CSA Trivia 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which U.S. state was the first to legalize medical aid in dying (physician-assisted death) for terminally ill patients?
- California
- Colorado
- Washington
- Oregon (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Oregon
Oregon became the first U.S. state to legalize physician-assisted death with the Death with Dignity Act in 1997.
Question 2: What does the 'FAST scale' (Functional Assessment Staging Test) measure in dementia patients?
- Speed of cognitive decline over 6 months
- Stages of Alzheimer's disease progression from normal aging to severe dementia (Correct answer)
- Financial assessment for long-term care eligibility
- Fall risk in nursing home residents
Correct answer: Stages of Alzheimer's disease progression from normal aging to severe dementia
The FAST scale rates Alzheimer's disease progression across 7 stages, from normal adult functioning to severe dementia, and is commonly used to determine hospice eligibility.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of a 'reverse mortgage' for older homeowners?
- To reduce property tax obligations
- To allow seniors to borrow against home equity without monthly repayment (Correct answer)
- To transfer home ownership to adult children
- To refinance a mortgage at a lower interest rate
Correct answer: To allow seniors to borrow against home equity without monthly repayment
A reverse mortgage allows homeowners aged 62+ to convert home equity into cash without making monthly payments; the loan is repaid when the home is sold or the borrower dies.
Question 4: Which organization administers the National Senior Games (also known as the 'Senior Olympics')?
- AARP
- National Senior Games Association (NSGA) (Correct answer)
- U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee
- Administration for Community Living
Correct answer: National Senior Games Association (NSGA)
The National Senior Games Association (NSGA) administers the biennial National Senior Games, open to athletes aged 50 and older.
Question 5: What is 'polypharmacy' as it relates to older adults?
- A pharmacy program that delivers medications to homebound seniors
- The concurrent use of multiple medications, increasing the risk of adverse interactions (Correct answer)
- A government drug benefit for low-income seniors
- Resistance to medications due to age-related physiological changes
Correct answer: The concurrent use of multiple medications, increasing the risk of adverse interactions
Polypharmacy refers to the use of multiple medications simultaneously (commonly defined as 5 or more), which significantly increases the risk of drug interactions and adverse effects in older adults.
Question 6: At what age can Americans begin collecting reduced Social Security retirement benefits?
- 55
- 59½
- 62 (Correct answer)
- 65
Correct answer: 62
Americans can begin collecting Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, but benefits are permanently reduced compared to waiting until full retirement age.
Question 7: Which condition is characterized by a temporary but acute state of confusion, disorientation, and fluctuating consciousness, and is common in hospitalized older adults?
- Dementia
- Delirium (Correct answer)
- Depression
- Dysphasia
Correct answer: Delirium
Delirium is an acute confusional state with rapid onset and fluctuating course, often triggered by illness, medication, or hospitalization, and is distinct from the gradual progression of dementia.
CSA Trivia 5
Which U.S. state was the first to legalize medical aid in dying (physician-assisted death) for terminally ill patients?