Gerontology is defined as which of the following?

• A. The nursing study of older adults
• B. Medical study of older adults
• C. The study of aging in general
• D. The care of older adults

Answer: (A)

Gerontology is the study of aging and older adults, looking at how aging affects people biologically, psychologically, socially, and in terms of health and well‑being within a population. It isn’t limited to a single profession or to delivering care; rather, it seeks to understand the aging process and its implications for individuals and society as a whole. The option that describes it as the study of aging in general best captures this broad focus, since it encompasses the processes of aging and their wide-ranging impacts, not just the practice of nursing, medicine, or caregiving. The other options point to nursing, medical study, or caregiving activities, which are related areas or applications, but do not define the field itself.