©EMILLECT2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Gerontology – Literature Exam Questions
and Answers
Gerontology - ANSWER✔✔-discipline that studies human ageing. Is interdisciplinary, with disciplines like
economy, sociology, psychology, and epidemiology and of course, biology. Origin in Greek. 'Geron' in
Greek means old man and 'gerh' means growing up or aging. The word refers to being old and also to the
process of ageing. The word 'gerontology' was first used in the 19th century, but throughout the history,
people have been interested in gerontology (Cicero, Roman Empire).
There are many gerontological discussions - ANSWER✔✔-that stress the diversity of old age. Some
gerontologists state that people become old when they turn 50, others state that people become old
once they reach 75 years. Researchers did find a solution for the differences of opinion and that solution
is to see old age as a sequence of two separate and distinct periods of life. These periods are called the
young-old age and the old-old age or the third age and the fourth age.
The third age - ANSWER✔✔-is a period in which people have a relative freedom and good health. People
in this age period don't have the responsibility for the upbringing of their children and they also don't
have to work.
Page 1/61
, ©EMILLECT2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
The fourth age - ANSWER✔✔-is a period in which there is an accelerated decline of mental and physical
health. People in this period have also losses in social relationships. Every understanding of old age has
its advantages and disadvantages. Also, the usefulness of the understanding depends on the context.
One of the biggest differences between older Europeans is their gender - ANSWER✔✔-There are about
as many women as men in Europe, different in older age groups. There are a bit more women aged 65
years and older in Europe than men. In some countries, this difference is marginal (Iceland and
Macedonia), while in others two out of three older people are female (the Ukraine and Latvia).
That gender difference - ANSWER✔✔-results from two factors. The first, Women live longer than men
do. Over-represented in the older age-groups. The second factor is that mostly men fight as soldiers in
wars, so war-related deaths are particularly common among men.
Another difference between old Europeans is in their social networks differences - ANSWER✔✔-These
are connections with friends and kin. Important for older people, because they enhance their wellbeing
and health. These days' kinships are looser than in the decades before, but there are differences
between countries. In Norway, Sweden and Finland there is extended de-familiarization. In Eastern
Europe and in South Europe, family ties are still very important.
Another big difference between older Europeans is their socio-economic status differences -
ANSWER✔✔-tells us the position a person has in society. Is determined from wealth, occupation and
educational level. The wealth of older Europeans is relatively low in Eastern European and relatively high
in continental European countries. The educational level is also higher in Continental Europe and
Page 2/61
, ©EMILLECT2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Northern Europe, than in Southern Europe, like Spain and Greece. Also, the occupational prestige of
older people is higher in Continental and Northern Europe than in Southern Europe.
Health differences in Europe - ANSWER✔✔-(Men have higher self-perceived health) Level of resources
for health care is the lowest and the people from those countries have the highest prevalence of
smoking and obesity. By contrast, in Northern and Western Europe, people have the best health care and
the lowest level of risk factors for diseases. There are variations within the regions. The highest
proportion of obese men can be found in the Czech Republic (31%), but the lowest proportion of obese
men can also be found in Eastern Europe, in Moldova (10%).
Gerontology - ANSWER✔✔-The study of these components and their interrelations. Components are
biological, social, spiritual, environmental and psychological in nature. The sub-discipline of gerontology
which focuses on physical processes, is called bio- and health gerontology.
Bio-gerontology - ANSWER✔✔-biologists and biochemists study the process of ageing on a molecular
level and they try to figure out how the ageing process affects organs and the entire body. Some of the
questions answered by biogerontologists are why human cells die and how organs stay stable over time.
These scientists see biological ageing of the body as the result of the appearance and disappearance of
the cells of organs.
Biological aging - ANSWER✔✔-Organs have cells that die and that are replaced by new cells. De Grey is a
biogerontologist, concluded that ageing can be seen as a disease. However, some gerontologists think
Page 3/61
, ©EMILLECT2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
that he is being too optimistic. This is because biogerontologists use animals like rats and flies for their
studies and it is not clear whether these results can be generalized to humans.
Health gerontology - ANSWER✔✔-Doctors who do clinical research and epidemiologists. Is linked to the
environmental and social aspects of human ageing. How biological changes affect daily lives and how
health care services have to adapt. Questions with which health gerontologists are concerned with are
how one can help people to live longer and how one can increase the healthy life expectancy. Looks at
social inequalities when trying to answer the questions. This can be between different educational levels
or income groups. two levels of health-related intervention are underlined. These levels are the
individual level and the population level. The individual level might focus on health promotion and
prevention and the population level might focus on housing conditions and organization of social care
systems.
Looking at the traditional definition of health - ANSWER✔✔-health is the absence of disease. When
people age, their health deteriorates and people develop diseases. Old age and good health were
therefore seen as mutually exclusive states.
This opposition can be explained with senescence - ANSWER✔✔-describes biological ageing. Bodies
react to changes more slowly with senescence and as a consequence, they recover from illnesses with
more difficulty. Because of this, health declines in old age and disease become more common. There are
two different reasons why older people have more health problems. The first reason is that ageing itself
causes health to decline (coronary heart diseases). The second reason is that diseases require a long
Page 4/61
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Gerontology – Literature Exam Questions
and Answers
Gerontology - ANSWER✔✔-discipline that studies human ageing. Is interdisciplinary, with disciplines like
economy, sociology, psychology, and epidemiology and of course, biology. Origin in Greek. 'Geron' in
Greek means old man and 'gerh' means growing up or aging. The word refers to being old and also to the
process of ageing. The word 'gerontology' was first used in the 19th century, but throughout the history,
people have been interested in gerontology (Cicero, Roman Empire).
There are many gerontological discussions - ANSWER✔✔-that stress the diversity of old age. Some
gerontologists state that people become old when they turn 50, others state that people become old
once they reach 75 years. Researchers did find a solution for the differences of opinion and that solution
is to see old age as a sequence of two separate and distinct periods of life. These periods are called the
young-old age and the old-old age or the third age and the fourth age.
The third age - ANSWER✔✔-is a period in which people have a relative freedom and good health. People
in this age period don't have the responsibility for the upbringing of their children and they also don't
have to work.
Page 1/61
, ©EMILLECT2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
The fourth age - ANSWER✔✔-is a period in which there is an accelerated decline of mental and physical
health. People in this period have also losses in social relationships. Every understanding of old age has
its advantages and disadvantages. Also, the usefulness of the understanding depends on the context.
One of the biggest differences between older Europeans is their gender - ANSWER✔✔-There are about
as many women as men in Europe, different in older age groups. There are a bit more women aged 65
years and older in Europe than men. In some countries, this difference is marginal (Iceland and
Macedonia), while in others two out of three older people are female (the Ukraine and Latvia).
That gender difference - ANSWER✔✔-results from two factors. The first, Women live longer than men
do. Over-represented in the older age-groups. The second factor is that mostly men fight as soldiers in
wars, so war-related deaths are particularly common among men.
Another difference between old Europeans is in their social networks differences - ANSWER✔✔-These
are connections with friends and kin. Important for older people, because they enhance their wellbeing
and health. These days' kinships are looser than in the decades before, but there are differences
between countries. In Norway, Sweden and Finland there is extended de-familiarization. In Eastern
Europe and in South Europe, family ties are still very important.
Another big difference between older Europeans is their socio-economic status differences -
ANSWER✔✔-tells us the position a person has in society. Is determined from wealth, occupation and
educational level. The wealth of older Europeans is relatively low in Eastern European and relatively high
in continental European countries. The educational level is also higher in Continental Europe and
Page 2/61
, ©EMILLECT2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Northern Europe, than in Southern Europe, like Spain and Greece. Also, the occupational prestige of
older people is higher in Continental and Northern Europe than in Southern Europe.
Health differences in Europe - ANSWER✔✔-(Men have higher self-perceived health) Level of resources
for health care is the lowest and the people from those countries have the highest prevalence of
smoking and obesity. By contrast, in Northern and Western Europe, people have the best health care and
the lowest level of risk factors for diseases. There are variations within the regions. The highest
proportion of obese men can be found in the Czech Republic (31%), but the lowest proportion of obese
men can also be found in Eastern Europe, in Moldova (10%).
Gerontology - ANSWER✔✔-The study of these components and their interrelations. Components are
biological, social, spiritual, environmental and psychological in nature. The sub-discipline of gerontology
which focuses on physical processes, is called bio- and health gerontology.
Bio-gerontology - ANSWER✔✔-biologists and biochemists study the process of ageing on a molecular
level and they try to figure out how the ageing process affects organs and the entire body. Some of the
questions answered by biogerontologists are why human cells die and how organs stay stable over time.
These scientists see biological ageing of the body as the result of the appearance and disappearance of
the cells of organs.
Biological aging - ANSWER✔✔-Organs have cells that die and that are replaced by new cells. De Grey is a
biogerontologist, concluded that ageing can be seen as a disease. However, some gerontologists think
Page 3/61
, ©EMILLECT2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
that he is being too optimistic. This is because biogerontologists use animals like rats and flies for their
studies and it is not clear whether these results can be generalized to humans.
Health gerontology - ANSWER✔✔-Doctors who do clinical research and epidemiologists. Is linked to the
environmental and social aspects of human ageing. How biological changes affect daily lives and how
health care services have to adapt. Questions with which health gerontologists are concerned with are
how one can help people to live longer and how one can increase the healthy life expectancy. Looks at
social inequalities when trying to answer the questions. This can be between different educational levels
or income groups. two levels of health-related intervention are underlined. These levels are the
individual level and the population level. The individual level might focus on health promotion and
prevention and the population level might focus on housing conditions and organization of social care
systems.
Looking at the traditional definition of health - ANSWER✔✔-health is the absence of disease. When
people age, their health deteriorates and people develop diseases. Old age and good health were
therefore seen as mutually exclusive states.
This opposition can be explained with senescence - ANSWER✔✔-describes biological ageing. Bodies
react to changes more slowly with senescence and as a consequence, they recover from illnesses with
more difficulty. Because of this, health declines in old age and disease become more common. There are
two different reasons why older people have more health problems. The first reason is that ageing itself
causes health to decline (coronary heart diseases). The second reason is that diseases require a long
Page 4/61
