CNA - Certified Nursing Assistant Aging Process 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is a normal age-related change in the respiratory system?
- Increased lung capacity and efficiency
- Decreased elasticity of lung tissue (Correct answer)
- Faster recovery from respiratory infections
- Increased oxygen exchange at the alveoli
Correct answer: Decreased elasticity of lung tissue
Aging causes the lungs to lose elasticity, making it harder to fully expand and contract. This reduces respiratory efficiency and reserve capacity, which is a normal, expected change — not a disease process.
Question 2: A normal skin change associated with aging is:
- Increased oil and sweat gland activity
- Thickening of the outer skin layer
- Decreased subcutaneous fat (Correct answer)
- Greater resistance to pressure injury
Correct answer: Decreased subcutaneous fat
With aging, subcutaneous (under-skin) fat decreases, reducing cushioning and insulation. This makes elderly residents more vulnerable to cold temperatures and pressure injuries.
Question 3: Which change in the urinary system is considered a normal part of aging?
- Increased bladder capacity
- More efficient kidney filtration
- Decreased ability to concentrate urine (Correct answer)
- Reduced frequency of urination
Correct answer: Decreased ability to concentrate urine
The aging kidney loses some ability to concentrate urine, which means elderly residents may produce more dilute urine and are at greater risk for dehydration despite adequate fluid intake.
Question 4: An elderly resident reports that food does not taste as good as it used to. The CNA should recognize this as:
- A sign of depression requiring immediate reporting
- A symptom of a gastrointestinal disease
- A normal age-related decline in taste sensation (Correct answer)
- An indication the resident needs a dietary supplement
Correct answer: A normal age-related decline in taste sensation
The number of taste buds decreases with age, and the sense of smell also diminishes, both of which reduce the ability to taste food. This is a normal aging change that can affect appetite and nutritional intake.
Question 5: Which of the following is a normal change in the nervous system related to aging?
- Faster nerve conduction and reaction time
- Increased production of neurotransmitters
- Slowed response time and reaction speed (Correct answer)
- Greater ability to multitask
Correct answer: Slowed response time and reaction speed
Aging slows nerve conduction velocity and reduces the speed of neural processing, resulting in slower reaction times. This is a normal change and contributes to increased fall risk in elderly residents.
Question 6: When caring for an elderly resident, the CNA knows that constipation is more common in older adults because of:
- Increased peristalsis in the large intestine
- Decreased activity of digestive enzymes and slower peristalsis (Correct answer)
- Higher fluid absorption in the stomach
- More efficient movement of food through the colon
Correct answer: Decreased activity of digestive enzymes and slower peristalsis
Normal aging slows peristalsis (the muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract) and reduces digestive enzyme activity, making constipation a common complaint in elderly residents.
CNA - Certified Nursing Assistant Aging Process 1
Which of the following is a normal age-related change in the respiratory system?