Self-assessment - Mental Health in Later Life

In this section we have provided you with a series of questions that you may find useful in checking understanding of some of the key messages and points. There are 12 questions in this self-assessment section.

1. Which of the 4 statements below is NOT true?

  1. Everyone has mental health needs, whether or not they have a diagnosis of mental illness.
  2. Good mental health is central to overall health and well-being and has a significant impact on one's quality of life.
  3. Statistics show that the majority of older people suffer from mental illness.
  4. How well an older person adjusts to late life challenges is a key factor in determining ongoing mental health.

The correct answer is c

In fact, most older people remain mentally well, but it is undoubtedly true that they are more likely than younger people to experience mental illness. This was mentioned in the section Section 1 – Why is mental health important?

2. Mental health is influenced by an interaction of factors that cross the boundaries between an older person‘s physical, psychological and social functioning as well as between the individual and the context within which they live.

  1. True
  2. False

The correct answer is True.

This was mentioned in Section 1 – Why is mental health important?

3. Research has shown that being physically fit and having an adequate income have a significant impact on mental health.

  1. True
  2. False

The correct answer is True.

In fact being physically fit, having an adequate income (as well as having good social relationships with family, friends and neighbours and living in a supportive neighbourhood) are features identified by research as promoting mental health. This was mentioned in the section Section 1 - Why is mental health important?

4. There is little or no overlap between those issues which contribute to good mental health and those that promote ‘successful ageing’.

  1. True
  2. False

The correct answer is False

In fact, there is considerable overlap between those issues which contribute to good mental health and those that promote ‘successful ageing’, such as being able to adapt, engaging in relationships, maintaining independence and having enough money to participate in activities and community life.

This was mentioned in Section 1 – Why is mental health important?

5. Good mental health is not simply the absence of disease. A person who is not mentally ill is not necessarily mentally healthy.

  1. True
  2. False

The correct answer is True.

This was mentioned in the section Definition of mental health.

6. An extremely high proportion of those aged 65 or over suffer major ill-health. At 75 years old and over, three out of four people suffer major ill-health.

  1. True
  2. False

The correct answer is False.

In fact, despite the common assumption that many older people are physically and/or mentally ill, it is only a small minority of those aged 65 or over who suffer major ill-health. Even at 75 years old and over, three out of four people remain in good, or reasonably good, physical and mental health.

This was mentioned in the section Definition of mental health.

7. Poverty is a known risk factor for depression.

  1. True
  2. False

The correct answer is True.

This was mentioned in the section Mental health and successful ageing.

8. One of the ways that the risk of depression in older people can be reduced is through maintaining frequent contact with friends.

  1. True
  2. False

The correct answer is True.

This was mentioned in the section Mental health and successful ageing.

9. Ageing is experienced in a fairly uniform way by older people.

  1. True
  2. False

The correct answer is False

In fact, ageing is experienced variously and diversely. Differences exist at the level of the individual and between groups, cultures and populations. This was mentioned in the section Mental health and successful ageing.

10. Older people are discriminated against because of gender, race or disability as well because of age.

  1. True
  2. False

The correct answer is True.

This was mentioned in Mental Health and Successful Ageing.

11. The process of ageing can be viewed as a process of adjustment, whereby the older person minimises losses and maximises gains through adaptation, mastery and effective coping strategies. Three processes of adaptation are mentioned: selection, compensation and optimisation. What does ‘compensation’ describe?

The correct answer is b.

This was mentioned in the section Mental health and successful ageing.

12. Interventions that are geared towards reducing the threats to the quality of life of older people are likely to be the most effective measures towards supporting mental health and promoting well-being in later life.

  1. True
  2. False

The correct answer is True.

This was mentioned in the section Promotion of mental health.