©EVERLY 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Gerontology Exam 1 Study Guide.
Effects of ageism - Answer✔aging anxiety, fears and worries about detrimental effects
Roles of Gerontological Nurse - Answer✔assist in them reaching highest level of wellness
empower, enhance, and support
work with patient and family to develop plans of care
Ethnogeriatrics - Answer✔integration of ethnicity, aging, and health
includes health care for older adults from diverse ethnic populations
importance of culturally competent care - Answer✔increase patient satisfaction
increase quality of care
decrease health disparities that are due to lack of culturally competent care
wear & tear theory - biological theories - Answer✔body can be like a machine that is expected to
function well during the period of its warranty, but that will wear out in a predictable time
cross linkage theory - biological theories - Answer✔proposes that molecular structures that
normally are separated may be bound together through chemical reactions
free radical theory - biological theories - Answer✔postulates that although most organisms have
severe mechanisms of antioxidant defense, damage to cells cannot be avoided and increases with
age
immunological theory - Answer✔suggests that aging is a result of an accumulation of damage to
the immune system
activity theory - Answer✔the ideal of life is to maintain as active as possible
this is possible when living in a stable society
the older person will have access to positive people in their life and participate in society
disengagement theory - Answer✔natural course of aging, the person should slowly start
withdrawing from society to allow transfer of power to the younger generation
needed to maintain social equilibrium
this provides basis of age discrimination
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, ©EVERLY 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
social enhance theory - Answer✔as one ages they have fewer economic resources to contribute
to society = a loss of social status, self esteem and political power
those that maintain financial resources fully participate in society and successful aging
developmental theories - Answer✔eriksons hierarchy, last stage is to look back at their life and
reflect
if one can look back with few regrets and feel satisfaction they have lived a successful life
gerontranscendence - Answer✔aging is ever evolving, it alters one's reality, sense of spirituality,
and meaning beyond self
wisdom is achieved through personal transformation and transcendence is a maker of successful
aging
spiritual distress - Answer✔can be manifested by anger, guilt blaming, hatred, expression of
alienation, turning away from family and friends, inability to derive pleasure, and inability to
participate in religious activities
cognition & aging - Answer✔cognition is the process of acquiring, storing, sharing, and using
information
includes; language thought process, memory, execution of junction, judgement, attention and
perception
cognition can remain stable or decline with aging
memory - Answer✔the ability to retain and store info, retrieve the info when needed; immediate,
short term, and long term memory.
familiarly, previous learning, and life experiences can compensate for memory loss
Age-associated memory impairment (AAMI) - Answer✔normal memory loss due to age
factors influencing ability to mange stress - Answer✔health fitness
sense of control over events
awareness of self and others
patience and tolerance
resilience
hardiness
resourcefulness
social suport
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strong sense of self
those not successful in managing transitions and stressors have - Answer✔lack of social support
accumulated stressor
unresolved grief
pre-existing psychiatric illness
cognitive impairment
inadequate coping resources
factors influencing mental health care in older adults - Answer✔attitudes & belief
pride
stoic appearance of difficulty
unawareness of resources
fear of being "put away"
health providers lack of knowledge
culture
availability of care
anxiety disorder in older adults - Answer✔high rates in those medically ill
symptoms: agitation, irritability, pacing, crying, repetitiveness
often along with depression
Risk Factors
early onset anxiety disorder
frailty
lack of social support
poor self rated health
vision impairment
medications
high life stress: losses, traumatic events
another psychiatric illness
substance abuse
3|Page
Gerontology Exam 1 Study Guide.
Effects of ageism - Answer✔aging anxiety, fears and worries about detrimental effects
Roles of Gerontological Nurse - Answer✔assist in them reaching highest level of wellness
empower, enhance, and support
work with patient and family to develop plans of care
Ethnogeriatrics - Answer✔integration of ethnicity, aging, and health
includes health care for older adults from diverse ethnic populations
importance of culturally competent care - Answer✔increase patient satisfaction
increase quality of care
decrease health disparities that are due to lack of culturally competent care
wear & tear theory - biological theories - Answer✔body can be like a machine that is expected to
function well during the period of its warranty, but that will wear out in a predictable time
cross linkage theory - biological theories - Answer✔proposes that molecular structures that
normally are separated may be bound together through chemical reactions
free radical theory - biological theories - Answer✔postulates that although most organisms have
severe mechanisms of antioxidant defense, damage to cells cannot be avoided and increases with
age
immunological theory - Answer✔suggests that aging is a result of an accumulation of damage to
the immune system
activity theory - Answer✔the ideal of life is to maintain as active as possible
this is possible when living in a stable society
the older person will have access to positive people in their life and participate in society
disengagement theory - Answer✔natural course of aging, the person should slowly start
withdrawing from society to allow transfer of power to the younger generation
needed to maintain social equilibrium
this provides basis of age discrimination
1|Page
, ©EVERLY 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
social enhance theory - Answer✔as one ages they have fewer economic resources to contribute
to society = a loss of social status, self esteem and political power
those that maintain financial resources fully participate in society and successful aging
developmental theories - Answer✔eriksons hierarchy, last stage is to look back at their life and
reflect
if one can look back with few regrets and feel satisfaction they have lived a successful life
gerontranscendence - Answer✔aging is ever evolving, it alters one's reality, sense of spirituality,
and meaning beyond self
wisdom is achieved through personal transformation and transcendence is a maker of successful
aging
spiritual distress - Answer✔can be manifested by anger, guilt blaming, hatred, expression of
alienation, turning away from family and friends, inability to derive pleasure, and inability to
participate in religious activities
cognition & aging - Answer✔cognition is the process of acquiring, storing, sharing, and using
information
includes; language thought process, memory, execution of junction, judgement, attention and
perception
cognition can remain stable or decline with aging
memory - Answer✔the ability to retain and store info, retrieve the info when needed; immediate,
short term, and long term memory.
familiarly, previous learning, and life experiences can compensate for memory loss
Age-associated memory impairment (AAMI) - Answer✔normal memory loss due to age
factors influencing ability to mange stress - Answer✔health fitness
sense of control over events
awareness of self and others
patience and tolerance
resilience
hardiness
resourcefulness
social suport
2|Page
, ©EVERLY 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
strong sense of self
those not successful in managing transitions and stressors have - Answer✔lack of social support
accumulated stressor
unresolved grief
pre-existing psychiatric illness
cognitive impairment
inadequate coping resources
factors influencing mental health care in older adults - Answer✔attitudes & belief
pride
stoic appearance of difficulty
unawareness of resources
fear of being "put away"
health providers lack of knowledge
culture
availability of care
anxiety disorder in older adults - Answer✔high rates in those medically ill
symptoms: agitation, irritability, pacing, crying, repetitiveness
often along with depression
Risk Factors
early onset anxiety disorder
frailty
lack of social support
poor self rated health
vision impairment
medications
high life stress: losses, traumatic events
another psychiatric illness
substance abuse
3|Page
