Gerontological Nursing for Wellness in Older Adults exam guide
200 Original Practice Questions and Answers
Original review questions covering core gerontological nursing and wellness topics for older adults.
THEORIES OF AGING & GERONTOLOGICAL NURSING FOUNDATIONS
1. What is the difference between biological aging theories and psychosocial aging theories?
Answer: Biological theories explain aging as a result of physiological/cellular processes (e.g., genetic programming, wear and
tear); psychosocial theories explain aging in terms of social roles, relationships, and adaptation.
2. What is the free radical theory of aging?
Answer: Proposes that cumulative cellular damage from unstable free radicals over time contributes to the aging process.
3. What is the programmed (genetic) theory of aging?
Answer: Proposes that aging is regulated by a biological internal clock, with cells genetically programmed for a limited
number of divisions.
4. What is Erikson's psychosocial stage relevant to older adulthood, and what is its central conflict?
Answer: Ego integrity versus despair — the task of reflecting on one's life and achieving a sense of fulfillment versus feeling
regret or hopelessness.
5. What is activity theory of aging?
Answer: Proposes that successful aging is associated with maintaining social activities and roles similar to those held in
middle age.
6. What is disengagement theory of aging?
Answer: Proposes that aging naturally involves a mutual withdrawal between the individual and society, which was once
considered a normal part of successful aging.
7. What is continuity theory of aging?
Answer: Proposes that individuals tend to maintain consistent patterns of behavior, personality, and relationships as they
age, adapting using familiar strategies.
8. What is the difference between chronological age and functional age?
Answer: Chronological age is the number of years since birth; functional age reflects an individual's actual physical and
cognitive capacity, which can differ significantly from chronological age.
9. What is ageism, and how can it affect the care of older adults?
Answer: Prejudice or discrimination based on a person's age; can lead to under-assessment, under-treatment, or dismissive
attitudes toward older adults' symptoms and concerns.
10. What is the goal of a wellness-focused (rather than purely disease-focused) approach to gerontological nursing?
Answer: Promotes optimal functioning, independence, and quality of life for older adults, rather than focusing solely on
treating illness.
PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES OF AGING
11. What cardiovascular changes are commonly associated with normal aging?
Answer: Increased arterial stiffness, mildly increased systolic blood pressure, and reduced maximal heart rate response to
exercise.
12. What respiratory changes are commonly associated with normal aging?
Answer: Decreased lung elasticity, reduced vital capacity, and decreased cough/ciliary clearance efficiency.
13. What renal changes are commonly associated with normal aging?
Answer: Decreased renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate, which can affect drug clearance and increase risk of
fluid/electrolyte imbalance.
14. What gastrointestinal changes are commonly associated with normal aging?
, Answer: Decreased gastric acid secretion, slowed GI motility, and reduced hepatic blood flow/metabolism affecting drug
processing.
15. What musculoskeletal changes are commonly associated with normal aging?
Answer: Decreased muscle mass (sarcopenia), decreased bone density, and reduced joint flexibility.
16. What integumentary (skin) changes are commonly associated with normal aging?
Answer: Thinning of the epidermis and dermis, decreased skin elasticity, reduced subcutaneous fat, and slower wound
healing.
17. What sensory changes commonly affect vision in older adults?
Answer: Decreased visual acuity, reduced ability to adapt to darkness/glare, and increased risk of cataracts and presbyopia.
18. What sensory changes commonly affect hearing in older adults?
Answer: Presbycusis (age-related sensorineural hearing loss), typically affecting high-frequency sounds first.
19. What immune system changes are commonly associated with normal aging?
Answer: Decreased immune response efficiency (immunosenescence), increasing susceptibility to infection and reducing
vaccine responsiveness.
20. What thermoregulatory changes are commonly associated with normal aging, and why do they increase risk for
hypo/hyperthermia?
Answer: Decreased sweating efficiency, reduced subcutaneous fat insulation, and blunted shivering response, impairing the
body's ability to regulate temperature effectively.
FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT & HEALTH PROMOTION
21. What are Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), and give examples.
Answer: Basic self-care tasks necessary for independent living, including bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, continence,
and eating.
22. What are Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), and give examples.
Answer: More complex tasks needed for independent community living, including managing finances, medications,
transportation, shopping, and housekeeping.
23. What is the purpose of a comprehensive geriatric assessment?
Answer: A multidimensional evaluation of an older adult's medical, functional, cognitive, psychological, and social status to
guide individualized care planning.
24. What is the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) used to assess?
Answer: Cognitive function, including orientation, memory, attention, language, and visuospatial skills.
25. What is the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test used to assess?
Answer: Functional mobility and fall risk, by timing how long it takes a person to rise from a chair, walk a short distance, turn,
and sit back down.
26. What is the purpose of assessing gait and balance in older adults during a wellness visit?
Answer: Identifies fall risk factors early, allowing for timely intervention to prevent injury.
27. What is health promotion, as a nursing focus specific to older adults?
Answer: Nursing interventions aimed at helping older adults achieve and maintain optimal physical, mental, and social well-
being, not simply the absence of disease.
28. What immunizations are commonly recommended specifically for older adults?
Answer: Influenza (annual), pneumococcal, shingles (herpes zoster), and Tdap/COVID-19 vaccines as appropriate, per current
guidelines.
29. What is the significance of screening for depression as part of routine wellness assessment in older adults?
Answer: Depression is common but often underrecognized in older adults and can significantly affect quality of life, function,
and even physical health outcomes.
200 Original Practice Questions and Answers
Original review questions covering core gerontological nursing and wellness topics for older adults.
THEORIES OF AGING & GERONTOLOGICAL NURSING FOUNDATIONS
1. What is the difference between biological aging theories and psychosocial aging theories?
Answer: Biological theories explain aging as a result of physiological/cellular processes (e.g., genetic programming, wear and
tear); psychosocial theories explain aging in terms of social roles, relationships, and adaptation.
2. What is the free radical theory of aging?
Answer: Proposes that cumulative cellular damage from unstable free radicals over time contributes to the aging process.
3. What is the programmed (genetic) theory of aging?
Answer: Proposes that aging is regulated by a biological internal clock, with cells genetically programmed for a limited
number of divisions.
4. What is Erikson's psychosocial stage relevant to older adulthood, and what is its central conflict?
Answer: Ego integrity versus despair — the task of reflecting on one's life and achieving a sense of fulfillment versus feeling
regret or hopelessness.
5. What is activity theory of aging?
Answer: Proposes that successful aging is associated with maintaining social activities and roles similar to those held in
middle age.
6. What is disengagement theory of aging?
Answer: Proposes that aging naturally involves a mutual withdrawal between the individual and society, which was once
considered a normal part of successful aging.
7. What is continuity theory of aging?
Answer: Proposes that individuals tend to maintain consistent patterns of behavior, personality, and relationships as they
age, adapting using familiar strategies.
8. What is the difference between chronological age and functional age?
Answer: Chronological age is the number of years since birth; functional age reflects an individual's actual physical and
cognitive capacity, which can differ significantly from chronological age.
9. What is ageism, and how can it affect the care of older adults?
Answer: Prejudice or discrimination based on a person's age; can lead to under-assessment, under-treatment, or dismissive
attitudes toward older adults' symptoms and concerns.
10. What is the goal of a wellness-focused (rather than purely disease-focused) approach to gerontological nursing?
Answer: Promotes optimal functioning, independence, and quality of life for older adults, rather than focusing solely on
treating illness.
PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES OF AGING
11. What cardiovascular changes are commonly associated with normal aging?
Answer: Increased arterial stiffness, mildly increased systolic blood pressure, and reduced maximal heart rate response to
exercise.
12. What respiratory changes are commonly associated with normal aging?
Answer: Decreased lung elasticity, reduced vital capacity, and decreased cough/ciliary clearance efficiency.
13. What renal changes are commonly associated with normal aging?
Answer: Decreased renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate, which can affect drug clearance and increase risk of
fluid/electrolyte imbalance.
14. What gastrointestinal changes are commonly associated with normal aging?
, Answer: Decreased gastric acid secretion, slowed GI motility, and reduced hepatic blood flow/metabolism affecting drug
processing.
15. What musculoskeletal changes are commonly associated with normal aging?
Answer: Decreased muscle mass (sarcopenia), decreased bone density, and reduced joint flexibility.
16. What integumentary (skin) changes are commonly associated with normal aging?
Answer: Thinning of the epidermis and dermis, decreased skin elasticity, reduced subcutaneous fat, and slower wound
healing.
17. What sensory changes commonly affect vision in older adults?
Answer: Decreased visual acuity, reduced ability to adapt to darkness/glare, and increased risk of cataracts and presbyopia.
18. What sensory changes commonly affect hearing in older adults?
Answer: Presbycusis (age-related sensorineural hearing loss), typically affecting high-frequency sounds first.
19. What immune system changes are commonly associated with normal aging?
Answer: Decreased immune response efficiency (immunosenescence), increasing susceptibility to infection and reducing
vaccine responsiveness.
20. What thermoregulatory changes are commonly associated with normal aging, and why do they increase risk for
hypo/hyperthermia?
Answer: Decreased sweating efficiency, reduced subcutaneous fat insulation, and blunted shivering response, impairing the
body's ability to regulate temperature effectively.
FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT & HEALTH PROMOTION
21. What are Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), and give examples.
Answer: Basic self-care tasks necessary for independent living, including bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, continence,
and eating.
22. What are Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), and give examples.
Answer: More complex tasks needed for independent community living, including managing finances, medications,
transportation, shopping, and housekeeping.
23. What is the purpose of a comprehensive geriatric assessment?
Answer: A multidimensional evaluation of an older adult's medical, functional, cognitive, psychological, and social status to
guide individualized care planning.
24. What is the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) used to assess?
Answer: Cognitive function, including orientation, memory, attention, language, and visuospatial skills.
25. What is the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test used to assess?
Answer: Functional mobility and fall risk, by timing how long it takes a person to rise from a chair, walk a short distance, turn,
and sit back down.
26. What is the purpose of assessing gait and balance in older adults during a wellness visit?
Answer: Identifies fall risk factors early, allowing for timely intervention to prevent injury.
27. What is health promotion, as a nursing focus specific to older adults?
Answer: Nursing interventions aimed at helping older adults achieve and maintain optimal physical, mental, and social well-
being, not simply the absence of disease.
28. What immunizations are commonly recommended specifically for older adults?
Answer: Influenza (annual), pneumococcal, shingles (herpes zoster), and Tdap/COVID-19 vaccines as appropriate, per current
guidelines.
29. What is the significance of screening for depression as part of routine wellness assessment in older adults?
Answer: Depression is common but often underrecognized in older adults and can significantly affect quality of life, function,
and even physical health outcomes.
