that results in deterioration of the retina causing loss of central vision for older adults is called

A) cataracts
B) retinopathy
C) glaucoma
D) macular degeneration

Question 21

What is the most likely serious consequence of older adults' loss of balance?

A) isolation
B) misjudged as impaired, intoxicated, or demented
C) an increase in depressed mood as a result of impaired mobility
D) an increase in falls and broken bones

Question 22

How are sleep patterns typically affected by age?

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

Question 23

The term ________ is used to describe the neurological disorder that includes problems with memory and thinking that affect an individual's emotional,social,and physical functioning.

A) "senility"
B) "amnesia"
C) "Alzheimer's disease"
D) "dementia"

Question 24

Which of the following is NOT an accurate conclusion about institutional care during late adulthood?

A) The duration of stay in a nursing home is longer for an older woman than for an older man.
B) The duration of institutional care is most often fairly brief.
C) Both voluntary and involuntary nursing-home placement are known to cause rapid decline and death.
D) Institutional care in late adulthood is common but is not universal.

Question 25

The ability to taste the five basic flavours

A) seems to decline over the years of adulthood.
B) does not seem to decline over the years of adulthood.
C) seems to increase over the years of adulthood.
D) seems to intensify in late adulthood.

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT a factor that contributes to the decline in the frequency of sexual interaction across late adulthood?

A) decline in testosterone levels among men
B) social expectation that old age is an asexual period of life
C) menopause
D) use of blood pressure medication

Question 27

Older adults who are experiencing hearing loss are most likely to

A) be clinically depressed.
B) have psychological problems.
C) be perceived as disoriented or forgetful.
D) be socially isolated and unhappy.

Question 28

The ________ theory of aging suggests that physical aging is caused when atoms or molecules with unpaired electrons enter into damaging chemical reactions that cause irreparable and cumulative cellular damage.

A) cross-linking
B) programmed senescence
C) antioxidation
D) free radicals

Question 29

Which of the following is NOT a correct statement about the way aging affects the senses of taste,smell,or touch?

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

Question 30

Which theory of aging suggests that aging occurs when undesirable bonds form between proteins or fats,resulting in molecules that cannot assume the correct shape for their proper function?

A) DNA recombination
B) cross-linking
C) free radicals
D) Hayflick limit

Question 31

If you were to serve a platter of freshly baked chocolate-chip cookies to a group of older individuals,which of the following comments would you be most likely to hear?

A) "The flavours of food seem to be so strong, so I really don't care for anything sweet."
B) "I can't smell a thing, dear."
C) "These smell so good. They really make my mouth water!"
D) "These cookies smell and taste delicious!"

Question 32

Which of the following is a symptom of Alzheimer's disease in the early stages?

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

Question 33

A persistent ringing in the ears is called

A) auditory loss.
B) tinnitus.
C) perception loss.
D) presbycusis.

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT a common cause of dementia?

A) multiple small strokes
B) genetics
C) multiple blows to the head
D) stress

Question 35

Why are burns more common in late adulthood than earlier?

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

Question 36

Which of the following is not an example of the way in which age-related physical changes could affect an individual's ability to drive an automobile?

A) trouble reading the instrument panel or road signs at night
B) increased difficulty adjusting to the glare of oncoming headlights
C) difficulty with drowsiness when driving long distances
D) requiring more time to respond when a vehicle or obstacle appears unexpectedly

Question 37

Auditory problems typically are experienced

A) only with advanced aging.
B) by more men than women.
C) with equal frequency by women and men.
D) by more women than men.

Question 38

Your family is reluctant to place your very frail great-aunt into a nursing home because they have heard that nursing-home placement inevitably shortens the life of an elderly person.Which of the following is the most accurate advice for your family?

A) There is no scientific evidence of a relationship between nursing-home placement and mortality.
B) If the setting provides opportunities for individuality and personal control, even an involuntary move does not accelerate physical or mental decline.
C) Nursing-home care inevitably means a reduced life expectancy.
D) Involuntary placement into any form of institutional care inevitably results in rapid decline and death.

Question 39

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

A) increased irritability
B) lack of sexual desire
C) loss of energy
D) a general slowing down

Question 40

The general slowing down that older adults experience will impact all of the following EXCEPT

A) writing a grocery list.
B) translating thoughts into action.
C) driving an automobile.
D) having an optimistic personality.

Question 41

According to Cohen's four-stage theory of mid- to late-life creativity,a creative person's desire to pool her accomplishments together into a cohesive,meaningful story is called

A) the liberation phase.
B) the encore phase.
C) the summing-up phase.
D) the evaluation phase.

Question 42

In Canada,the fastest-growing segment of the population is the oldest old.

Question 43

According to Cohen's four-stage theory of mid- to late-life creativity,at what age does one progress through the liberation phase?

A) 50s
B) 60s
C) 70s
D) 80s

Question 44

As adults get older,their life expectancy decreases.

Question 45

According to Cohen's four-stage theory of mid- to late-life creativity,a desire to complete unfinished work or to fulfill desires that have been put aside in the past is called

A) the liberation phase.
B) the encore phase.
C) the summing-up phase.
D) the evaluation phase.

Question 46

According to Cohen's four-stage theory of mid- to late-life creativity,the 80-year-old musician who works to finish musical compositions begun 50 years earlier is in the ________ phase of a creative life.

A) summing-up
B) liberation
C) re-evaluation
D) encore

Question 47

Which of the following would NOT be recommended by gerontologists as a means of preventing depression among elders?

A) mental exercises to increase synaptic plasticity
B) assistance with maintaining religious faith and practice
C) activities to increase social involvement, such as interacting with children
D) treatments and strategies to help older adults improve their health

Question 48

A person who is 80 years old would likely have the most difficulty with which of the following memory tasks?

A) looking up and immediately dialing a seven-digit telephone number
B) remembering to perform a certain task at the same time every day
C) giving you the item you just requested from the refrigerator
D) recalling the day and time of an appointment scheduled for next week

Question 49

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

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

Question 50

Most theorists do NOT include ________ in their definition of wisdom.

A) the knowledge that unpredictability and uncertainty are part of life
B) the ability to apply knowledge to practical problems of living
C) understanding of basic laws and patterns
D) personal experience with grief, trouble, and sorrow

Question 51

Older adults do not perform as well on remembering everyday tasks such as

A) remembering the main points of a story or newspaper article.
B) recalling conversations.
C) remembering whether they did something.
D) all of the above

Question 52

When Paul Baltes measured wisdom,which respondents made "wise" responses to the fictional dilemma task?

A) only adults middle-aged and older
B) intelligent and professionally experienced, regardless of age
C) only women
D) only adults categorized as young-old and older

Question 53

Of the following,which is NOT a likely reason why elderly men have higher rates of completed suicide than elderly women?

A) Men are more likely than women to have multiple combined risk factors for suicide.
B) Men are more likely to choose violent methods, such as firearms, when they attempt suicide.
C) Declining health may cause older men to view themselves as a burden on others.
D) Depression is more prevalent among elderly men than among elderly women.

Question 54

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

A) dietary and nutritional supplements, such as vitamins and minerals
B) tranquilizing medications
C) increased involvement in a social support network that includes family, friends, or community members
D) a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medication

Question 55

Which of the following would require wisdom,as it is defined by theorists?

A) remembering a recipe for chocolate cake
B) advising someone how to determine why their car will not start
C) advising someone who is considering divorcing their spouse
D) developing a dietary plan for an individual who has diabetes

Question 56

Which of the following is NOT a factor that influences the accurate diagnosis of depression among older adults?

A) Since depression is not common among older adults, reliable clinical diagnostic criteria have not been developed.
B) Elders may be misdiagnosed as being depressed because they are likely to report symptoms that are common both to older adults and to depressed adults, such as loss of sleep and lack of energy.
C) Depression may be mistaken for dementia because depression may also cause confusion and memory loss.
D) Symptoms of depression may be dismissed erroneously as "old-age grumpiness."

Question 57

Which of the following is NOT true about wisdom and old age?

A) People viewed as wise are more likely to show concern for humanity as a whole.
B) Wisdom always increases with age.
C) The speed of accessing wisdom-related knowledge remains constant across adulthood.
D) Performance on wisdom-related tasks does not decline with age.

Question 58

Which of the following is NOT a known risk factor for depression and dysthymia among the elderly?

A) inadequate social support
B) emotional loss
C) inadequate income
D) problem-solving ability

Question 59

In 1987,after a 30-year career in films,62-year-old Hollywood actor Tony Curtis opened a debut exhibition of his work as a painter.According to Cohen's four-stage theory of mid- to late-life creativity,Curtis most likely was at the ________ phase in his creative life.

A) liberation
B) re-evaluation
C) summing-up
D) encore

Question 60

Among the old,there are average declines in

A) speed of information-processing, but not in recall memory skills.
B) virtually all measures of intellectual skills.
C) memory skills, but not in most other intellectual skills.
D) all intellectual skills except vocabulary.

Question 61

Late adulthood vision problems may occur because of atherosclerosis,resulting in an enlarged "blind spot" on the retina and a reduced field of vision.

Question 62

Free radicals occur less frequently in older than in young persons' bodies.

Question 63

The skin of elderly adults is less responsive to cold and heat.

Question 64

Neurologists have determined that older adults who have higher levels of education show less atrophy of the cerebral cortex than those who have fewer years of schooling.

Question 65

A greater number of older men than older women are in nursing homes.

Question 66

The maximum human lifespan is approximately 100 years.

Question 67

Among older adults,auditory problems are more likely to be experienced by women than men.

Question 68

Age-related physical changes that cause a general slowing down are responsible for diverse behavioural effects,such as taking longer to tie one's shoes,decrements in word skills,or driving problems.

Question 69

According to the Hayflick Limit,there may be a minimum number of telomeres for every individual.When the total falls below that number,then disease or death comes fairly quickly.

Question 70

The number of telomeres remaining in a 70-year-old is considerably lower than the number found in a 5-year-old.

Question 71

Cross-linking occurs more often in cell proteins of older adults than in those of younger adults.

Question 72

Burns are far more common in late adulthood because the neurological message travels more slowly than in young or middle-aged adults.

Question 73

Those with hearing loss,whether mild or more severe,tend to be perceived as being disoriented or suffering from poor memory.

Question 74

The ability to taste the four basic flavours (salty,bitter,sweet,and sour)does not appear to decline throughout the lifespan.

Question 75

Socioeconomic status is a cause of the reduced atrophying of the cerebral cortex.

Question 76

The health habit that is most important predictor of longevity and health in late adulthood is physical exercise.

Question 77

The feeling of fullness that follows a meal is referred to as "satiety" and tends to be impaired in late adulthood,causing possible weight gain.

Question 78

Stem cells divide a limited number of times.

Question 79

In Canada,the most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease.

Question 80

Recent studies indicate that the majority of elderly adults in Canada have no difficulty performing instrumental activities of daily living.