Question 1

The term most often used to refer to theories suggesting that genetic programming determines the pace and processes of aging are referred to as:

Accepted Answer

The term "biological clock" is often used to refer to theories that suggest genetic programming is responsible for the pace and processes of aging. These theories propose that a predetermined biological clock, or internal timer, determines the biological processes that lead to aging and death.

Question 2

If you conducted a survey of older adults who live in their own homes, you would expect that about ____ would report that they suffer from sleep problems of one sort or another.

Accepted Answer

About 50% of older adults report suffering from some form of sleep problems. This is a common issue due to various factors such as health conditions, changes in sleep patterns with age, and medication effects.

Question 3

In which of these cultures is filial piety the LEAST strong?

Accepted Answer

Filial piety is less of a cultural value in mainstream U.S. culture today compared to 200 years ago when multigenerational households were more common. Native American culture also places a strong emphasis on familial relationships and respect for elders. Chinese culture, on the other hand, continues to place a strong emphasis on filial piety even today.

Question 4

Which of the following words means essentially the same thing as dementia?

Accepted Answer

Senility is a term commonly used to describe the mental and physical deterioration associated with aging, which is similar to dementia. Senescence refers to the biological aging process and is not specific to mental decline. Stochastic refers to random events or processes, and ageism refers to discrimination based on age.

Question 5

According to the text, what percent of U.S. adults age 85 and older live in nursing homes?

Accepted Answer

14% of U.S. adults age 85 and older live in nursing homes according to the text.

Question 6

In the colonial period in the United States, the median age of the population was ____ years and about ___ of the population reached the age of 65.

Accepted Answer

The median age was low due to high infant mortality rates and difficult living conditions, and only a small percentage of the population reached the age of 65.

Question 7

Brenda has been a watercolor artist all of her adult life. Now in her 60s, she has lost the ability to distinguish fine detail. Her visual problem would best be described as a decline in:

Accepted Answer

Visual acuity refers to the sharpness of vision and the ability to distinguish fine details. Brenda's decline in this ability suggests a decrease in visual acuity.

Question 8

John says he fears becoming old because "old people are stupid

Accepted Answer

John's statement about old people being stupid is a classic example of ageist stereotypes, which involve negative and unfair beliefs about people based solely on their age. Senescence refers to the biological aging process, filial piety refers to a cultural value in which children are expected to respect and care for their parents, and metacognition refers to self-awareness and the ability to reflect on one's own thinking processes.

Question 9

Frank reports that he just can't get to sleep, and if he does fall asleep, he can't stay asleep. His condition would be called:

Accepted Answer

Frank's condition is characterized by difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, which is consistent with insomnia. Sleep apnea involves breathing interruptions during sleep, sleep aphasia is a language disorder during sleep, and sleep-related senescence refers to age-related changes in sleep patterns.

Question 10

In general, what has been the effect of high-intensity physical exercise programs for the elderly?

Accepted Answer

High-intensity physical exercise programs for the elderly have been shown to help improve physical strength, often resulting in seniors being able to double or even triple their strength levels.

Question 11

If Sara believes that aging is the result of chromosome breakage that occurs each time a cell divides and accumulates until the cell no longer can reproduce itself, her view is most similar to:

Accepted Answer

Sara's belief about aging is most similar to the theory of biological clock. Both propose that aging is a result of a gradual accumulation of damage to the genetic material in cells. However, the biological clock theory is more specific in suggesting that a predetermined lifespan is determined by an internal genetic clock in the body rather than cell division alone. The free radical theory and stochastic theory both propose that aging is a result of damage to cells caused by external factors or random events, while the theory of senility is a narrow proposal that aging is solely a result of changes in the brain.

Question 12

To say that a condition is chronic means that it:

Accepted Answer

Chronic conditions are ones that involve the repeated occurrences or continuation of a disease. They may last for long periods of time, and may not be easily cured, unlike acute conditions which are typically severe and short-lived. Chronic conditions can result from a variety of causes including genetics, lifestyle choices, and exposure to environmental factors.

Question 13

The text cites recent studies of the brain that indicate that as adults age, their brain actually becomes _________ and the activity of their brain in the prefrontal cortex regions __________.

Accepted Answer

Recent studies suggest that as adults age, their brains tend to become smaller, but the activity in the prefrontal cortex regions increases, possibly as a compensatory mechanism.

Question 14

Thus, most people who retire would belong to which of the following groups?

Accepted Answer

The "young-old" category typically includes those who have just entered retirement age, generally considered to start in the late 60s to early 70s, which is the age most people retire.

Question 15

Generalizing from research described in the text, you would expect older adults to suffer the greatest memory decrement on which of the following tasks?

Accepted Answer

Older adults tend to have difficulty retrieving information from long-term memory, especially when the information is not well-rehearsed.

Question 16

Beginning around the time of her 70^th birthday, Margaret began to experience increasing problems in learning new things, with her memory, and with her motor coordination. She now is frequently confused, sometimes doesn't recognize people she has known for a long time, and her speech has become less fluent. The condition that would most likely be diagnosed in Margaret's case would be:

Accepted Answer

The symptoms described are indicative of dementia, which is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a decline in cognitive function, memory loss, and difficulties with motor coordination. Senescence refers to the natural process of aging, atherosclerosis is a condition that affects the arteries, and pathological aging is not a commonly used term in medical literature.

Question 17

If you were to estimate the typical percentage of prescription errors that occur in administering medicines to older adults, the most accurate percentage would be which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Studies and reports in the field of geriatric medicine suggest that medication errors in older adults are relatively high, with some estimates indicating that errors can occur in 15% or more of prescriptions given to this population. This high rate is due to factors such as polypharmacy, complex health conditions, and the increased sensitivity of older adults to medications.

Question 18

Which of the following is a disease that involves a progressive deterioration of brain cells, especially in the cerebral cortex, and is a common form of dementia?

Accepted Answer

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive deterioration of brain cells, especially in the cerebral cortex, leading to memory loss and impaired cognitive function. Atherosclerosis is a narrowing and hardening of the arteries, osteoporosis is a bone disease where bones become fragile and brittle, and Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects movement.

Question 19

John's grandmother says she has "hardening of the arteries." The more technical term for this condition is:

Accepted Answer

"Hardening of the arteries" is a layman's term for atherosclerosis, which is the medical term for the condition. Osteoporosis is a condition that affects bones, hypertension is high blood pressure, and apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing.

Question 20

According to the text, which of the following factors accounts for the largest share of problems older adults have with driving a car?

Accepted Answer

The text suggests that the largest share of problems older adults have with driving is due to a general slowing down of cognitive abilities, which affects their reaction time and decision-making.

Quiz 16: Older Adulthood: Physical and Cognitive Development