A nurse manager at a long-term care facility is engaged in efforts to change many staff members' inaccurate and negative views of older adults. Which of the following statements made by staff is most clearly indicative of ageism?

Question

A) "Older people seem to have so many more chronic health problems than younger people.".
B) "Older adults' motor skills get progressively slower as they age.".
C) "It's normal to expect a gradual loss of memory and intelligence with age.".
D) "A lot of the physical changes that accompany aging are inevitable.".

Answer 1

C
Feedback:
A common ageist misconception is that senility and loss of intelligence inevitably, and normally, accompany the aging process. Older adults do have more chronic conditions than younger adults, and motor skills become slower. Many of the physical changes that accompany aging are considered normal and largely inevitable.