A survey of caregivers revealed some unflattering and inaccurate sterotypes about seniors. For instance, almost 40 percent stated that seniors feel “grouchy”, when most seniors say they are seldom angry.

Some other stereotypes discovered in the study by the University of Alberta, Edmonton Canada:

* 25% of seniors are in institutions – in fact, only 5% of all seniors require long term care

* a large number of seniors can’t care for themselves

* seniors are not adaptable to change

* all Alzheimers patients are incontinent

Lead author Tiana Rust said the study showed education about aging is needed to dispel these stereotypes.

“It’s important that people learn more about what it is to be an older adult and also to know what Alzheimer’s and dementia are about. It is important to recognize that older adults are a very heterogenous group, ranging from very vital and capable to those in the last stages of dementia. They fall all along the continuum.”

The study results are published in the latest issue of Educational Gerontology.

If you’re not a “people pleaser”, if you have been called grumpy or disagreeable and you are over 60, it might be that your personality reflects greater intelligence.

A recent study on intelligence showed that having an open and extroverted nature in young adults (under 60) was commensurate with higher intelligence, as an open personality and eagerness to learn new things leads to greater knowledge.

But in the over 60 group, the most agreeable had the lowest IQs.

The study was conducted by Thomas Baker, MA of York University and Jacqueline Bichsel of Morgan State University in Baltimore.

“Agreeableness was found to have a contrary relationship with general knowledge suggesting that a disagreeable nature may go hand in hand with better vocabulary and knowledge retention in older age,” said Baker. This result supports previous research that suggests that those who are highly intelligent may be more aloof and independent.

Psychologist Denise Park, an expert on cognitive aging at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, states the findings may indicate that those with higher IQs may resent the way society treats the elderly and find it patronizing. She believes that higher IQ may be the cause of the appearance of a disagreeable nature, rather than the other way around.

Such people “have more of a sense of mastery and entitlement. So it could be high ability that’s causing their disagreeable quality and not vice versa.”

After 60, Crabbiest Are the Smartest

Grumpy Old Men Take Heart!