Aging: what to expect and how to cope

              To find more resources for your business, home, or family, visit the College of Agriculture and Home Economics on the World Wide Web at www.cahe.nmsu.edu
Cooperative Extension Service • College of Agriculture and Home Economics
This publication is scheduled to be updated and reissued 8/11.
Aging or growing older is inevitable. In the U.S., the
fastest-growing age group is 85 and older. What does
being older mean? What is known about the aging
process? Knowledge and beliefs about aging shape how we age and how we treat others who are older. Take
the following quiz to see how much you know about
aging. Correct answers follow the questions.
QUESTIONS
True False 1. Normal aging causes a slowdown of bodily functions while disease leads to a temporary or permanent breakdown in functioning.
True False 2. Everybody ages in the same way.
True False 3. As we age, the pupil of the eye
becomes smaller and the field of
vision shrinks.
True False 4. Hearing loss due to aging is different for men versus women.
True False 5. At 30 years old, a person has 245 taste buds per papilla; at age 70 the number of taste buds per papilla is 88.
True False 6. There is a tremendous change in the sense of smell as we age.
True False 7. The skin’s sensitivity increases as
one ages.
True False 8. Lung capacity lessens and respiration decreases with age.
True False 9. Very few changes occur in the
digestion process that are directly
related to aging.
True False 10. Metabolism slows down as we age.
True False 11. Illness and disease affect sexual
activity more than the aging
process itself.
True False 12. Generally, a man will lose 10 pounds of muscle between the ages of 30
and 70.
True False 13. Bone density decreases with age.
True False 14. Loosing teeth is part of the
aging process.
True False 15. The amount of blood the heart can pump decreases by about 25 percent between the ages of 30 and 70.
True False 16. Normal aging is not linked to a loss of intelligence.
True False 17. Older adults will be able to recall past events more vividly than recent ones.
True False 18. If one can cope successfully with change and loss one will continue
to grow.
19. Coping successfully with change and loss involves:
A. Feeling good about oneself
B. Giving and receiving help
C. Accepting others as they are
D. Doing everything for oneself
20. Basic needs, no matter what one’s age, are:
A. To know one is loved, wanted and needed
B. To be socially involved and have
companionship
C. To feel useful and be as self-sufficient
as possible
D. To be recognized for positive things one
is able to do
Aging: What to Expect and How to Cope
Guide F-125
Diana S. Del Campo, Ph.D.
Extension Child Development and Family Life Specialist