Geriatric Practice

Question 1

what is the first aging reality

Answer 1

1st and 2nd order realities
- 1st: verifiable, repeatable facts (when you were born)

-2nd: meaning and value associated with facts (pension, social)

Question 2

aging realities assumptions

Answer 2

Abilities, capacities
Roles, responsibilities
Rights/privileges

Question 3

in the US there is approaximalty ___million Americans aged 65 and older

in Canada by 2031 there will be __million Canadians over 65 (25% of pop)

Answer 3

89million

9 million

Question 4

Ageism defined

Answer 4

ageism was coined by Robert Butler, a geriatrician, to describe the “prejudice and discrimination against older adults

a socially constructed way of thinking about older persons based on negative attitudes and stereotypes about aging and a tendency to structure society based on an assumption that everyone is young, thereby failing to respond appropriately to the real needs of older persons.

Question 5

what is age discrimination

Answer 5

prejudice or discrimination on the basis of a person’s age.

 Individual acts or systemic.

Question 6

geriatrics

Answer 6

o Geriatrics is the study of “health and disease in later life; the comprehensive health care of older persons; and the well-being of their informal caregivers

Question 7

gerontology

Answer 7

o Gerontology is the study of the aging process and individuals as they grow from midlife through later life, including the study of physical, mental and social changes; the investigation of the changes in society resulting from our aging population; the allocation of the knowledge to policies, programs, and practice.

Question 8

chronic conditions and older adults

Answer 8

Chronic conditions are especially prevalent among older adults.
For persons over age 65, 90% have a chronic condition, and 77% have two or more chronic conditions.
The focus of treatment is managing the chronic illness by reducing symptoms

Question 9

according to the National Center for Health Statistics (2012), the most frequently occurring or chronic conditions among older persons are:

Answer 9

uncontrolled hypertension (34%), 
diagnosed arthritis (50%), 
heart disease (32%), 
cancer (23%), 
diabetes (19%), and 
sinusitis (14%).

Question 10

dementia

Answer 10

is a progressive brain impairment that interferes with memory and typical intellectual functioning
a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with the ability to perform activities of daily living.
not a specific disease only an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms

Question 11

two most common types of dementia

Answer 11

alzheimers and vascular dementia (after a stroke)

Question 12

the symptoms of dementia may vary, but two of the following core mental functions must be significantly impaired to be considered dementia

Answer 12

(a) memory,
(b) communication and language,
(c) ability to focus and pay attention,
(d) reasoning and judgment, and
(f) visual perception.”

Question 13

symptoms of alzheimers

Answer 13

 Early: difficulty remembering newly learned information because Alzheimer’s changes typically begin in the part of the brain that affects learning.
 Progressive: disorientation, mood and behavior changes; deepening confusion about events, time and place; unfounded suspicions about family, friends and professional caregivers; more serious memory loss and behavior changes; and difficulty speaking, swallowing and walking.
 Early diagnosis and intervention methods are improving dramatically, and treatment options and sources of support can improve quality of life.

Question 14

reduced mobility can be experienced in many different ways

Answer 14

episodic

seasonal

chronic

Question 15

what do old people lose out on with reduction in mobility and quality of life

Answer 15

loss of independence
loss of social connections
frailty

Question 16

define frailty

Answer 16

Frailty is a non-specific state of increasing risk, which reflects multisystem physiological change
 The physiological changes that underlie frailty do not always achieve disease status, so that some people, usually the very elderly, are frail without having life-threatening illness

Question 17

continuum of older adults

Answer 17

young-old = 65-74
old-old = 75-85
oldest of the old = 85+

Question 18

physical activity is connected to the ____,____and____ of diseases and chronic conditions

Answer 18

prevention, management, and treatment

Question 19

physical activities secondary health and wellness benefits for older adults include

Answer 19

therapeutic interventions
promoting sense of independence
reduction in depression and feelings of isolation
providing mechanisms for social interaction

Question 20

what are the roles of RTs in geriatric care

Answer 20

expert clinician
trainer and educator
consumer of evidence
supervisor and manager 
quality of life advocate

Question 21

what is the primary health prevention

Answer 21

interventions are designed to intervene before any illness occurs

Question 22

what are secondary health preventions

Answer 22

interventions are intended for those who have risk factors for a disease but do not yet have a diagnosis or symptoms

Question 23

what are the tertiary health preventions

Answer 23

interventions are designed to minimize the negative impact of the sickness, restore function and prevent complications. treat and rehabilitate are the goals

Question 24

the efficacy of RT in geriatrics

Answer 24

o Older adults with chronic conditions benefited from physical activity by displaying significant increases in physical performance and functional mobility.
o Persons with dementia who received RT significantly decreased depression, agitation, apathy, and passivity and increased self-efficacy

Question 25

program considerations for age and leisure

Answer 25

activities both stable and changing
motivations
meanings
time

Question 26

age-based programming ignores

Answer 26

age modifiability 
external facts (social/historical) 
intersectionality of diversity markers

Question 27

barriers of aging and leisure

Answer 27

stereotypes of aging and ageism 
built environment
access
financial cost
lack of suitable programming
self perceived efficacy and not wanting to be a burden

Question 28

adaptive physical activity

Answer 28

advocacy and HR training
caregivers or leisure facilitators
suitable programming considerations
accessible facilities and on site programming