It is that time of year when many of us make resolutions and set new goals.
Perhaps one of our new goals is to have a little more fun, especially now that the pandemic seems to be waning. To that end, I hope that you had a great social time this year with friends and family, something we have not experienced for a few years.
In keeping with having a little more fun I have put together my annual quiz.
A reminder though the quiz is about your knowledge of senior’s issues - questions come from the columns I have written in the last few years and they should not be too hard.
The answers to the questions are all true or false, and the answer key is at the end of the column. For hints to the answers see my Older and Wiser columns on the North Shore News website.
1. It is a good strategy to aim high when picking your New Year’s resolutions. True or False?
2. Seniors are not productive in society. In fact, they are a drain on the economy. True or False?
3. 94 per cent of seniors over 65, and 74 per cent over 85, live in their own home. True or False?
4. Seniors are a homogeneous group with no differentiation. True or False?
5. As more seniors are living to 85 and beyond, an increasing number of individuals will face limitations and long-term health challenges. True or False?
6. Seniors are resistant to change and are unable to learn new skills such as using computers or tablets. True or False?
7. Momentary memory lapses are only an issue for older persons. True or False?
8. Although COVID-19 has affected all Canadians, seniors are particularly vulnerable to its health impacts. True or False?
9. After being vaccinated, if a senior contracts flu, pneumonia, or COVID-19, their risk of a serious, lengthy illness or hospitalization is reduced. True or False?
10. It is necessary for seniors to “hang up their keys” after turning 80. True or False?
11. Good transportation services have little affect on seniors well being. True or False?
12. Seniors who are transitioning from driving their car find it easy to switch to using public transportation. True or False?
13. Falls cannot be prevented for older people. True or False?
14. Only seniors are subject to scams and fraud. True or False?
15. Being isolated for a senior is as unhealthy as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. True or False?
16. For people with disabilities, there has been noticeable improvement in the physical environment, transit, sidewalks and building accessibility on the North Shore. True or False?
17. Sleep is not that important for seniors’ overall health. True or False?
18. There is no homelessness amongst seniors on the North Shore. True or False?
19. All seniors on the North Shore have sufficient pension or retirement savings to carry them through their retirement. True or False?
20. All seniors who work beyond 65 do this out of interest rather than for economic reasons. True or False?
21. Though information and action around emergency preparedness has improved, there is still a lot to be done to increase senior’s resiliency around negative climate impacts. True or False?
22. In extreme weather situations, seniors face no increased risk factors than do other age groups. True or False?
23. Programs and services on the North Shore are not keeping pace with the needs of older people. True or False?
24. Lifelong learning activities have little to offer for seniors. True or False?
Answer key: Statements 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24 are false. All other statements are true.
Hope you had a good time doing the quiz, and all the best for the New Year.
Margaret Coates is the co-ordinator of Lionsview Seniors’ Planning Society. She has lived on the North Shore for 52 years and has worked for and with seniors for 27 of those years. Ideas for future columns are welcome – email [email protected].
