Which statement best describes common experiences of older adults?

• A. They experience a decrease in body fat as they age.
• B. are unable to overcome medical problems.
• C. are able to increase their muscle mass.
• D. take multiple medications.

Answer: (D)

A key idea here is that older adults commonly take multiple medications because they often have several chronic health conditions. As people age, the likelihood of conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, arthritis, and heart disease increases, and each condition may require one or more medicines. In addition to prescribed drugs, there are over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and supplements that many older adults use, all contributing to taking several medications daily. This pattern—polypharmacy—is a typical part of aging care and is a major focus for safe management, since aging can change how drugs are processed in the body and raise the risk of interactions and side effects.

The other statements don’t fit as well. Body fat does not usually decrease with age; it often increases or redistributes, while lean muscle tends to decline, a process known as sarcopenia. Increasing muscle mass is possible, especially with resistance training, but it’s not as common or as automatic as the trend toward multiple medications. And while older adults can recover from medical problems, recovery is not guaranteed and varies widely; saying that they are unable to overcome medical problems isn’t accurate as a general rule.