May is Older Americans Month, a time to acknowledge the past and present contributions of our older generation. The experience, skills, and wisdom of older volunteers and employees are invaluable and often the backbone of community-based services. Additionally, older adults frequently provide financial and emotional support to family members.In our society, the term aging can unfortunately have negative connotations. False assumptions about the later years of life may negatively influence how we view our own aging, as well as, the manner in which we relate to older people.

Answer these following statements with either true or false and compare your beliefs about aging with the answers listed at the bottom of the page.

1. Personality changes with age.

2. Many older adults can learn as well as younger people.

3. Older people are rigid and unaccepting of change.

4. As people age, memory loss is inevitable.

5. Older people are less afraid of death than younger people.

6. Many older people find the later years to be a satisfying and rewarding time in life.

7. Religion becomes more important to people as they age.

8. Many older adults are financially secure due to pension plans, Social Security, Medicare, and other government programs.

9. Medications are absorbed and metabolized in older adults the same way as younger people.

10. The majority of older adults live in nursing homes.

11. Medicare pays for most prescriptions, in-home, and long-term nursing care expenses.

Answers:1) F 2) T 3) F 4) F 5) T 6) T 7) F F 9) F 10) F 11) F