Q&A: Gerontology
High ageing societies
1. Which of the following older individuals is
categorized as oldest-old?
a. 70 years old
b. 75 years old
c. 80 years old
d. 85 years old
2. The term geriatric refers to what type of adult
clients?
a. Those in nursing homes
b. Any adult client 65 or older
c. Adult clients 85 or older
3. According to Baltes’ lifespan perspective,
what is true about development?
a. Development is plastic
b. Early childhood is the most important
part of lifespan development
c. Development consists of only one
dimension or domain
d. Development is only influenced by
nature and not by nurture.
4. Discrimination against someone due to their
age is called
a. Ageism
b. Elderspeak
c. Dementia
d. Stereotype
5. Which of the following is the current life
expectancy of the Philippines
a. 71.23 years
b. 71.28 years
c. 71.41 years
d. 71.53 years
6. The economic global implications of the rapid
increase of the ageing population are the
following: except
a. Increasing health care expenditures
b. Diminishing workforce
c. Sufficient work for older people
d. Insufficient caretaker workforce
7. In 2019, the population of person aged 60 and
over is about 8.6% of the total Philippines
population. With this data, under what
category of the Ageing Societies is the
Philippines?
a. Ageing societies
b. Young societies
c. Hyper-ageing societies
d.
8. Aging process is classified into four aspects.
This classification refers to an elderly who still
can work as Catechist in a public school
a. Functional Aging
b. Psychological Aging
c. Social Aging
d. Cognitive Aging
9. Lolo Jose just celebrated his birthday last
August 21. He was born on August 21, 1914.
He still able to do some ADL such as bathing,
dressing and eating on his own. What is the
Chronological Aging classification of Lolo
Jose according to World Health Organization.
a. Old-old
b. Middle-old
c. Young-old
d. Elite-old
10. Aging process is classified into four aspects.
Lolo Jose’s skin is wrinkled, sagging and dry.
He constantly complains of feeling cold most
of time. Based on the situation given, under
classification, is it?
a. Psychological Aging
b. Biological Aging
c. Social Aging
d. Cognitive Aging
11. Steve’s grandfather was teaching him how to
drive a car. At first, Steve was frustrated
because of his grandfather’s reactions and
driving were rather slow; his grandfather
explained that while he’s not fast as he used to
be, he is more careful in his driving in later
life. When Steve followed his grandfather’s
example and avoided hitting another car due to
his cautious driving, he appreciated his
grandfather’s slow, but careful driving. This
difference in ability involving the loss of speed
but gain of caution best illustrates what
principle that development is:
a. Contextual
b. Multidisciplinary
c. Multidirectional
d. Multidimensional
12. Which of the following Philippine
Government law provides health care services
for poor older persons such as free medical
services on government hospitals, discounted
services on private hospitals and clinics, free
vaccines, discounted medicines, and
mandatory PhilHealth coverage.
 a. Republic Act No. 344
b. Republic Act No. 7876
c. Republic Act No. 8425
d. Republic Act No. 9994
13. The theory of aging that says that personality
and coping patterns remain consistent through
life is.
a. Continuity theory
b. Gerotranscendence theory
c. Human needs theory
d. Life course theory
14. Which of the following statements most
accurately conveys an aspect of the error
theory of aging?
a. Perpetuation of DNA mutations
results in organ and system
malfunction
b. Age-related dysfunction of organs,
tissues, and body systems results in
mutation of body DNA.
c. The number of cell division is
genetically predetermined.
d. Errors in the function of various
organs contribute to changes in the
genetic code of various body cells.
15. Ms. E, an 80-year-old, is gradually
withdrawing from society and wants society to
gradually withdraw from her. She believes that
this mutual withdrawal will free her from
societal roles and give society the means for
transferring power from the old to the young.
Ms. E’s grown children are concerned and say
her belief has no scientific basis. On which of
the following theories of aging can Ms. E say
she bases her belief/
a. Activity theory
b. Developmental tasks theory
c. Disengagement theory
d. Continuity theory
16. A student nurse is explaining to an older adult
client that many of the changes in his body
that are currently causing him frustration may
have their origins in genetic changes that may
have in fact benefited him during his younger
years. Which of the following theories of
aging underlies the SN’s explanation?
a. Disposable soma theory
b. Free radical theory
c. Mutation accumulation theory
d. Antagonistic pleiotropy theory
17. An 80-year-old female who enjoys good health
explains to her primary care provider that she
attributes her health status to her regular intake
of berries, fruit juices, and green tea, which
she states, “help cleanse the damaging
molecules out of my body”. Which of the
following theories of aging underlies the
client’s heath behaviors
a. Biogerontology
b. Free radical theory
c. Cross-linking theory
d. Disposable soma theory
18. You are discussing an older adult client’s
apparent increased susceptibility to infection
with his family. Which of the following
statements made by you would be most
congruent with current thought around the
autoimmune role in the aging process?
a. Changes that we call “mutations” in
your father’s cells make his organs
more vulnerable to chronic illness and
germs.
b. Older adults often have more
difficulty fighting off infections
because of their weaker immune
systems, and their bodies can even
attack themselves.
c. Diseases such as arthritis, which we
term “autoimmune”, make older
people more likely to catch viruses
and other bugs.
19. A hospital clinical educator is adopting the
disengagement theory of aging when teaching
staff how best to meet the needs of older
clients. Which of the nurse’s teaching points
best captures the disengagement theory of
aging?
a. Older adults often benefit from a
gradual and controlled withdrawal
of their own interests from society’s
interests.
b. The disengagement between an older
adult’s abilities and desires can lead to
frustration and, ultimately, to illness.
c. The lack of synchronicity between
older adults’ immune systems and
their environments can be the root of
many problems.
d. It is imperative that we ensure older
adults remain engaged with interests
and events beyond themselves.
20. Which of the following directives by the head
nurse at a long-term care facility is most
reflective of the activity theory of aging?
a. Facilitate older adults’ desire to step
back from the responsibilities and
roles they had in earlier years.
b. It’s hard to overestimate the
importance of regular, physical
exercise in maintaining health and
healthy aging.
c. Remember that the psychological roles
and characters of the residents change
profoundly in later years of life.
d. Treat the residents like younger
people and keep them engaged in
meaningful acts.
21. The following tasks are components of
Erikson’s description of the old age tasks of
reconciling ego integrity with despair, except
a. An 80-year-old man is struggling to
determine his identity apart from his
lifelong career as a business leader
b. A 79-year-old woman has
established habits that promote her
financial independence in spite of a
lack of savings
c. An 80-year-old man reveals in his
large, happy family rather than
focusing on his mobility limitations
resulting from Parkinson disease.
d. A 77-year-old man is trying to
determine whether his life has had
deep significance and meaning
22. Mrs. H and Mrs. J are the same age. While in
the waiting room, they discuss their ailments
and their beliefs about aging. Mrs. H argues
that Mrs. J must be older because she has more
ailments. The nurse settles the argument by
stating a cornerstone of all biological theories
of aging. Which of the following statements
did the nurse most likely make?
a. Aging is a predictable cellular process
b. Cells undergo a finite number of
divisions
c. No to individuals age identically
d. Busy systems decline at the same rate
23. Which of the following statements is evidence
that supports the programmed theory of aging?
a. The life spans attained by parents and
their offspring are negatively
correlated.
b. Mutations perpetuate themselves
through each cycle of cell division
c. In cultures, cells from older donors
divide faster than those from younger
donors
d. In cultures, cells go through a finite
number of cell divisions before
dying.
24. Which of the following statements form
components of both the error theory of aging
and the cross-linking theory of aging?
a. Free radicals cause mutations in cells
b. Changes in DNA lead to organ
malfunctions
c. Senescence is environmentally
controlled at the cellular level
d. Genetic programming determines life
expectancy
25. Which of the following statements underlie
both the error theory of aging and the free
radical theory of aging?
a. Biochemical damage accumulates
over time, leading to cell death
b. The rate of cellular death is genetically
programmed
c. The aging body produces fewer
growth and repair hormones.
d. Environmental agents such as
radiation and heavy metals damage
DNA
26. A magazine geared toward elderly women
contains an advertisement for an anti-wrinkle
cream purported to remove wrinkles caused by
the drying effects of years of soap use.
Knowledgeable nurses can keep their elderly
female clients from being duped by their
advertisement by explaining that the wrinkling
of facial skin in old age results primarily from:
a. Cellular mutations arising from
toxic chemicals
b. Changes in the endocrine glands
c. Repeated exposure to ultraviolet light
d. A diet high in fats and refined sugars
27. A scientist who believes that people have a
genetic programming that determines or
predicts longevity is a supporter of which
theory?
a. Age stratification theory
b. Cross-link theory
c. Free-radical theory
d. Gene/biological theory
28. A nurse is using the Functional Consequences
Theory as a lens for planning client care in a
 health care facility. Which of the following is
a key element of this nursing theory/
a. Wellness is a concept that is broader
than just physiologic functioning
b. Most problems affecting older adults
may be attributed to related changes
c. The functional consequence theory
is an alterative to holistic nursing
care
d. Most functional consequence cannot
be addressed through nursing
intervention
29. The following are lifestyle modifications that
may contribute to healthy and long life.
[SATA]
a. Have 7-8 hours of sleep
b. Eat less meat, eat more vegetables
c. Regular exercises, at least 15 minutes
a day
d. Avoid obesity
e. Avoid alcohol
f. Don’t smoke or chew tobacco
g. Take time to laugh and play
h. Minimize stress and use effective
stress management
30. Which of the following physical changes of
aging affect a person's appearance? [SATA]
a. Men experience hair loss and both
sexes may develop gray hair and
wrinkles
b. Loss of tissue elasticity as
manifested by double chin, baggy
eyelids
c. Stature decreases, resulting in a loss
of approximately 2 inches in height
by 80 years of age
d. Skinfold thickness is significantly
reduced in the forearm and on the
back of hands
b. Loss of physical capacity for erection
or ejaculation
c. Decrease in testosterone levels
d. Atrophy of testes
33. Urinary frequency among older adults is
primarily due to
a. Decrease in nephrons
b. Decrease bladder capacity
c. Decreased tubular function
d. Decreased renal flow
34. Which of the following are normal changes in
the nervous system of older adults. [SATA]
a. Decreased perception of stimuli due
to decreased amounts of
neuroreceptors
b. Increased risk for ischemic
paresthesia in extremities because of
decreased peripheral nerve function
c. Decreased blood flow also results in
a slower rate of cerebral metabolism
d. Slower responses and reaction time
35. The following are nursing interventions are
appropriate in the prevention of skin integrity
impairment among older adults.
a. Keep the skin clean and dry
b. Apply alcohol to the skin
c. Massage body parts, especially bony
prominence
d. Encourage the older adult to change
positions frequently and to ambulate
as necessary

31. Which of the following are respiratory changes

in aging? [SATA]
a. Decreased gas exchange
b. Reduced residual volume
c. Thoracic muscles become more
rigid
d. Decreased cough reflex
e. Increased number of Cilla

32. The following are normal degenerative

changes in the reproductive system of male
older adult.
a. Reduction in sperm count