Extra Challenge Reading Activities

(Accompanies Unit 8, Page 94)

Which paragraph:

1. suggests that increases in some health problems are inevitable as populations

get older?

2. gives examples of help available to older people who can’t live on their own?

3. mentions the effect of more people choosing to live far away from their families?

4. explains how the numbers of older people with dementia will change in the future?

5. states that the problem of aging populations is a new one around the world?

6. describes the symptoms experienced by those with dementia?

7. says that there may also be economic effects in countries with aging populations?
“Worldwide Growth of Aging Populations”

Paragraph A

The world is facing a huge demographic shift without precedent. For the first time in
history, we soon will have more elderly people than children, and more extremely old
people than ever before. As the population of older people gets larger and larger, key
questions arise: Will aging be accompanied by a longer period of good health, social
engagement, and productivity, or will it be associated with more illness, disability, and
dependency?

Paragraph B

What we do know is that the more elderly people there are in the population, the more
cases of age-related diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer there
will be. Societies will have to find ways to address this growing need. And the older people
get, the higher the prevalence of dementia, especially Alzheimer’s disease; an estimated
25–30 percent of people aged 85 or older have dementia and lose their ability to remember,
have difficulty reasoning, and undergo some personality changes. Unless new and more
effective ways to treat or prevent Alzheimer’s disease are found, cases are expected to rise
dramatically with the increased aging of the population worldwide. And because most
dementia patients eventually need constant care and help with the most basic activities of
daily living, more institutions will need to be built for their care, more medications
provided for their treatment, and more caregivers trained to aid them in their daily life.

Paragraph C

What are some of the other social and economic consequences of this demographic shift?
Even if they don’t have dementia, many of the oldest-old lose their ability to live
independently, and many require some form of long-term care, which can include nursing
homes, assisted living facilities, in-home care, and specialized hospitals.

Paragraph D

The significant costs associated with providing this support may need to be borne by
families and society. And as fewer and fewer adult children are able or want to stay home
to care for older relatives, the shift to institutional care for elders will represent an immense
social change, especially in those cultures where older generations have traditionally lived
with younger ones. And the more residents of developing countries seek jobs in cities or
other areas far from where they grew up, the less access to informal family care their older
relatives back home will have.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
A. Answer the questions, according to information in the article.

1. What historical demographic shift is expected to occur?

The historic demographic change that is expected is to have more elderly people
than children and more extremely elderly people than ever before.

2. According to the graph on page 94, how many more older people than children
are expected in 2050?

It is expected that in 2050 there will be approximately two and a half times as many older
people as children.

3. What age-related diseases are expected to increase as the number of elderly

people in the population increases?

Age-related diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer are expected to
increase as the number of older people in the population increases.
 4. What are some symptoms of dementia?

Symptoms of dementia include difficulty remembering, reasoning, and personality changes.

5. What resources will be needed to provide for the increased demand of

dementia
patients?

Resources needed to meet the growing demand of dementia patients include more care
institutions, treatment medications, and trained caregivers.

6. What issues are facing the oldest-old?

Problems faced by older people include loss of independence and the need for long-term
care.

7. What are some examples of long-term care?

Examples of long-term care include nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home care,
and specialty hospitals.

CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS

B. Answer the questions, according to the information in the article.

1. In relation to the growing population of the elderly, what is the “immense social
change” that the article is referring to?

The "immense social change" made the article shift toward institutional care for the elderly,
especially when older generations traditionally lived with younger ones. Fewer and fewer
adult children are able or willing to care for their older parents at home. They will depend
on institutional care, altering traditional family structures and dynamics.

2. What are some economic consequences associated with the growing number of
the elderly?
The economic consequences of the growing number of older people is that it has higher
costs to provide them with long-term care, which must be assumed by families and society.
Additionally, having fewer adult children available to care for them could affect
productivity and economic growth.