Deck 15: The Personal Context of Later Life

Question 1

According to Statistics Canada, what is going to happen to the Aboriginal seniors population by 2017?

A) It will decrease by 10%.
B) It will increase by 25%.
C) It will increase by 50%.
D) It will remain stable.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Because more seniors require assistance with activities of daily living, which of the following systems will face increasing strain in the future?

A) education
B) economic
C) political
D) healthcare

Answer 2

D

Question 3

In order to depict the number of people of different ages in the population, what graphing technique is used?

A) demography
B) census-taking
C) worldometers
D) population pyramid

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The year is 2030. Biff is 80 years old. Compared to the 80-year-olds of 1990, what is Biff more likely to be?

A) living in a nursing home
B) a post-secondary graduate
C) the oldest person in his community
D) unhealthy

Question 5

Mr. Newman has just celebrated a huge milestone birthday because he has surpassed the age at which scientists consider him to have outlived the maximum life expectancy. What is Mr. Newman's age?

A) 114 years
B) 116 years
C) 117 years
D) 120 years

Question 6

In the country of Casfeldt, 50% of the population who died in 2013 were older than 85. Thus, what does age 85 represent?

A) the maximum life expectancy
B) the useful life expectancy
C) the average life expectancy
D) the longevity

Question 7

What is causing the number of older adults to increase in developing countries?

A) lower birth rates
B) improved pension programs
C) improved health care
D) North American influence on diet

Question 8

Jin Li is Chinese, and by 2040, he will be a senior citizen. By 2040, how many seniors are expected to be over 60 years of age and living in China?

A) 100 million
B) 200 million
C) 300 million
D) 400 million

Question 9

Which Canadian has reached the current average life expectancy for his/her gender?

A) Greg, a male who just turn 63
B) Rachel, a female who just turned 73
C) Faith, a female who just turned 83
D) Billy, a male who just turned 93

Question 10

According to the text, why has the proportion of older adults increased tremendously during the past century?

A) due to better overall health
B) due to more wealth
C) due to increased medical technology
D) due to the knowledge of highly-educated healthcare professionals

Question 11

Globally, by the year 2050, which age group will have more people than in any other?

A) 65 and older
B) 40-49
C) 20-29
D) 0-9

Question 12

Herman asks his doctor, "How long do you think I can live, doc?" What is Herman asking for information about?

A) his longevity
B) his average life expectancy
C) his useful life expectancy
D) his maximum life expectancy

Question 13

Which headline concerns maximum life expectancy?

A) Women Continue to Outlive Men
B) Most Humans Retain Vitality Through Age 90
C) World's Oldest Human Celebrates 118th Birthday
D) Average American Now Dies at Age 80

Question 14

As the over-80 population increases dramatically in the next 40 years, which will probably be most affected in Canada?

A) defence systems
B) housing
C) social service systems
D) transportation systems

Question 15

In the 1950s, what shape did the global population distribution resemble?

A) rectangle
B) square
C) pyramid
D) up-side down pyramid

Question 16

Which is likely to be the shortest estimate of longevity?

A) maximum life expectancy
B) average life expectancy
C) useful life expectancy
D) median life expectancy

Question 17

How financially prepared is Canada for the increasing numbers of elderly people?

A) It is well prepared.
B) It is somewhat prepared.
C) It is currently preparing itself.
D) It is unprepared.

Question 18

Henry spends his time studying how populations of different ages of people will be changing over the next one hundred years. Which of the following is Henry most likely to be?

A) a demographer
B) a neurologist
C) a psychiatrist
D) a population scientist

Question 19

According to Statistics Canada's 2009 data, what percentage of Canadians were seniors at that time?

A) 12 percent
B) 14 percent
C) 16 percent
D) 18 percent

Question 20

Elijah asks his doctor how long he can plan to live without any major medical problems or impairments. What is Elijah asking about?

A) his maximum life expectancy
B) his useful life expectancy
C) his average life expectancy
D) his longevity

Question 21

As you get older, what happens to your dendrites?

A) They die.
B) They continue to grow.
C) Nothing. They stay pretty much the same for the duration of your life.
D) Some will die, and some will continue to grow.

Question 22

In 2012, Kerry's grandmother became a healthy centenarian. What does the term "centenarian" signify?

A) that she is over 100 years old
B) that she has lived during three centuries
C) that she has reached her maximum life expectancy
D) that she has multiple health concerns for her age

Question 23

Dr. Kirkpatrick has advised his patient to consume more blueberries, kidney beans, and apples, because these foods contain a substance that may help to postpone the appearance of some age-related diseases. What is this substance?

A) antioxidants
B) phytochemicals
C) flavonoids
D) phytoestrogens

Question 24

Forty-year-old Carlton's golf game is improving at the same time as his language skills are declining. What normal age-related factor can best explain these changes?

A) changes in his dendrites
B) changes in his metabolic rate
C) changes in his free radicals
D) changes in his longevity

Question 25

Compared to environmental factors, what degree of impact does heredity have in determining how long you will live?

A) It has no impact.
B) It plays a very small role.
C) It plays a significant role.
D) It is the only important thing.

Question 26

When you see a book entitled How Neurons Communicate with Each Other, what is it most likely about?

A) neurotransmitters
B) working memory
C) internal aids
D) cerebral vascular accidents

Question 27

Which of the following conditions is associated with neuritic plaques?

A) Alzheimer's disease
B) osteoporosis
C) Parkinson's disease
D) cancer

Question 28

Mr. Jones is a member of what gerontologist call the Fourth Age. Which of the following situations is typical for Mr. Jones?

A) He experiences high levels of personal and emotional well-being.
B) He is frail and has multiple chronic conditions.
C) He has some cognitive reserves left in his aging mind.
D) He experiences decreases in the negative effects of chronic stress.

Question 29

Because Lynn studies free radicals and telomeres, what kind of theory is she most likely investigating?

A) a wear-and-tear theory of aging
B) a metabolic theory of aging
C) a cellular theory of aging
D) a programmed cell death theory of aging

Question 30

Why is it that the oldest-old are able to live long lives and considered to be hardy?

A) because their wealth affords them excellent medical care
B) because they have not been exposed to as many toxins during their lifetimes
C) because they have a high threshold for disease
D) because they have typically made more healthy lifestyle choices across their lifespans

Question 31

Mickey is currently experiencing the "Third Age." What does that mean?

A) He is young-old.
B) He is old-old.
C) He is old-young.
D) He is young-young.

Question 32

What happens if a neuron becomes extremely tangled?

A) The affected person will develop Parkinson's disease.
B) Information can no longer flow through the neuron.
C) Electrochemical energy begins to flow from the axon to the dendrite instead of from the dendrite to the axon.
D) It will not significantly affect neural functioning.

Question 33

As you age, gravity will ultimately compress your spine, and this will result in a loss of height. Which theory of aging best explains this effect?

A) the metabolic theory of aging
B) the cellular theory of aging
C) the wear-and-tear theory of aging
D) the programmed cell death theory of aging

Question 34

Mayra is a female Aboriginal elder. According to Health Canada, by how many years will Mayra's life expectancy increase by 2017?

A) 1 or 2 years
B) 2 or 3 years
C) 3 or 4 years
D) 4 or 5 years

Question 35

While looking at slides of brain tissue in a physiology class, you see groups of damaged neurons that have collected around a core of protein. What are you looking at?

A) neurotransmitters
B) neuritic plaques
C) neurofibrillary tangles
D) selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

Question 36

What do we call chemicals produced during normal cell metabolism that may cause cellular damage that impairs functioning?

A) neurofibrillary tangles
B) neuritic plaques
C) transient ischemic attacks
D) free radicals

Question 37

According to Statistics Canada (2012), a woman's average longevity is close to how many more years than her male counterpart at birth?

A) 2 years
B) 3 years
C) 4 years
D) 5 years

Question 38

Dr. Moore believes that people age because their muscles and arteries become less flexible as they interact with certain proteins. What is her lecture describing this position most likely to focus on?

A) wear and tear
B) cross-linking
C) neurofibrillary tangles
D) free radicals

Question 39

If the programmed cell theory of aging is correct, what does this signify about the aging process?

A) People under stress should die sooner than those not under stress.
B) A low-fat diet should extend life.
C) The elimination of free radicals should greatly extend life.
D) Humans are born with a "prewired death clock."

Question 40

While doing an autopsy of a brain, Dr. Howard shakes her head in disgust, saying, "This is just awful." When an assistant asks her what she sees, she says, "Deformed axons." What was the source of Dr. Howard's disgust?

A) neuritic plaques
B) neurotransmitters
C) free radical damage
D) neurofibrillary tangles

Question 41

Which of the following conditions does not belong?

A) emphysema
B) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
C) presbycusis
D) asthma

Question 42

When someone hands Russ a menu to read, he has to hold it at arm's length in order to be able to see the words well enough to read them. What does Russ appear to be experiencing?

A) presbycusis
B) presbyopia
C) telomeres
D) neuritic plaques

Question 43

What is a more common term used to describe cerebral vascular accidents?

A) transient ischemic attacks (TIAs)
B) vascular dementia
C) myocardial infarction
D) strokes

Question 44

Juliana has just suffered an interruption of blood flow to her brain. Her doctor has told her what she has just experienced, and that they should now do what they can to prevent the onset of a stroke. What has Juliana most likely just experienced?

A) a transient ischemic attack
B) a myocardial infarction
C) an amyloid
D) a circadian rhythm

Question 45

When does a cerebral hemorrhage occur?

A) when a blood vessel in the brain tangles
B) when a blood vessel in the brain blocks
C) when a blood vessel in the brain bursts
D) when a blood vessel in the brain stiffens

Question 46

Carmen has a very difficult time breathing. Even after walking only short distances, she is gasping for air. Which condition is Carmen exhibiting symptoms of?

A) asthma
B) emphysema
C) tuberculosis
D) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Question 47

Mrs. Clarke's doctor has ordered a structural imaging test which will provide detailed information about her anatomical features within her aging brain. Which of the following is that structural imaging test?

A) PET
B) NIRSI
C) MRI
D) fMRI

Question 48

After Winston has been diagnosed with Parkinson's, what is his doctor most likely to prescribe?

A) levodopa
B) an HCA
C) amyloids
D) thioridazine

Question 49

Despite the fact that Matthew's hand shakes and he has a difficult time walking, positioning, and moving his body to get in and out of chairs, he remains mentally sharp. What does Matthew appear to have?

A) Parkinson's disease
B) Alzheimer's disease
C) Huntington's disease
D) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Question 50

Which of the following is a diagnostic test for vascular dementia?

A) X-ray
B) positron emission tomography (PET)
C) neuropsychological tests
D) measurement of neurotransmitter levels

Question 51

Jamie's physician has ordered a magnetic resonance image scan because he suspects that Jamie may have experienced which of the following?

A) a stroke
B) Huntington's disease
C) Alzheimer's disease
D) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Question 52

Drake's father is suffering from vascular dementia. When a physician explains this disorder to Drake, which phrase is least likely to be used?

A) "numerous cerebral vascular accidents"
B) "predictable progression"
C) "sudden onset"
D) "death in a few years"

Question 53

An artery in Wiley's brain is blocked, and a significant part of Wiley's brain is left without nourishment. What is Wiley experiencing?

A) a circadian rhythm
B) a hemorrhage
C) a transient ischemic attack
D) a cerebral vascular accident

Question 54

As a typical 80-year-old, which of the following situations would have decreased significantly for Joan from when she was 20?

A) lung size
B) ability to take a big deep breath
C) chance for developing a COPD
D) chance for being short of breath following exercise

Question 55

After a series of strokes, Jerry is unable to recognize family members and has a very difficult time understanding his native language. What is the most probable diagnosis?

A) Huntington's disease
B) neuritic plaques
C) vascular dementia
D) Alzheimer's disease

Question 56

In Canada, what happened to the death rate from cardiovascular disease in the latter part of the 20th century?

A) It increased significantly.
B) It increased slightly.
C) It decreased slightly.
D) It increased with age.

Question 57

Anna is buying a bulb that will light up when someone rings her doorbell. She is buying this because, though she can hear people fairly well during normal conversations, she has a very difficult time hearing the high-pitched sound of the doorbell. What is Anna most likely experiencing?

A) Meniere's disease
B) cochlear disease
C) presbycusis
D) otosclerosis

Question 58

After assessing Nalini's brain, her physician comments, "You have significantly reduced amounts of dopamine in your midbrain." What does Nalini most likely have?

A) Huntington's disease
B) Alzheimer's disease
C) Parkinson's disease
D) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Question 59

Which of the following happens to the cardiovascular system as we age?

A) The heart begins to pump more blood per minute.
B) The arteries become more elastic.
C) Fat deposits form in the heart and arteries.
D) The amount of muscle tissue in the heart increases.

Question 60

Thirty-year-old Lee is a professional trucker with normal vision. What common visual problem is likely to impact his driving in later life?

A) nearsightedness and a need for corrective lenses
B) temporary blindness, especially at night
C) difficulty in adjusting from bright light to darkness
D) loss of depth perception on cloudy days

Question 61

Dr. Hallen does research in which she measures the reaction times of her subjects. What is she studying?

A) attention span
B) selectivity
C) psychomotor speed
D) implicit memory

Question 62

Jackie is playing a game in which she has to answer questions regarding all kinds of general knowledge, including science facts and literature. Which type of memory is this sort of game is most challenging for?

A) implicit memory
B) episodic memory
C) semantic memory
D) selective attention

Question 63

For which type of memory tasks would you expect the greatest differences between older and younger adults?

A) tasks assessing implicit memory
B) tasks assessing semantic memory
C) tasks assessing episodic memory
D) tasks assessing procedural memory

Question 64

Eighty-year-old Vera is having trouble sleeping at night. Which factor is likely the cause of her problem?

A) depression
B) smoking
C) medication side effect
D) a slower metabolic rate

Question 65

Gina is recalling the time last year that she hiked up a big hill in the rain with a bunch of her friends. What kind of memory is this?

A) an implicit memory
B) an autobiographical memory
C) a semantic memory
D) an episodic memory

Question 66

Which sort of memory is most unlike the others?

A) episodic
B) semantic
C) implicit
D) explicit

Question 67

According to Spirduso, Poon, and Chodzko-Zajko (2008), which of the following can mediate the effects of normative aging on cognitive slowing?

A) increased reading
B) exercise
C) vitamin supplements
D) improved overall nutrition

Question 68

What is the only universal behaviour change in aging?

A) Older adults cannot locate targets in selective attention tasks.
B) Older adults exhibit dysphoria.
C) Older adults benefit from haloperidol.
D) Older adults have slower reaction times.

Question 69

You are hired by a social service agency to do safety inspections of the apartments of older adults. Which of the following would you advise against using?

A) night lights by their beds
B) handrails on both sides of stairways
C) high-gloss finishes on floors
D) non-skid mats in bathtubs

Question 70

Which physical change associated with aging would be least likely to affect one's ability to drive an automobile?

A) presbycusis
B) decreased reaction time
C) stiffening of the lenses
D) atherosclerosis

Question 71

As people reach old age, which of the following nutrient deficiencies are they likely to experience?

A) vitamin C
B) carbohydrate
C) fat
D) Vitamin B12

Question 72

When older adults are asked to respond to an ambiguous question, what is most likely to happen?

A) They will have slow response rates.
B) They will have mostly incorrect answers.
C) They will have pseudodementia.
D) They will have accurate and speedy responses.

Question 73

Salvatore is a typical older adult who eats a well-balanced diet. What does Salvatore's dietitian recommend he discontinue in his diet?

A) vitamin supplements
B) protein supplements
C) fibre supplements
D) calcium supplements

Question 74

Dr. Avery has to prescribe a syrupy medication for one of her elderly patients. She has two choices, one that smells bad but tastes good, or one that smells good but tastes bad. Since her patient is 75-years-old, and assuming she wants to prescribe the medicine that is most tolerable, which medicine should she prescribe?

A) the one that smells bad
B) the one that tastes bad
C) either one, because the elderly have little or no sense of taste or smell
D) for a male patient, the one that tastes bad; for a female patient, the one that smells bad

Question 75

While at a conference dealing with issues related to aging, Cyndi is interested in learning about how sleep patterns change in late life. Which presentation should she attend?

A) "Circadian Rhythms and the Elderly"
B) "Neuritic Plaques and the Elderly"
C) "Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors and the Elderly"
D) "Selectivity and the Elderly"

Question 76

Which odour do older individuals have difficulty detecting?

A) the odour of spoiled milk
B) the odour of body perspiration
C) the odour of burning food
D) the odour of the substance added to natural gas

Question 77

In order to find a ballpark in a strange town, a player stops at a local gas station to get directions. The attendant tells the player, "Go to the stoplight, take a right, go two blocks, take a left, and the park will be a mile down the road on the left." The player then gets in her car and tries to remember the directions while driving to the park. What is the player demonstrating the use of?

A) working memory
B) psychomotor speed
C) cross-linking
D) attention span

Question 78

Who is most likely to develop cancer?

A) Jamie, who is 43 years old
B) Shelley, who is 58 years old
C) Cassidy, who is 73 years old
D) Evan, who is 88 years old

Question 79

Janet has decided to give up her driver's licence because she notices that she can no longer react as quickly to situations when driving. What has been affected in Janet?

A) cognitive speed
B) psychomotor speed
C) metabolic rate
D) processing rate

Question 80

Masao is 78 years old. Which of the following is he likely incapable to do as well as he could 20 years ago?

A) taste salty foods
B) tell whether his bath water is hot or cold
C) smell smoke and fire
D) feel pain