Deck 14: Basic Concepts II: Aging, Health Care, and Society

Question 1

Among all people over age 65, about ______ percent are in nursing homes at any given time.

A) 5
B) 10
C) 24
D) 40
E) 50

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Chronic illness is much more common among the old than among the young.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

A multidimensional functional assessment involves which of the following?

A) a thorough physical exam
B) a full examination of physical, mental, and social conditions
C) an older adult's economic and social resources
D) both a and c
E) both b and c

Answer 3

E

Question 4

The highest rate of suicide in the United States occurs among which of the following groups?

A) younger black men
B) older black men
C) young white men
D) older white men
E) older white women

Question 5

The majority of people over age 65 need assistance with activities of daily living.

Question 6

Today, older people are more likely to die from infectious diseases, such as influenza or pneumonia, than from chronic diseases, such as heart disease or cancer.

Question 7

______ refers to the private health insurance policies that older people may purchase to supplement their Medicare coverage.

A) Medicaid
B) Medicare Part A
C) Medicare Part B
D) Medigap
E) prospective payment policies

Question 8

Medicare covers about ______ percent of the out-of-pocket medical expenses of older people.

A) 10
B) 25
C) 50
D) 80
E) 100

Question 9

The majority of Medicare dollars go to which of the following?

A) nursing homes
B) hospitals
C) physicians
D) home health agencies
E) none of these

Question 10

Once someone is admitted to a nursing home, he or she is likely to remain there for the rest of his or her life.

Question 11

The lowest rate of suicide in the United States occurs among which of the following groups?

A) younger black men
B) older black men
C) young white men
D) older white men
E) none of these

Question 12

Which of the following is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases of old age?

A) arthritis
B) osteoporosis
C) Parkinson's disease
D) cancer
E) cardiovascular disease

Question 13

Aging is not a life-long process but something that only happens after maturity.

Question 14

______ is the chief government program that pays for health care for older Americans.

A) Medicaid
B) Medicare
C) Social Security
D) The Older Americans Act
E) none of these

Question 15

Evidence from biology indicates that maximum life span is genetically determined and thus fixed for each species.

Question 16

What percentage of older adults surveyed in multiple studies conducted by AARP say that they'd prefer to remain in their own homes and "age in place"?

A) 50%
B) 90%
C) 100%
D) 25%
E) none of these

Question 17

Precursors of late life suicide include which of the following:

A) loneliness and social isolation
B) diminished economic resources
C) the presence of illness or disability
D) depression
E) all of these

Question 18

It is thought that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to Alzheimer's disease.

Question 19

In 1983, Congress responded to the high costs of hospital care under Medicare Part A by introducing ______.

A) the resource-based relative value scale
B) the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
C) Medigap policies
D) the prospective payment system
E) none of these

Question 20

Dementia is characteristic of normal aging.

Question 21

Many people fear the prospect of having to live in a nursing home. Discuss some reasons for this prevalent fear, whether or not this fear is realistic, and the conditions under which living in such a setting may be appropriate.

Question 22

Only a small percentage of those over age 60 report feeling "very confident" or "somewhat confident" about maintaining a high quality of life as they grow older.

Question 23

Long-term care costs are projected to increase dramatically in the 21st century.

Question 24

Describe the options that are available for dealing with the Struldbrug problem, that is, a prolonged period of frailty and dependency at the end of life. What are the benefits and drawbacks of each option? Which option would you support, and why?

Question 25

Declines in mortality rates always lead to declines in morbidity rates

Question 26

How does the concept "continuum of care" assist in our understanding the diverse needs among the older adult population? To what extent is the long-term care service system in the United States a "continuum of care"?

Question 27

Two thirds of all dementias are of the Alzheimer's type.

Question 28

Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the Medicare program. What could be done to strengthen the Medicare program?

Question 29

The term long-term care covers health care and social services for those who need extensive help with daily life because of a chronic illness or condition.

Question 30

How did Jonathan Swift (Gulliver's Travels, 1726) characterize the Struldbrugs, and how does this characterization assist in our understanding of the possible implications of population aging?

Question 31

Describe the variety of senior housing options that are available today. If you wished to continue living in your own home as long as possible but your health needs were increasing, which option would you prefer? Explain.

Question 32

What challenges might our society face with respect to long-term care if all diseases were eliminated?

Question 33

Advances in medical technology are largely responsible for the large drop in mortality rates that occurred at the beginning of the 20th century.