When it comes to getting older, a lot of people have a lot of opinions on what to expect but how much of it is true? Below are some statements taken from the “Facts on Aging Quiz” first developed by renowned gerontologist Dr. Erdman Palmore in 1977 and revised by Dr. Linda Breytspraak and Lynn Badura of the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2015*. Do you know which ones are true and which ones are false? I’ll publish the answers in next month’s column.
T F It is very difficult for older adults to learn new things.
T F Clinical depression occurs more frequently in older than younger people.
T F Personality changes with age.
T F Older adults have more trouble sleeping than younger adults do.
T F Physical strength declines in old age.
T F Older people are happier if they are allowed to disengage from society.
T F Older persons take longer to recover from physical and psychological stress.
T F Most older adults consider their health to be good or excellent.
T F Older workers cannot work as effectively as younger workers.
T F Research has shown that old age truly begins at 65.
*Breytspraak, L. & Badura, L. (2015). Facts on Aging Quiz (revised; based on Palmore (1977; 1981)). Retrieved from http://info.umkc.edu/aging/quiz/
