C
OMMONLY
H
ELD
M
YTHS
A
BOUT
O
LDER
A
DULTS
American Psychological Association
Table of Contents
Why Practitioners Need Information
| MYTH: | FACT: |
| Most older people are pretty much alike. | They are a very diverse age group. |
| They are generally alone and lonely. | Most older adults maintain close contact with family. |
| They are sick, frail, and dependent on others. | Most older people live independently. |
| They are often cognitively impaired. | For most older adults, if there is decline in some intellectual abilities,it is not severe enough to cause problems in daily living. |
| They are depressed. | Community dwelling older adults have lower rates of diagnosable depressionthan younger adults. |
| They become more difficult and rigid with advancingyears. | Personality remains relatively consistent throughout the lifespan. |
| They barely cope with the inevitable declines associatedwith aging. | Most older people successfully adjust to the challenges of aging. |
