ELIOPOULOS GERONTOLOGICAL
NURSING ACTUAL TEST QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH DETAILED SOLUTION
GUIDE
●● Which of the following statements most accurately captures the
financial status of older adults in the United States?
A) The percentage of older people living below the poverty level has
been increasing.
B) The financial needs of most older adults are well met by Social
Security income alone.
C) The recent decline in housing prices has made many older adults
"asset rich and cash poor."
D) Women 65 years of age and older is the fastest growing group of
employment.
Answer: Ans: C
Feedback:
The percentage of older people living below the poverty level has been
declining, with about 10% now falling into this category. Most older
people depend on Social Security for more than half of their income.
Although the median net worth of older households is nearly twice the
national average because of the high prevalence of home ownership by
elders, many older adults are "asset rich and cash poor." The recent
,decline in housing prices, however, has made that asset a less valuable
one for many older adults. There has been a significant rise in the
percentage of middle-aged women who are employed, although there
has been little change in the labor force participation of women 65 years
of age and older.
●● A care aide employed on a geriatric medicine unit of a hospital
expresses frustration that "old people get sick so much more often than
young people." What is the nurse's most appropriate response to this
statement?
A) "In fact, the prevalence of obesity and accompanying chronic
illnesses mean that young people actually have more chronic conditions
than older adults."
B) "It's actually a myth that older adults require more hospitalization
than young people."
C) "Actually, older adults experience fewer acute illnesses than younger
people, it's just that they tend to take longer to recover from them."
D) "With the increase in life expectancies in recent years, most older
people actually live free of chronic diseases until very late in life."
Answer: Ans: C
Feedback:
The incidence of acute illness is lower among older adults than younger
adults, though recovery times tend to be longer. Older adults tend to
have a higher incidence of chronic illness and require more frequent and
longer hospitalizations.
,●● Which of following statements most accurately captures the role of
chronic illness in the lives of older adults?
A) Chronic illnesses constitute the leading cause of death for older
adults.
B) More older adults die from acute illnesses than from chronic diseases.
C) While chronic diseases used to be the leading cause of death, this is
no longer the case.
D) While cancer rates have fallen, other chronic diseases remain a
common cause of death.
Answer: Ans: A
Feedback:
Chronic illnesses constitute the leading cause of death for older adults,
exceeding those attributed to acute illnesses. The presence of heart
disease as a cause of death has decreased in recent years, while at the
same time cancer has become more prevalent.
●● The board of a large chain of hospitals has commissioned a strategic
plan in order to meet the care needs of baby boomers in coming years.
Which of the following trends constitute a sound basis for understanding
the baby boomer generation and conducting future planning? Select all
that apply.
, A) Baby boomers tend to have fewer children than members of earlier
generations.
B) Adjusted for inflation, baby boomers have lower incomes than their
parents had.
C) Due to technology, baby boomers have more leisure time than other
adults.
D) Baby boomers perform physical exercise more frequently than other
adults.
Answer: Ans: A, D
Feedback:
Baby boomers have had fewer children than generations that preceded
them and they tend to exercise more often. Their incomes tend to be
higher while they enjoy less leisure time.
●● The family of an 85-year-old man who has been admitted to hospital
with exacerbation of his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
has expressed concern about their ability to pay for his present and
future care. Which of the following statements most accurately conveys
the reality of payment for care services by older adults?
A) The high value of assets owned by older adults makes the financial
burden of care minimal for most older adults.
B) Payment for long-term care of adults is most often covered by private
insurers.
C) Most older adults have their basic care needs provided in a long-term
facility.
NURSING ACTUAL TEST QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH DETAILED SOLUTION
GUIDE
●● Which of the following statements most accurately captures the
financial status of older adults in the United States?
A) The percentage of older people living below the poverty level has
been increasing.
B) The financial needs of most older adults are well met by Social
Security income alone.
C) The recent decline in housing prices has made many older adults
"asset rich and cash poor."
D) Women 65 years of age and older is the fastest growing group of
employment.
Answer: Ans: C
Feedback:
The percentage of older people living below the poverty level has been
declining, with about 10% now falling into this category. Most older
people depend on Social Security for more than half of their income.
Although the median net worth of older households is nearly twice the
national average because of the high prevalence of home ownership by
elders, many older adults are "asset rich and cash poor." The recent
,decline in housing prices, however, has made that asset a less valuable
one for many older adults. There has been a significant rise in the
percentage of middle-aged women who are employed, although there
has been little change in the labor force participation of women 65 years
of age and older.
●● A care aide employed on a geriatric medicine unit of a hospital
expresses frustration that "old people get sick so much more often than
young people." What is the nurse's most appropriate response to this
statement?
A) "In fact, the prevalence of obesity and accompanying chronic
illnesses mean that young people actually have more chronic conditions
than older adults."
B) "It's actually a myth that older adults require more hospitalization
than young people."
C) "Actually, older adults experience fewer acute illnesses than younger
people, it's just that they tend to take longer to recover from them."
D) "With the increase in life expectancies in recent years, most older
people actually live free of chronic diseases until very late in life."
Answer: Ans: C
Feedback:
The incidence of acute illness is lower among older adults than younger
adults, though recovery times tend to be longer. Older adults tend to
have a higher incidence of chronic illness and require more frequent and
longer hospitalizations.
,●● Which of following statements most accurately captures the role of
chronic illness in the lives of older adults?
A) Chronic illnesses constitute the leading cause of death for older
adults.
B) More older adults die from acute illnesses than from chronic diseases.
C) While chronic diseases used to be the leading cause of death, this is
no longer the case.
D) While cancer rates have fallen, other chronic diseases remain a
common cause of death.
Answer: Ans: A
Feedback:
Chronic illnesses constitute the leading cause of death for older adults,
exceeding those attributed to acute illnesses. The presence of heart
disease as a cause of death has decreased in recent years, while at the
same time cancer has become more prevalent.
●● The board of a large chain of hospitals has commissioned a strategic
plan in order to meet the care needs of baby boomers in coming years.
Which of the following trends constitute a sound basis for understanding
the baby boomer generation and conducting future planning? Select all
that apply.
, A) Baby boomers tend to have fewer children than members of earlier
generations.
B) Adjusted for inflation, baby boomers have lower incomes than their
parents had.
C) Due to technology, baby boomers have more leisure time than other
adults.
D) Baby boomers perform physical exercise more frequently than other
adults.
Answer: Ans: A, D
Feedback:
Baby boomers have had fewer children than generations that preceded
them and they tend to exercise more often. Their incomes tend to be
higher while they enjoy less leisure time.
●● The family of an 85-year-old man who has been admitted to hospital
with exacerbation of his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
has expressed concern about their ability to pay for his present and
future care. Which of the following statements most accurately conveys
the reality of payment for care services by older adults?
A) The high value of assets owned by older adults makes the financial
burden of care minimal for most older adults.
B) Payment for long-term care of adults is most often covered by private
insurers.
C) Most older adults have their basic care needs provided in a long-term
facility.
