My grandkids were satisfied with the recent “good snow” for which they had been praying. Although the crusty top made it impossible to build a snowman, they did enjoy slipping and sliding on the frozen surface. I tried to stay inside as much as possible and must admit to periods of boredom, which inspired me to pursue some mental exercise via various games and puzzles. I thought you might enjoy stimulating your brain, so here is a quiz that highlights interesting facts about the most common health concerns of seniors. All questions apply to adults over age 65. Choose the best answer, then check them below.

1. What percentage of people in this age group say their health is good or excellent?       a.10 %          b. 40%          c. 75%
2. Almost half of seniors contend with ____, making it the number one health problem.         a. cancer           b. dementia             c. arthritis
3.  _________ remains the leading cause of death in adults.                          a. Cancer               b. Heart disease             c. Falls and other accidents
4. If caught early, ____________, the second leading cause of death, may be treatable.         a. cancer                   b. diabetes             c. Alzheimer’s
5. Chronic respiratory diseases are the third leading cause of death and make you more vulnerable to ____________                                               a. pneumonia                         b. influenza                        c. both a and b
6. Of the major causes of death, _____ is the only one for which there is no prevention, effective treatment or cure.    a. Alzheimer’s             b. diabetes c. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (C.O.P.D.)
7. Once you reach age 65, data suggests (on average) you can live approximately ___ more years.     a.10             b. 20          c. 30
8. The incidence of osteoporosis (low bone mass) is _______________   a. increasing                b. decreasing               c. staying the same
9. A significant senior health risk that can be diagnosed and addressed early with a simple blood test is __________                                                             a. most cancers      b. diabetes        c. dementia
10. __________ is important to prevent influenza, a non-chronic but potentially life-threatening illness.                  a. A one-time immunization b. An annual injection              C. Oral medication
11. Falls that require emergency department care most often occur ______ a. at home            b. on sidewalks/streets          c. in crowded public places
12. A health risk for heart disease, diabetes and cancer is ___________      a. smoking                  b. obesity                   c. both a and b
13. As you age, your mouth becomes drier and cavity prevention _______.  a. is easier                b. does not change            c. becomes more difficult
14. _____ percent of adults over age 65 have lost all of their natural teeth.     a. Twenty-five                   b. Fifty             c. Seventy-five
15. Starting as a severe pain or tingling on one side of your body that develops into an itchy rash that is often accompanied by blisters, _______ may be prevented with a vaccine. a. chicken pox        b. rosacea        c. shingles

 

ANSWERS: 1 – b; 2 – c; 3 – b; 4 – a; 5 – c; 6 – a; 7 – b; 8 – a; 9 – b; 10 – b; 11 – a; 12 – c; 13 – c; 14 – a; 15 – c.

 

CARING TIP:“Exercise, eat well, get a good night’s rest. Eating well means eating in a fashion that will allow you to keep a healthy weight with a well-balanced and healthy diet.” Marie Bernard, MD, deputy director of the National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, Maryland