Wilhelmine,a ninety-year-old former accountant,has recently had difficulty balancing her checkbook and remembering to get her mail.Reading,which used to be her recreation in life,has now become difficult.Wilhelmine is most likely experiencing ____.
A) a cognitive coping strategy
B) a midlife crisis
C) the generativity vs. stagnation crisis
D) terminal drop

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Wilhelmine's symptoms suggest she is experiencing terminal drop, a rapid decline in cognitive functioning that often occurs in the years leading up to death. Her difficulty balancing her checkbook and remembering to get her mail are signs of decreased executive function, while her difficulty reading indicates declines in visual-spatial processing and overall cognition. Cognitive coping strategies (A) are mechanisms people use to deal with stress and maintain their mental function. Midlife crisis (B) refers to a period of reevaluation that some people experience in middle adulthood. Generativity vs. stagnation (C) is a stage of psychosocial development in Erik Erikson's theory that involves feelings of contributing to future generations versus feeling unproductive and stagnant. Neither of these options is relevant to Wilhelmine's situation.

Wilhelmine,a Ninety-Year-Old Former Accountant,has Recently Had Difficulty Balancing Her Checkbook