Gerontology Exam Study Guide.
Geriatrics - Answerspecialty in medicine, dentistry and nursing. focuses on how to manage and
prevent diseases associated with old age.
gerontology - Answera multidisciplinary discipline that brings together research specialists in
many areas of
1. basic
2. clini...
Geriatrics - Answer✔specialty in medicine, dentistry and nursing. focuses on how to manage and
prevent diseases associated with old age.
gerontology - Answer✔a multidisciplinary discipline that brings together research specialists in
many areas of
1. basic
2. clinical (medicine)
3. behavioral (ex: drinking behavior; drink before thirsty)
4. social sciences
ageism - Answer✔negative attitudes help by people towards older people
robert butler - Answer✔first director of the national institute of aging (nia) who coined the term,
"ageism"
fields of gerontology - Answer✔a. psychology: seeks ways to improve quality of life for older
adults
b. psychiatry
c. sociology
d. physical and occupational therapy
e. nursing
f. social work
g. medicine
h. biology: describes the cellular process of aging
i. dentistry
j. economics
k. political sciences
dual process of adaptation of older adults to the environment - Answer✔1. adjust to some
qualities of physical and social environment (ex: extensive paperwork for medicare)
2. induce changes in others/environment (Ex: lobbying to expand Medicare benefits in order to
cover dental care)
4 distinct processes of aging viewed by gerontologist - Answer✔1. chronological aging
2. biological aging
3. psychological aging
4. social aging
chronological aging - Answer✔based on persons years from birth
biological aging - Answer✔based on physical changes that impact the efficiency of the body's
organ systems negatively. process of bodily changes over time
psychological aging - Answer✔based on sensory and perceptual changes, changes in mental
functioning, personality and adaptive capacity
social aging - Answer✔based on people's changing relationships and roles within society,
relative to work, friendship, religious and political groups.
cohort - Answer✔a group of people born at roughly the same time
4 environment comprises - Answer✔1. the community
2. the larger society
3. the neighborhood
4. the home
person-environment perspective: the perspective of social gerontology = the belief that the
environment changes as a function of older adults: - Answer✔a) Taking from the environment
what they need
b) Controlling what can be manipulated
c) Adjusting to conditions that cannot be changed
environmental press - Answer✔the demands put on people by physical and social environments
to adapt, respond or change
competence - Answer✔the higher people's competence, the higher the tolerance level for
environmental press (ex: physical disability limits the level of physical and social demand a
person can meet) (coping skills)
ex:- sometimes families may do too much for older family members who may no longer feel that
they are contributing to the needs of the family.
2|Page
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller Everly. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $10.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
