Gerontological Nursing
Comprehensive Quiz Guide: 100% Verified Questions with correct
Answers
Section 1: Normal Aging Changes (Questions 1-20)
1. What are normal cardiovascular changes with aging?
• Answer: Decreased cardiac output, decreased maximum heart rate,
increased systolic blood pressure, arterial stiffening, left ventricular
hypertrophy, decreased baroreceptor sensitivity (orthostatic hypotension
risk), heart valves thicken and calcify, decreased response to beta-
adrenergic stimulation.
2. What are normal respiratory changes with aging?
• Answer: Decreased lung elasticity, decreased vital capacity, increased
residual volume, decreased ciliary action, weakened respiratory muscles,
decreased cough reflex, calcification of costal cartilage (rigid chest wall),
decreased gas exchange efficiency, increased risk of aspiration and
pneumonia.
3. What are normal musculoskeletal changes with aging?
• Answer: Decreased bone density (osteopenia/osteoporosis), decreased
muscle mass (sarcopenia), decreased strength and flexibility, joint cartilage
degeneration, increased joint stiffness, decreased height (vertebral
compression), slower movement, increased fall risk, longer recovery from
injury.
4. What are normal integumentary (skin) changes with aging?
• Answer: Thinner epidermis and dermis, decreased subcutaneous fat,
decreased elasticity (wrinkles, sagging), decreased melanocytes (gray hair,
, age spots), decreased sweat glands, decreased sebaceous glands (dry skin),
slower wound healing, increased fragility, easier bruising, senile purpura.
5. What are normal sensory changes with aging?
• Answer: Vision: presbyopia (farsightedness), decreased accommodation,
yellowing lens, decreased pupil size, increased glare sensitivity, decreased
night vision. Hearing: presbycusis (high-frequency hearing loss).
Taste/smell: decreased taste buds and olfactory receptors. Touch:
decreased sensation.
6. What are normal neurological changes with aging?
• Answer: Decreased brain weight/volume, decreased number of neurons,
slower nerve conduction, decreased neurotransmitters, slower reaction
time, decreased proprioception, altered sleep patterns (less deep sleep),
benign forgetfulness. NOTE: Dementia is NOT normal aging.
7. What are normal gastrointestinal changes with aging?
• Answer: Decreased saliva production, slower esophageal motility,
decreased gastric acid secretion, delayed gastric emptying, decreased
intestinal motility (constipation risk), decreased liver size/blood flow,
decreased enzyme production, altered drug metabolism, decreased thirst
perception.
8. What are normal genitourinary changes with aging?
• Answer: Decreased kidney mass and nephrons, decreased glomerular
filtration rate (GFR), decreased bladder capacity, weakened pelvic muscles,
decreased bladder elasticity, nocturia, urgency, stress incontinence risk.
Men: prostate enlargement. Women: vaginal atrophy, decreased
lubrication.
9. What are normal immune system changes with aging (immunosenescence)?
• Answer: Decreased T-cell function, decreased antibody response to
vaccines, thymus atrophy, decreased ability to distinguish self from non-self,
, increased autoimmune disorders, decreased fever response to infection,
increased infection susceptibility, slower wound healing.
10. What are normal endocrine changes with aging?
• Answer: Decreased insulin sensitivity, altered glucose metabolism,
decreased growth hormone, decreased thyroid function, decreased
testosterone (men), decreased estrogen/progesterone (women after
menopause), altered cortisol regulation, increased ADH (hyponatremia
risk).
11. What is presbyopia?
• Answer: Age-related farsightedness from loss of lens elasticity, typically
beginning around age 40. Difficulty focusing on close objects (reading).
Requires reading glasses or bifocals. Universal aging change affecting
accommodation.
12. What is presbycusis?
• Answer: Age-related sensorineural hearing loss, typically high-frequency
sounds first. Difficulty hearing consonants, understanding speech in noisy
environments. Gradual bilateral loss. Most common sensory deficit in
elderly. Hearing aids beneficial.
13. What is arcus senilis?
• Answer: Gray-white ring around cornea from lipid deposits. Benign, normal
aging change appearing after age 50. No visual impairment. Not related to
hyperlipidemia in elderly (though may be in younger patients).
14. What is senile purpura?
• Answer: Dark purple bruises/patches on forearms and hands from capillary
fragility and loss of subcutaneous tissue support. Normal aging change.
Caused by minor trauma. Benign, resolves slowly. No treatment needed but
protect skin from injury.
15. What is xerosis?
Comprehensive Quiz Guide: 100% Verified Questions with correct
Answers
Section 1: Normal Aging Changes (Questions 1-20)
1. What are normal cardiovascular changes with aging?
• Answer: Decreased cardiac output, decreased maximum heart rate,
increased systolic blood pressure, arterial stiffening, left ventricular
hypertrophy, decreased baroreceptor sensitivity (orthostatic hypotension
risk), heart valves thicken and calcify, decreased response to beta-
adrenergic stimulation.
2. What are normal respiratory changes with aging?
• Answer: Decreased lung elasticity, decreased vital capacity, increased
residual volume, decreased ciliary action, weakened respiratory muscles,
decreased cough reflex, calcification of costal cartilage (rigid chest wall),
decreased gas exchange efficiency, increased risk of aspiration and
pneumonia.
3. What are normal musculoskeletal changes with aging?
• Answer: Decreased bone density (osteopenia/osteoporosis), decreased
muscle mass (sarcopenia), decreased strength and flexibility, joint cartilage
degeneration, increased joint stiffness, decreased height (vertebral
compression), slower movement, increased fall risk, longer recovery from
injury.
4. What are normal integumentary (skin) changes with aging?
• Answer: Thinner epidermis and dermis, decreased subcutaneous fat,
decreased elasticity (wrinkles, sagging), decreased melanocytes (gray hair,
, age spots), decreased sweat glands, decreased sebaceous glands (dry skin),
slower wound healing, increased fragility, easier bruising, senile purpura.
5. What are normal sensory changes with aging?
• Answer: Vision: presbyopia (farsightedness), decreased accommodation,
yellowing lens, decreased pupil size, increased glare sensitivity, decreased
night vision. Hearing: presbycusis (high-frequency hearing loss).
Taste/smell: decreased taste buds and olfactory receptors. Touch:
decreased sensation.
6. What are normal neurological changes with aging?
• Answer: Decreased brain weight/volume, decreased number of neurons,
slower nerve conduction, decreased neurotransmitters, slower reaction
time, decreased proprioception, altered sleep patterns (less deep sleep),
benign forgetfulness. NOTE: Dementia is NOT normal aging.
7. What are normal gastrointestinal changes with aging?
• Answer: Decreased saliva production, slower esophageal motility,
decreased gastric acid secretion, delayed gastric emptying, decreased
intestinal motility (constipation risk), decreased liver size/blood flow,
decreased enzyme production, altered drug metabolism, decreased thirst
perception.
8. What are normal genitourinary changes with aging?
• Answer: Decreased kidney mass and nephrons, decreased glomerular
filtration rate (GFR), decreased bladder capacity, weakened pelvic muscles,
decreased bladder elasticity, nocturia, urgency, stress incontinence risk.
Men: prostate enlargement. Women: vaginal atrophy, decreased
lubrication.
9. What are normal immune system changes with aging (immunosenescence)?
• Answer: Decreased T-cell function, decreased antibody response to
vaccines, thymus atrophy, decreased ability to distinguish self from non-self,
, increased autoimmune disorders, decreased fever response to infection,
increased infection susceptibility, slower wound healing.
10. What are normal endocrine changes with aging?
• Answer: Decreased insulin sensitivity, altered glucose metabolism,
decreased growth hormone, decreased thyroid function, decreased
testosterone (men), decreased estrogen/progesterone (women after
menopause), altered cortisol regulation, increased ADH (hyponatremia
risk).
11. What is presbyopia?
• Answer: Age-related farsightedness from loss of lens elasticity, typically
beginning around age 40. Difficulty focusing on close objects (reading).
Requires reading glasses or bifocals. Universal aging change affecting
accommodation.
12. What is presbycusis?
• Answer: Age-related sensorineural hearing loss, typically high-frequency
sounds first. Difficulty hearing consonants, understanding speech in noisy
environments. Gradual bilateral loss. Most common sensory deficit in
elderly. Hearing aids beneficial.
13. What is arcus senilis?
• Answer: Gray-white ring around cornea from lipid deposits. Benign, normal
aging change appearing after age 50. No visual impairment. Not related to
hyperlipidemia in elderly (though may be in younger patients).
14. What is senile purpura?
• Answer: Dark purple bruises/patches on forearms and hands from capillary
fragility and loss of subcutaneous tissue support. Normal aging change.
Caused by minor trauma. Benign, resolves slowly. No treatment needed but
protect skin from injury.
15. What is xerosis?
