Dr. Lee Geriatrics - Lecture 1

In the United States, an older American is typically defined as someone who is 65 years of age or older. This is because at this age, individuals become eligible for certain benefits and programs such as Medicare, which is a government-funded healthcare program for seniors. Additionally, many retirement plans and social security benefits also become available at this age. Therefore, 65 is considered the threshold for being classified as an older American in the United States.

Short term memory declines a little while there is no change in recognition memory

Only about 9% of older Americans live below the poverty line.
Most older Americans are still working with a general increase in participation for women and a general decline in participation for men

60% if 85+ men are married

Heart disease followed by cancer

Depression is generally low in the older population and cigarette smoking is generally declining

True: 60% of men 85 and older are married
Women are more likely to be widowed than men due to life expectancy and the fact that women tend to marry slightly older men.

Personality and self-esteem can predict adaptation to aging changes because individuals with positive personality traits and high self-esteem are more likely to have a positive outlook on aging and be more resilient in the face of physical and cognitive changes. Their self-worth is dependent on having a role to play because individuals who feel a sense of purpose and value in their roles and responsibilities are more likely to have higher self-esteem and overall well-being.

The answer is correct because it accurately identifies the true statements from the given options. According to the answer, older populations aged 85 and older report more instances of depression compared to the 65-69 yo age group. Additionally, socialization and physical activities decline over time, with TV taking up over half their leisure time. Lastly, functional limitations such as inability to lift objects or stoop are reported in 42% of the elderly population. These statements are supported by the information provided in the question.

The statement "His vocabulary will have declined compared to his vocabulary at age 40" least applies to the 73-year-old male. According to the information presented in the lecture regarding mental functioning, vocabulary tends to remain stable or even improve with age. Therefore, it is unlikely that his vocabulary would have declined compared to when he was 40 years old.

The statement that hospital and physician services accounted for most of the health care costs for elderly Americans is true. This is because hospital stays and medical procedures tend to be expensive and can significantly contribute to overall health care expenditures. Additionally, the statement that fewer older Americans are in inpatient or long term care facilities is also true. This could be due to advancements in medical treatments and technologies that allow for more care to be provided in outpatient settings or at home. The statement that Medicare pays for 53% of health care costs for older Americans is also true. Medicare is a government-funded health insurance program for individuals aged 65 and older, and it covers a wide range of health care services. Lastly, the statement that supplemental insurance covers prescription drugs, dental, and nursing homes to lower out-of-pocket costs is also true. Supplemental insurance plans are designed to fill in the gaps left by Medicare and provide additional coverage for services not covered by the primary insurance.