When you suspect that your 81-year-old patient has short-term memory loss because he cannot remember what he had for breakfast, you should:
A) order a neurology consult.
B) stop all of his medications.
C) validate the concern with his family or caregivers.
D) dismiss the finding as a normal age-related change.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When older adults experience memory loss for recent events, consult other family members to clarify discrepancies or to fill in the gaps. You may want to consult neurology later, but to assess the memory loss, you need validation of the patient's responses. Stopping medications will not identify the short-term memory loss. Short-term memory loss is not an age-related change.

When You Suspect That Your 81-Year-Old Patient Has Short-Term Memory