GWL 137 TEST 1

GWL 137 BB
WORTH 20%
DUE: Saturday, October 23 by 11.59 p.m. Toronto time

This is an open-book test. Students may use texts, PPTs, videos, and other postings on
Blackboard to answer the questions.

Every answer must be referenced in brackets after the answer, with the author and
page/slide number. If you do not provide a reference, you will receive no grade for that
answer. No reference, no grade.

Please download or copy the test to your computer and type your answers into the
spaces provided on the test pages. When you have completed the test, upload it to the
GWL 137 journal, “test 1” found on the Blackboard

It is expected that students will complete this test independently. Indications of shared
work will trigger an academic integrity report. Please review Seneca’s academic
integrity policy.

Be sure to read and follow all directions!

PART 1: The Human Body System: 20 marks: Everyone

Explain each human body system listed and state its function. Reference each answer
with page numbers from Baggaley or other anatomy text. If you are using a website
because you don’t have the text, it has to be a credible, professional anatomy website.

System Explanation and Function

Skeletal The living human skeleton is a tough, flexible structure that
supports weight and protects internal organs. Bone tissue is
constantly renewed and stores minerals essential to the body, such
as calcium and phosphorus. The joints, where bones meet, mostly
permit a wide range of movement; the less mobile types of joint
such as those in the spine, provider greater stability.

The bones provide a light but strong framework for the body’s soft
tissues, the ribcage surrounds the heart and lungs.

(Baggaley, 2001, p. 59)

Muscular The skeletal muscles make up nearly half the total weight of the
human body and provide the forces that enable the body to move
and maintain its posture. The majority of these muscles stretch
across joins to link one bone with another, and work in groups, in
response to nerve impulses; they can usually be controlled
voluntarily.
 Muscles are made of filaments that can stretch and contract,
returning to their original shape.

(Baggaley, 2001, p. 81)

Nervous The brain and body are constantly alive with billions of electrical
and chemical signals. This incessant activity emanates from
neurons, or nerve cells, and their far-reaching fibers. The neurons
in the brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system,
which is connected to the rest of the body by the peripheral nerves.

A nerve network spreads around the entire body. The nerves that
emerge from the spinal cord supply the truck and limbs.

(Baggaley, 2001, p. 97)

Cardiovascular The heart and the body’s blood-transporting network of arteries,
veins, and smaller vessels form the circulator, or cardiovascular,
system. As blood is continuously pumped out from the heart and
around the system in two circuits, it carries oxygen and vital
nutrients to all parts of the body and removes harmful waste
products from tissues.

The heart pumps blood through arteries and smaller vessels to all
body parts. The blood returns to the heart through the veins.

(Baggaley, 2001, p. 169)

PART 2: Definitions: 10 marks total

Choose 10 of the following terms or concepts and provide a definition or fill in the blank.
Your last name initial beside a question indicates that this is a “must do” for you! Some
questions are to be completed by Everyone. You may make up your 10 questions using
either terms with no initials beside them or terms using initials other than yours.

1. Gerontology – Everyone
 Gerontology is the discipline that systematically studies aging. It
looks at the subject from two points of view: how aging affects the
individual and how an aging population will change society (Novak et
al., 2018, p. 2).
2. Elderspeak – A-M
 Elderspeak refers to “a specialized speech register resembling baby
talk in addressing older adults” (Novak et al., 2018, p. 6).
3. Baby Boom – N-Z
4. Elderly dependency ratio
5. ADLs – Everyone
  Activities of daily living (ADLs) activities performed daily, such as
bathing, moving from a bed or chair, dressing, getting to and using
the toilet, eating, and walking (Novak et al., 2018, p. 99).
6. Maximum life span – -A -M
 the maximum number of years a member of a species can live
(Novak et al., 2018, p. 95).
7. Life expectancy -- N-Z
8. Conflict theory
 holds that society consists of conflicts between dominant and
subordinate social groups (Novak et al., 2018, p. 30)
9. Quantitative research
10. Phalanges
11. Birth rate
12. Three regions of the spine are the _____ vertebrae, thoracic vertebrae and
lumbar vertebrae – Everyone
 Cervical vertebrae – a typical cervical vertebra has two wing-shaped
side processes. A hole through each process allows arteries to pass
through and carry blood to the brain (Baggaley, 2001, p. 70).
13. Successful aging – A-M
 characterized by a low chance of disease and disability, high mental
and physical functioning, and active engagement in social relations
and productive activity (Novak et al., 2018, p. 124).
14. Population pyramid -- N-Z
15. Age Cohort – A-M
 a group of people born in the same period of time; for example, all
the people born between 1950 and 1955 form an age cohort (Novak et
al., 2018, p. 25).
16. Multiple Jeopardy theory -N-Z
17. Apocalyptic demography
18. Heart valves
19. Compression of morbidity theory – Everyone
 the idea that severe chronic illness would occur for a short time near
the end of life (Novak et al., 2018, p. 122).
20. Memory, A-M
 the recall of information after learning has taken place (Novak et al.,
2018, p. 132)
21. Plasticity N-Z
Part 3: Short answer worth 30 marks – Use PPT or textbook, videos and other
resources posted in the learning modules to form your answers, with appropriate
citations.

From each chapter (1-6), answer the question which your last name initial falls into. You
will answer 6 questions in total, worth 5 marks each. Type each answer directly below
the question you’re answering.

CH. 1

1. State three common myths about aging. Explain why these myths are false. A –
M
1. Myth: Older people often commit suicide and have the highest suicide rate
in Canada.
Reality: Older people have some of the lowest suicide rates in Canada
(9.9 per 100,000 for people age 65 and over). Middle-aged Canadians
have some of the highest rates (people age 50 to 54 have the highest rate
of all— 16.6 per 100,000) (Navaneelan, 2012; Statistics Canada, 2014b).

(Novak et al., 2018, p. 5).

2. Myth: People feel lost in retirement. They often get sick and die shortly
after they retire.
Reality: Few people feel sick or lost due to retirement. Canada’s 2013
General Social Survey found that 28 percent of volunteers in Canada were
age 55 or older (up from 23 percent in 2004) (Statistics Canada, 2015a).
Seniors sat on boards and committees. They also donated to charitable
causes. These findings show that seniors stay engaged in later life.

(Novak et al., 2018, p. 4).

3. Myth: People in older age groups face a higher risk of criminal

victimization than people in younger age groups do.
Reality: Older people face a lower risk of criminal victimization than any
other age group.

(Novak et al., 2018, p. 4).

2. What is ageism? Where do negative attitudes toward aging come from? How can
people develop a more positive attitude toward aging? N – Z
CH 2

1. What are the three major theoretical perspectives used in gerontological

research? What are some of the strengths and weaknesses of each? A – M
 The Interpretive Perspective
The interpretive perspective has weaknesses as well as strengths. For
example, it gives only the subjective or individual point of view on social
life. It tends to ignore the connections that exist between micro-level social
interactions and the larger social forces or structures in society. This
means that it cannot answer many of the “big picture” questions that
gerontologists ask (Novak et al., 2018, p. 24).
 The Functionalist Perspective
The functionalist perspective fits within a positivist worldview. It holds that
social order is based on consensus, cooperation, and shared norms and
values. Within this perspective, all parts of society serve a role or function
that keeps society in a state of balance or equilibrium. While the
interpretive perspective asks, “How do people create their social world
through interaction with one another?” the functionalist perspective asks,
“What is the structure of the society that people live in and how do the
parts of this structure function? Historically, gerontologists used the
functionalist perspective more than any other perspective in their study of
aging (Novak et al., 2018, p. 25).
 The Conflict Perspective
The conflict perspective holds that society consists of conflicts between
dominant and subordinate social groups. Historically, few gerontologists
have used the conflict perspective in their work. But in recent decades an
interest in this perspective has developed. For example, researchers
understand that social and structural inequalities experienced earlier in life
can lead to poverty and other disadvantages in later life. Also, studies
show that women are more likely than men to earn less income, work part-
time, or have disrupted work histories due to child care or care of other
family members (Novak et al., 2018, p. 30).

2. What are the three main areas of gerontological study? Give examples. N – Z
CH 3

1. Compare and contrast the challenges facing the developed and developing
nations as a result of the increase in the proportion and number of older people
in their societies. Discuss some responses each type of society can make to
these challenges. A – M
 Least developed nations
  These countries often have a low percentage of older people in
their populations, but they may have large numbers of older people
(Novak et al., 2018, p. 47).
 These countries need to support a large number of dependent
children and a large older population. Middle-aged people in these
countries struggle to support the young and the old (Novak et al.,
2018, p. 47).
 Some countries experience rapid population aging due to HIV/AIDS
(Novak et al., 2018, p. 47).
 “Many older people have had to deal with the loss of their own
support while absorbing the additional responsibilities of caring for
their orphaned grandchildren. Increasingly, then, it appears that
African [and other developing] societies are being asked to cope
with population aging with neither a comprehensive formal social
security system nor a well-functioning traditional care system
in place” (Novak et al., 2018, p. 50).
 Less developed nations
 At the current rates of population change, China will get old before
it gets rich. It will have to deal with the issues of a developing
nation, such as feeding its people, privatizing industry, and growing
its economy. At the same time, it will have to deal with issues of a
developed society, such as creating pension and healthcare
systems to care for its older population (Novak et al., 2018, p. 52).
 Jiang, Armstrong, and Cullinane (2015) report that “the ruling
Communist Party issued the following statement: ‘To promote a
balanced growth of population, China will continue to uphold the
basic national policy of population control and improve its strategy
on population development. China will fully implement the policy of
‘one couple, two children’ in a proactive response to the issue of an
aging population.’” (Novak et al., 2018, p. 52).
 Developed nations

 Japan faces challenges similar to those of other developed

nations. These challenges include higher costs for pensions, more
chronic disease, and the need to rethink healthcare services for an
older population (Novak et al., 2018, p. 53).

 In response they will change pension policies and encourage

people to work longer, raise taxes to cover increased costs, or
increase the national debt. Whatever approach they choose,
 developed nations will all have to provide more services to their
aging populations (Novak et al., 2018, p. 53).
2. What role did each of the three major demographic forces play in the aging of
Canada’s population from the 1850s to the present? How did each force affect
societal aging
CH 4
1. Why do gerontologists who study ethnicity focus on Indigenous Canadian
seniors, visible minority seniors, and immigrant seniors? Is this focus justified? A
–M
 Statistics Canada (2010c, 2011g) estimated that by 2031, visible minority
groups including South Asians and Chinese could make up 18 percent of
seniors, a substantial increase over the figure of 11 percent reported for
Canada in 2011. The diversity of Canada’s seniors will also increase in
terms of mother tongue (including allophones, who speak neither English
nor French) and religion (including non-Christian) (Statistics Canada,
2011g). In short, compared with seniors today, seniors in the future in
Canada will show more diversity in region of origin, language, and religion.
This diversity will pose challenges for social and healthcare services that
traditionally serve a EuroCanadian senior population. They will need to
adapt their services to meet the needs of people who come from different
cultural traditions and who may not speak either English or French (Novak
et al., 2018, p. 79-80).
2. Describe some of the ways that an ethnic senior’s culture influences their life in
Canada. N – Z
CH 5

1. What changes take place in the musculoskeletal system with age? What
changes take place in the five sense with age? A – M
 The Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA), a study of more than
9,000 community-dwelling seniors, looked at the main causes of disability
in older people (Griffith et al., 2010). The study found that five conditions—
foot problems, arthritis, cognitive impairment, heart problems, and vision—
contributed most to ADL and IADL disability. In particular, a combination of
foot problems, arthritis, and heart problems led to the most functional
limitations (Novak et al., 2018, p. 99).
2. How can environmental, technological, and lifestyle changes help older people
cope with physical changes? Give some examples of how diet, exercise, stress
reduction, and technology can reduce incidence of illness and/or help a person
cope with physical change. N – Z
CH 6
1. What do psychologists mean by organic disorders? Why are policy makers and
researchers concerned about the future increase in Alzheimer’s disease cases?
What do psychologists mean by functional disorders? Give some examples. A –
M
 Organic brain syndrome, senile dementia, and dementia are general terms
used to describe a variety of organic brain disorders. Organic disorders
lead to confusion and forgetfulness, and may lead to antisocial behaviour
(Novak et al., 2018, p. 150).
 The aging of the older population in part explains this increase in dementia
cases. The proportion of people age 60 and over with dementia is
projected to increase from 7 percent to 9 percent between 2008 and 2038.
The proportion of people age 90 and over with dementia will increase from
49 percent to 50 percent for these same years. Longer life for Canadians
will mean more people with Alzheimer’s disease in the older population
and this in turn will mean more need for family, community, and
institutional support (Novak et al., 2018, p. 151).
 Functional disorders disrupt normal life. They include emotional upset,
depression, and anxiety (Novak et al., 2018, p. 155).
2. How do the concepts of cognitive reserve and mental plasticity change our way
of thinking about the brain and mental potential later in life? N - Z