Chapter 4 Managing Chronic Diseases and Promoting Well-Being in Old Age

Question 1

Good health =

Answer 1

more than just absence of infirmity

Question 2

Health status comprises:

Answer 2

a) the presence/absence of disease

b) a person’s degree of functional disability

Question 3

To assess functional health, we can

Answer 3

test older people on many “Activities of Daily Living (ADL)”, including: bathing, dressing, using the toilet, eating, managing money, and using the phone

Question 4

Disability =

Answer 4

inability to fully complete multiple daily tasks

Question 5

Disabled older adults have ________________________

Answer 5

problems completing many ADLs

Question 6

Our culture may _______ being ______ and _________

Answer 6

overvalue, active, independent

Question 7

Quality of life (QofL) =

Answer 7

is an important factor in gerontology

Question 8

Lower QofL is reported by older adults who:

Answer 8

a) have chronic pain problems
b) have ADL problems
c) have limited interpersonal relationships
d) take multiple medications

Question 9

To evaluate health, we need to consider:

Answer 9

a) MD’s assessment of patient’s condition
b) the older adult’s observable behaviors
c) the older adult’s life circumstances (i.e., multiple losses)
d) the older adult’s self-perception, which is influenced by being:
1) black or white or having any minority status
2) a woman or a man
3) high or low income

Question 10

A positive self-perception ____________________

Answer 10

increases life satisfaction

Question 11

Stress =

Answer 11

= a combination of psychosocial stimuli that produce:

a) accelerated heart rate
b) muscle tension
c) rapid, shallow breathing
d) several uncomfortable physical symptoms

Question 12

Health risk factors include:

Answer 12

a) being overweight
b) cigarette smoking
c) drinking alcoholic beverages
d) having a stressful lifestyle

Question 13

With age, the incidence of

Answer 13

common cold and infections decrease, but pneumonia and influenza create many problems

Question 14

Chronic conditions, often permanent in older adults (and > common in women than men), include:

Answer 14

a) heart disease
b) arthritis
c) hearing impairment
d) hypertension

Question 15

Lower immune system functioning may create:

Answer 15

a) toxic conditions
b) cancer
c) anemia

Question 16

Minority older adults experience

Answer 16

more health problems than whites

Question 17

Pessimistic people….

Answer 17

might have worse responses to chronic health problems

Question 18

Allergies from many environmental causes

Answer 18

Increases with age

Question 19

Among people 65+, the leading cause of death (75%) are:

Answer 19

a) heart disease (men > women)
b) cancer
c) stroke

Question 20

Hormone replacement therapy may

Answer 20

lower the risk of heart disease by improving the ratios of good (HDL) and bad (LDL) cholesterol

Question 21

Heart disease problems include:

Answer 21

a) congestive heart failure ( = < heart’s pumping performance)
b) hypertension
c) hypotension (loss of balance, > the risk of falls)

Question 22

Cerebrovascular disease =

Answer 22

< blood flow to the brain

Question 23

Among older adults….

Answer 23

over 20% of them die of cancer (in particular, stomach, lungs, intestines, and pancreas cancer)

Question 24

_______ use of cancer screening services among black older women = _______ incidence of breast and cervical cancer

Answer 24

decreased, increased

Question 25

Arthritis conditions =

Answer 25

increased 100 types of inflammations and painful changes of joints and bone, including:

a) rheumatoid arthritis (which affects joints and tendons, > common among women)
b) osteoarthritis (affects hands, knees, hips, and shoulders)

Question 26

If older adults avoid physical activities due to pain, they can develop

Answer 26

“contractures” = joints and muscles freeze into rigid positions

Question 27

Osteoporosis =

Answer 27

= dramatic loss in bone mass that can cause fractures of the neck of the femur, or thigh, & hip fractures

Question 28

Osteopenia is like osteoporosis, but

Answer 28

without the risk of fractures

Question 29

Hormone replacement therapy can

Answer 29

reduce the risk of bone fractures, but it is related to breast and endometrial cancer

Question 30

Calcium and exercise can

Answer 30

help prevent osteoporosis, as they decrease bone loss

Question 31

Hypokinesia =

Answer 31

the functional loss of muscle and bone tissue (exercise is important, especially as people age)

Question 32

Strenuous exercise

Answer 32

increases bone mineral density in older women

Question 33

Accident-related injuries

Answer 33

are common among older adults, who are also at > risk of falls

Question 34

Other health challenges for older adults include:

Answer 34

a) chronic bronchitis
b) fibrosis
c) asthma
d) emphysema
e) diverticulitis (about 50% of older women have colon sacs that become infected and inflamed)
f) constipation
g) hiatus hernia (> common in obese women = a part of the stomach slides up through the diaphragm)
h) tooth decay and periodontal diseases
i) AIDS (now recognized as a chronic illness)
j) diabetes mellitus (= < insulin & > blood and urine glucose), which usually causes:
1) weight loss
2) < wound healing
3) > appetite, urination, thirst, fatigue and weakness

Question 35

At this time, diabetes

Answer 35

cannot be cured by modern medicine

Question 36

Cystitis =

Answer 36

acute bladder inflammation often due to older women’ difficulties with emptying their bladder completely

Question 37

Prostate cancer is

Answer 37

the most frequent cancer in older men

Question 38

Incontinence types:

Answer 38

1) urge incontinence (hard to hold urine)
2) stress incontinence (leakage when sneezing, coughing, or exercising)
3) mixed incontinence (1 and 2 together)
4) functional incontinence (related to organic brain syndrome and other neurological changes)

Question 39

Health promotion with older adults =

Answer 39

a combination of health education as well as related political, economic and organizational changes

Question 40

Health promotion’s aims include:

Answer 40

a) < the incidence of disabling chronic diseases;
b) giving people control over their health
c) improving the environment
d) enhancing people’s lifestyle by addressing:
1) nutrition
2) exercise
3) stress management