Deck 13: The Elderly

Question 1

As people grow old, it is universally accepted that they develop more subtle ways of viewing right and wrong and tolerate greater ambiguity.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Continuity theory and disengagement theory are aligned with the functionalist perspective.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Bob is an 87 year old disabled man whose son has been secretly deducting funds from Bob's bank account in excess of what is needed to pay Bob's bills. His son's behavior is an example of elder abuse.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Although more people are living to old age, the life span has not increased.

Question 5

With 39 million members, the American Association of Retired Persons is a politically powerful organization that combats negative images of the elderly.

Question 6

Of all industrialized nations, Americans have the largest percentage of citizens over age 60.

Question 7

The media serve as models to denounce the stereotypes of gender age by having male and female news anchors of the approximately the same age sitting side by side.

Question 8

Because of the high costs of Medicare and Social Security, programs that benefit children are under-funded.

Question 9

When assessing how satisfied Rick is with his retired life sociologists would likely turn to conflict theory.

Question 10

Because age is socially constructed, there is little unified agreement on the image and treatment of the elderly.

Question 11

The number of members in an age cohort determines the size of a "baby boom" or a "baby bust."

Question 12

Historically, television advertisements and other forms of media have portrayed elderly people with negative images.

Question 13

Citizens of Japan have the longest life expectancy of any industrialized nation.

Question 14

Gender age is the relative value that a culture places on men's and women's ages, such as gray hair on men interpreted as a sign of being mature and gray hair on women interpreted as a sign of being old.

Question 15

The U.S. dependency ratio, or the number of people who pay into Social Security for each beneficiary, was 16:1 in 1950 and dropped to 4:1 by 2000.

Question 16

The Townsend Plan was America's first national retirement system, enacted about thirty years prior to the more economically stable Social Security plan, which replaced it in 1934.

Question 17

According to disengagement theory, social disengagement generally begins when the last of the dependent children leave home and increases when retirement is more seriously considered.

Question 18

The terms "life span" and "life expectancy" are interchangeable and virtually mean the same thing.

Question 19

In an attempt to provide holistic treatment to their patients, a nursing home in England hired prostitutions to attend the sexual needs of their male patients who had been groping the female staff.

Question 20

Elaine Cumming and William Henry discovered that the elderly abruptly shift gears upon retiring, which is the basis of disengagement theory.

Question 21

What three factors account for the long life expectancy of the Abkhasians, the people living in the former Soviet republic of Georgia?

A) mostly vegetarian diet; lifelong physical activity; sense of community
B) higher than average intellect; clean mountain air; homogeneous population
C) strong religious beliefs; higher than average intellect; mostly vegetarian diet
D) sense of community; clean mountain air; strong political structure

Question 22

How have television advertisements and other forms of cultural media typically portrayed the elderly?

A) as wise and knowing
B) as overprotective and nurturing
C) as accomplished and affluent
D) as unimportant and stereotyped

Question 23

Of the following groups of Americans, which one has the lowest median age?

A) Asian Americans
B) African Americans
C) Latinos
D) Native Americans

Question 24

Which of the following nations has the lowest percentage of population age 65 or older?

A) Afghanistan
B) Uganda
C) Poland
D) Hungary

Question 25

Prejudice, discrimination, and hostility directed against people because of their age is called ________.

A) reverse discrimination
B) disengagement
C) ageism
D) age cohort

Question 26

Which theory, developed by Swedish sociologist Lars Tornstam, describes the transformation of the elderly to feel more at one with the universe and more understanding in their perception of social issues?

A) continuity theory
B) gerotranscendence
C) activity theory
D) disengagement theory

Question 27

In colonial America, reaching an older age was viewed ________.

A) as a significant accomplishment
B) as an unusual and repulsive process
C) as something to be avoided
D) with indifference

Question 28

How do theorists view the relationship between industrialization and the elderly in the United States?

A) The social value of the elderly increased with industrialization.
B) The social value of the elderly decreased with industrialization.
C) The elderly were recognized for their knowledge and skills as a result of industrialization.
D) The elderly were identified as having reached an honorable distinction as a result of industrialization.

Question 29

What sociological perspective stresses that age has no inherent meaning and that each culture shapes the way that its citizens perceive the elderly?

A) symbolic interactionism
B) functionalism
C) the conflict perspective
D) the feminist perspective

Question 30

Of the following countries, in which one do the citizens have the longest life expectancy?

A) the United States
B) Japan
C) Germany
D) France

Question 31

What is the current median age of the United States population?

A) 26
B) 31
C) 35
D) 45

Question 32

What does it mean when sociologists say that age is "socially constructed"?

A) Age is based on sociobiological concepts.
B) Age is related to heredity and genes.
C) Age is perceived in a similar manner all over the world.
D) Age is based on cultural attitudes that are rooted in a society.

Question 33

The life span for humans is recorded as ________, based on the well-documented records of a French woman who died in 1977.

A) 109
B) 115
C) 122
D) 128

Question 34

In U.S. society, men with graying hair and wrinkles are seen as mature, while women with the same features are seen as old. This is referred to as ________ age.

A) biological
B) gender
C) gerotranscendent
D) societal

Question 35

Of the following countries, in which one do the citizens have the shortest life expectancy?

A) South Korea
B) Afghanistan
C) South Africa
D) Zimbabwe

Question 36

Dr. Loomis' introductory sociology class is composed entirely of first-year students who are 18 years old. Together, these 55 students, and all other 18-year-olds, comprise a(n) ________.

A) age cohort
B) longitudinal sample
C) adolescent universe
D) young adult population

Question 37

All of the following statements regarding the "graying of America" are accurate EXCEPT for which one?

A) The American life expectancy in 1910 was about 50.
B) About 13 percent of the U.S. population is 65 or older today.
C) The median age of Americans has almost doubled since 1950.
D) Today, the number of elderly is higher than the number of teenagers.

Question 38

The term "________" refers to prejudice, discrimination, and hostility directed against people because of their age, and was coined by the physician ________.

A) gerotranscendence; Lars Tornstam
B) gender age; Francis E. Downey
C) ageism; Robert Butler
D) age cohort; C. Everett Koop

Question 39

Because the first of the baby boom generation has now turned 60, we are likely to see a shift to more positive images of the elderly. What is the major reason for this?

A) They recognize that there is a certain distinction in being elderly.
B) Their vast numbers translate into economic clout and political power.
C) They tend to be much more productive in the labor market than younger workers.
D) They represent a storehouse of occupational knowledge and work skills.

Question 40

With respect to contemporary China, which of the following statements best reflects its policy toward the elderly?

A) Children are permitted to abandon their parents when they reach age 60.
B) Older people are moved into government nursing homes based on strict government policies.
C) The elderly begin to collect social security payments when they turn 70.
D) Children are obligated by tradition, and in some cases by contract, to care for their aging parents.

Question 41

At any given time, approximately ________ Americans over age 65 are in nursing homes. This accounts for approximately ________ of the nation's elderly.

A) 600,000; 2 percent
B) 1.5 million; 3 percent
C) 4 million; 10 percent
D) 6 million; 13 percent

Question 42

What is the politically powerful group with 39 million members that monitors federal and state legislation and mobilizes its elderly members to act on issues affecting their welfare?

A) Gray Panthers
B) American Association of Retired Persons
C) National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly
D) Alzheimer's Association

Question 43

The number of workers required to support one dependent member of society is called the ________.

A) disengagement coefficient
B) Social Security factor
C) dependency ratio
D) correlation coefficient

Question 44

Joann just stared working at the Mainline Nursing Home. Based on the range of resignations in nursing home staff each year, what is the likelihood that Joann will be working there a year from now?

A) close to 0 percent, because it is virtually certain that all staff members will resign within a year
B) about 25 percent, but it is very likely that staff members will leave within a year
C) no better than 40 percent, because at least that proportion leave nursing homes each year
D) almost 98 percent, because it is almost certain that staff members will still be employed within a year

Question 45

As the "baby boom" generation reaches retirement age, what can be expected of its effect on the economy?

A) Many jobs will open at roughly the same time.
B) Fewer jobs will be made available.
C) The labor market will become more male-dominated.
D) The Gross National Product (GNP) will rise.

Question 46

The dependency ratio was ________ in 1950 and had shrunk to ________ by 2000.

A) 22:1; 8:1
B) 16:1; 4:1
C) 14:1; 6:1
D) 48:1; 12:1

Question 47

Which organization has 20,000 members who work toward opposing ageism and supporting the welfare of both the old and the young?

A) Social Security Association
B) ACLU
C) AARP
D) Gray Panthers

Question 48

How does a Ponzi scheme work?

A) It places the money in reserve as a part of the Federal Reserve System.
B) It sets the money aside in a fund that cannot be touched except for Social Security payments.
C) It pretends there are funds where there really are none.
D) It uses the money to leverage loans from the World Bank.

Question 49

Ralph, age 45, has decided to stop putting in overtime at work and stop going to Chamber of Commerce meetings in order to spend more time with his family and friends. According to Elaine Cumming and William Henry, what is transpiring in Ralph's life?

A) He is experiencing a mid-life crisis.
B) He is becoming more conscious of his social roles.
C) He is in the early stages of disengagement theory.
D) He is losing his motivation to succeed.

Question 50

What was the means by which the Townsend Plan was to be funded?

A) a working man's tax on all earned income
B) a national sales tax of 2 percent
C) a capital gains tax of 10 percent on all those who earned over $10,000
D) an assessments on employers of $1,000 a year for each employee

Question 51

Approximately what percentage of each U.S. tax dollar is dedicated to Social Security and Medicare benefits?

A) 18 percent
B) 25 percent
C) 35 percent
D) 54 percent

Question 52

Under the Townsend Plan, what was the monthly stipend to be paid to all Americans 65 years of age and older (in 1930 dollars)?

A) $125
B) $200
C) $350
D) $500

Question 53

Who proposed the Social Security plan that was finally adopted by Congress in 1934?

A) Franklin D. Roosevelt
B) Francis Townsend
C) Robert Butler
D) Lyndon Johnson

Question 54

________ was the physician who started a movement in 1930 to levy a 2 percent national sales tax to support the elderly.

A) Alan Scarsdale
B) Jonas Salk
C) C. Everett Koop
D) Francis Townsend

Question 55

Which theory posits the notion that retirement is a mutually beneficial agreement between two parts of society, the old and the young?

A) activity theory
B) exchange theory
C) disengagement theory
D) conflict theory

Question 56

Based on the work of Elaine Cumming and William Henry, when does disengagement begin?

A) It is a gradual process that begins in middle age and continues over several decades.
B) It begins when a person experiences his or her first age-related illness.
C) It starts at retirement and continues until death.
D) It occurs as a person approaches the final years of life, usually at about age 75 or 80.

Question 57

Which sociological perspective is most closely aligned with the disengagement, activity, and continuity theories of aging?

A) symbolic interactionism
B) the conflict perspective
C) functionalism
D) the feminist perspective

Question 58

What is the micro-level goal of the Gray Panthers?

A) to lower the retirement age to 55 or less
B) to increase Social Security payments to all retired Americans
C) to establish a national health care plan for the elderly
D) to fight attempts to pit people against one another based on age factors

Question 59

Which sociological perspective is most closely aligned with the explanation that Social Security benefits came about as the result of a struggle between competing interest groups?

A) the conflict perspective
B) functionalism
C) the feminist perspective
D) symbolic interactionism

Question 60

What is the macro-level goal of the Gray Panthers?

A) to help people develop positive self-concepts
B) to increase Social Security payments to all retired Americans
C) to establish a national health care plan for the elderly
D) to fight attempts to pit people against one another based on age factors

Question 61

________ was the psychologist who developed a five-stage process describing the ways in which people cope during the living-dying interval.

A) Emile Durkheim
B) Jane Addams
C) Francis Townsend
D) Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Question 62

Which term refers to a form of existence that lies between life and death, but is neither?

A) age continuity
B) institutional death
C) cerebral morbidity
D) technological life

Question 63

What is meant by "life span"?

Question 64

What was the Townsend Plan?

Question 65

Which statement is most accurate regarding U.S. suicide rates?

A) Suicide rates vary considerably from year to year.
B) There is no difference in suicide rates by sex.
C) Men commit suicide at a higher rate than females.
D) African Americans have the highest rates of suicide.

Question 66

What is the basic premise of activity theory?

Question 67

By 2000, the median age in the United States population was approximately 35. What does this mean, and how is it calculated?

Question 68

A person who is dying in the sterile environment of a hospital, surrounded by medical professionals and beeping machines, is experiencing ________.

A) the linguistic mask
B) institutional death
C) elder abuse
D) hospice death

Question 69

Francis has recently been told that he has a terminal disease and can expect to live for only a short time. He has made a will, paid all his bills, and given instructions to his children. According to Kübler-Ross, Francis is in the stage of ________.

A) acceptance
B) negotiation
C) depression
D) denial

Question 70

What is meant by the term "life expectancy"?

Question 71

With more than 1 billion people, how has China managed to provide for its aging population?

Question 72

Based on the symbolic interactionist perspective, why do people in Western cultures have a difficult time applying the label "old" to themselves?

Question 73

What three factors are believed to account for the long life of the Abkhasians?

Question 74

What is the major criticism of disengagement theory as an explanation for the ways in which the elderly adjust to retirement?

Question 75

What is the major criticism of continuity theory as an explanation of how the elderly adjust to retirement?

Question 76

Provide several examples of gender age using Hollywood celebrities.

Question 77

Which of the following factors most transformed the process of dying into an event to be managed by professionals?

A) urbanization
B) retirement
C) industrialization
D) nursing homes

Question 78

What advantage does the author see in passing laws that would require background checks of nursing home workers?

A) They would likely reduce the incidents of elderly abuse.
B) They would make licensure of nursing homes easier.
C) They would allow nursing homes to apply for more grants and reduce costs to families.
D) They would improve the efficiency of nursing home operations.

Question 79

LuAnn has a terminal disease and is close to death. Every other day, a person comes to her home and monitors her health signs, talks with her, and answers any questions the family has about LuAnn. The services provided LuAnn are referred to as ________.

A) hospice
B) Medicare benefits
C) technological life
D) socialized medical nursing

Question 80

What is the best example of a patient experiencing "technological life"?

A) The patient is in a drug-induced coma.
B) The patient is "brain dead" with no sense of self.
C) The patient has experienced an "out of body" experience during surgery.
D) The patient is being kept alive on machines during open-heart surgery.