GEY Exam 1 Questions and Answers.
What is Ageism? - Answer Negative attitudes toward old people
Stereotypes or being discriminated
against because of age (usually old age)
What is gerontology? - Answer ◦The study of biological, social, psychological, economic, and
political components that influence older people's lives
◦Biology, medicine, nursing, research, etc.
What is Geriatrics? - Answer ◦Clinical study and treatment of older people
and diseases that affect them ◦Medicine, nursing, dentistry
What is Active Aging? - Answer Model of viewing aging as a positive experience of continued
growth and participation in family, community, and societal activities, regardless of physical and
cognitive decline
Aging is a lifelong process
◦ Aging is not passive!
Why Study Aging? - Answer Aging parents, grandparents Aging of self Current/future
employment Future problems
What are the 3 ways to describe the population studied in gerontology? - Answer ◦ Older
adult(s) ◦ Elders---- (implies respect) ◦ People as they age
What 2 words should we stay away from? - Answer ◦ The elderly (can be viewed as pejorative;
no similar word for younger adults)
◦ Seniors
What is the oldest old? - Answer 85 and older
What are centenarians? - Answer 100 and older
What are ADLs? - Answer Activities of Daily Living
What is QOL? - Answer Quality of Life
,What is LTC? - Answer Long-term care
What is an ALF? - Answer Assisted Living Facility
What is an SNF? - Answer Skilled Nursing Facility
(another term of art that refers to a facility which provides rehabilitative care to Medicare
beneficiaries)
What are CCRC? - Answer Continuing care retirement communities
(retirement communities with accommodations for independent living, assisted living, and
nursing home care, offering residents a continuum of care.)
What are IADLS? - Answer Instrumental Activities of daily living
(not necessary for fundamental functioning, but they let an individual live independently in a
community)
What are HCBS? - Answer Home and community-based services
(provide opportunities for Medicaid beneficiaries to receive services in their own home or
community)
What are AAA? - Answer Area Agencies on Aging
What does the graying of America refer to? - Answer Overall unprecedented demographic
shift in the US and the world
What is the current and projected (by 2050) percentage of the US population that is over 65? -
Answer Current: 13% of pop
Projected: 20% of pop
Who are the Baby Boomers? - Answer ◦ Born between 1946-1964
◦ 76 million
◦ Dominant force in American history due to size and need
(e.g., school system grew to accommodate)
What is life expectancy? - Answer • Average number of years an individual can expect to live
at birth
, What is life span? - Answer • Maximum number of years the species (i.e. humans) can live.
Approximately 122 years
How are the gaps in life expectancy between sexes? - Answer ◦ Men: Born 1-13-16 can expect
to live to 83.2
◦ Female: Born 1-13-16 can expect to live to 86.9
◦ Female's longer longevity over men is true across racial group
Why are their gaps in life expectancy in sexes? - Answer Differences likely due to lifestyle,
behaviors, attitudes, social
roles and biology
How have the gaps in race changed over time? - Answer Life expectancy differences between
racial groups have improved, but still exists
◦ 1910: gap between white and black was 15 years ◦ 2006: gap reduced to 5 years
Why are people are living longer? - Answer Lower rates of acute (influenza or pneumonia) and
infectious diseases (TB)
Receiving better health care ◦ Healthier overall compared to previous generations
Why are there more older adults? - Answer Changes in fertility rates (decrease)
◦ Baby Boomers versus Generation X
What is aging? - Answer changes that take place in the organism throughout the life span
◦ The good, the bad, and the neutral
by definition contains continued engagement, stimulation and purpose
What occurs in the younger stages of aging? - Answer • Development or Maturation
• Birth through Adolescence
• Development both socially
and physically
What occurs in the older stages of aging? - Answer • Senescence
• After 30 through death
• Gradual decline in all organ
What is Ageism? - Answer Negative attitudes toward old people
Stereotypes or being discriminated
against because of age (usually old age)
What is gerontology? - Answer ◦The study of biological, social, psychological, economic, and
political components that influence older people's lives
◦Biology, medicine, nursing, research, etc.
What is Geriatrics? - Answer ◦Clinical study and treatment of older people
and diseases that affect them ◦Medicine, nursing, dentistry
What is Active Aging? - Answer Model of viewing aging as a positive experience of continued
growth and participation in family, community, and societal activities, regardless of physical and
cognitive decline
Aging is a lifelong process
◦ Aging is not passive!
Why Study Aging? - Answer Aging parents, grandparents Aging of self Current/future
employment Future problems
What are the 3 ways to describe the population studied in gerontology? - Answer ◦ Older
adult(s) ◦ Elders---- (implies respect) ◦ People as they age
What 2 words should we stay away from? - Answer ◦ The elderly (can be viewed as pejorative;
no similar word for younger adults)
◦ Seniors
What is the oldest old? - Answer 85 and older
What are centenarians? - Answer 100 and older
What are ADLs? - Answer Activities of Daily Living
What is QOL? - Answer Quality of Life
,What is LTC? - Answer Long-term care
What is an ALF? - Answer Assisted Living Facility
What is an SNF? - Answer Skilled Nursing Facility
(another term of art that refers to a facility which provides rehabilitative care to Medicare
beneficiaries)
What are CCRC? - Answer Continuing care retirement communities
(retirement communities with accommodations for independent living, assisted living, and
nursing home care, offering residents a continuum of care.)
What are IADLS? - Answer Instrumental Activities of daily living
(not necessary for fundamental functioning, but they let an individual live independently in a
community)
What are HCBS? - Answer Home and community-based services
(provide opportunities for Medicaid beneficiaries to receive services in their own home or
community)
What are AAA? - Answer Area Agencies on Aging
What does the graying of America refer to? - Answer Overall unprecedented demographic
shift in the US and the world
What is the current and projected (by 2050) percentage of the US population that is over 65? -
Answer Current: 13% of pop
Projected: 20% of pop
Who are the Baby Boomers? - Answer ◦ Born between 1946-1964
◦ 76 million
◦ Dominant force in American history due to size and need
(e.g., school system grew to accommodate)
What is life expectancy? - Answer • Average number of years an individual can expect to live
at birth
, What is life span? - Answer • Maximum number of years the species (i.e. humans) can live.
Approximately 122 years
How are the gaps in life expectancy between sexes? - Answer ◦ Men: Born 1-13-16 can expect
to live to 83.2
◦ Female: Born 1-13-16 can expect to live to 86.9
◦ Female's longer longevity over men is true across racial group
Why are their gaps in life expectancy in sexes? - Answer Differences likely due to lifestyle,
behaviors, attitudes, social
roles and biology
How have the gaps in race changed over time? - Answer Life expectancy differences between
racial groups have improved, but still exists
◦ 1910: gap between white and black was 15 years ◦ 2006: gap reduced to 5 years
Why are people are living longer? - Answer Lower rates of acute (influenza or pneumonia) and
infectious diseases (TB)
Receiving better health care ◦ Healthier overall compared to previous generations
Why are there more older adults? - Answer Changes in fertility rates (decrease)
◦ Baby Boomers versus Generation X
What is aging? - Answer changes that take place in the organism throughout the life span
◦ The good, the bad, and the neutral
by definition contains continued engagement, stimulation and purpose
What occurs in the younger stages of aging? - Answer • Development or Maturation
• Birth through Adolescence
• Development both socially
and physically
What occurs in the older stages of aging? - Answer • Senescence
• After 30 through death
• Gradual decline in all organ
