Question 1

Which of the following factors would be considered predictors of satisfaction with retirement? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Hooyman and Kiyak (2011) noted a variety of factors that were predictors of satisfaction with retirement.Those factors included good health and functional ability, adequate income, a suitable living environment, a strong social support system, and a positive outlook.While many retired persons do, in fact enjoy their grandchildren, having grandchildren is not a predictor of satisfaction in retirement.Some happily retired persons have no grandchildren while others rarely interact with their grandchildren.Still others may feel burdened by a need to become caregivers for the grandchildren.An interest in sports, including golf, also has no predictive value for satisfaction in retirement.Many happily retired persons have absolutely no interest in sports including golf.They may have wide and varied interests in the form of hobbies and other pursuits.

Question 2

A nurse is conducting a community health-education program about osteoporosis with a group of older adults.Which of the following individuals in attendance is at greatest risk for developing osteoporosis? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Because of the higher risk of osteoporosis in the older population, a fall can result in a fracture.Osteoporosis is a disease of bone loss common to women age 70 and older and men age 80 and older.The disease develops six times more frequently in women than it does in men ….Risk factors for osteoporosis include a small, thin frame; White or Asian ancestry; family history; excessive thyroid medication or high doses of cortisone-like drugs for asthma, arthritis, or cancer; a diet low in dairy products and other sources of calcium; physical inactivity; smoking cigarettes; and drinking alcohol.Choices A, B, and C all depict persons with one or more risk factors.Choice D describes a patient with no risk factors.

Question 3

An 80-year-old person is admitted to the hospital.During the health assessment process, the nurse should screen for which of the following conditions? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Substance abuse among Americans 60 years and older, including misuse of prescription drugs, is estimated to affect about 17% of older adults.By 2020, it is anticipated that the number of older adults with substance abuse problems will double.Forty percent of adults age 65 and over drink alcohol.Alcohol and drug abuse problems among older adults have been underestimated.In Americans age 65 and older, excessive alcohol use, including binge drinking, accounts for more than 21,000 deaths each year ….Older adults are more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol and illicit drugs, because their systems do not detoxify and excrete as efficiently as do those of younger people.Substance and alcohol abuse are problems in the elderly population.Substance abuse, in particular, is increasing.Polypharmacy is long-standing problem with elderly population, as well.Renal insufficiency, which is common in the elderly, hampers the ability of the body to detoxify alcohol, substances and pharmaceuticals thus further exacerbating the problem.

Question 4

The son of a 70-year-old man dying of cancer asks the nurse to tell him about the hospice program, so he can help his father decide if the program would be of benefit to him.Which of the following responses should be given by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

Once the person is placed in hospice care, treatment to relieve pain and other symptoms is continued but the person and their physician have decided to end all curative treatment ….The majority of hospice care provided in 2010 was in the person's home (41.1%), followed by a hospice inpatient facility (21.9%), nursing home (18%), and acute-care hospital (11.4%).Hospice services provided include direct clinical care for persons and bereavement services for the person and their family.Hospice persons are empowered to live with dignity, alert, and free of pain.The goal of hospice care is to facilitate a "good death" for individuals.Families and loved ones are consistently engaged in caregiving for the dying and helping them maintain the highest possible quality of life.The focus of hospice care is to help the person remain alert but free of pain.Families are encouraged to participate in care giving.There are no restrictions to visiting hours.

Question 5

A person is preparing to return home following a 2-week hospital stay for congestive heart failure and pneumonia.Which of the following referrals would be most beneficial for the person?

Accepted Answer

Home care nurses provide health care information and services to individuals and families.The resources available to community health nurses are often extensive and enable the nurses to draw on a variety of sources to assist in promoting the health of community-dwelling older adults.Although all of the referrals listed may be of benefit to the person, the home health nurse will provide the most comprehensive services.The nurse will be able to connect the person to necessary community resources.

Question 6

A woman who is being discharged from the hospital is oriented to person, place, and time, and her memory is intact.She has occasional forgetfulness without a consistent pattern of memory loss.Which of the following housing options would be most appropriate for this woman?

Accepted Answer

Retirement community living is suited for a person who is oriented to person, place, and time and has a memory that is intact.This individual may experience occasional forgetfulness without a consistent pattern of memory loss.Independent living may be appropriate for the person if she had a consistent pattern of memory loss.Assisted living or nursing facility living may be appropriate if the woman has difficulty with orientation to person, place, or time or has difficulty with confusion that results in anxiety, social withdrawal, or depression.Nursing facility is appropriate for patients who require much more extensive care up to and including total care.

Question 7

The nurse working in a retirement community for older adults is conducting a psychosocial assessment of all residents to screen for depression and suicidal ideation.Which of the following questions should the nurse ask during the assessment process? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

The National Institute of Mental Health noted that the risk of depression increases in older adults as they experience chronic illnesses and when their ability to function becomes impaired ….Depression is also caused by physiological changes in the aging body.The suicide rate for older Americans is disproportionally high in the American population.The suicide rate for men is highest in those who are age 75 or older.Risk factors for suicide include social isolation, alcohol and substance abuse, psychosis, bereavement, and serious medical illness.Many who committed suicide were found to have alcohol and/or pain-killing drugs in their bodies on autopsy.Suicide ideation, loss of interest in activities, and chronic illness are signs of, or may lead to, depression.Depression, in turn, could lead to suicide.Choices A, B, and C are all consistent with known predictors of suicide.Economic issues are not predictors of suicide in older adults.

Question 8

A community health nurse is working with a diverse population of older adults within the community.Based on the data from the National Health Interview Survey, which of the following assumptions should be made by the nurse when working with this diverse population?

Accepted Answer

In all groups, those who described their health as fair or poor were also more likely to be financially poor, with 40% of White older adults, 51.6% of Black older adults, 53.4% of Hispanic older adults, and 45.6% of Asian older adults who reported their health status as fair or poor also being financially poor.Choice C is supported by data from the National Health Interview Survey.The data contradict all of the other choices.

Question 9

Which of the following interventions will have the greatest impact on reducing constipation in older adults? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Encouraging older adults to exercise and increase their fluid intake helps reduce the incidence of constipation.Integrating more fiber into the diet and eating prunes each day can also be very effective for preventing constipation.Nurses can help reduce the incidence of constipation by encouraging older adults to exercise and increase their fluid and dietary intake.Dietary modifications, such as increasing fiber and fluid intake, can stimulate the colon and resolve constipation.While pureed foods do retain fiber, straining juices to remove the pulp removes most of the fiber content.Fiber helps to prevent constipation.Increased fluid intake and exercise should be implemented before relying on medication to relieve constipation.

Question 10

Which of the following nursing interventions implies respect for a person's spirituality? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Because of the highly personal quality of spirituality, an unobtrusive and sensitive presence by the nurse is needed to allow the person in any setting to achieve spiritual health.Spiritual assessment tools are available to guide nurses with questions to better understand the person's spirituality.Open-ended questions, such as, "What is your perception of a higher being and spirituality?" encourage discussions about the person's innermost spirituality.The nurse can provide an environment that is supportive to the practice of the person's spirituality.Assisting older persons to actualize their spirituality can provide great comfort to the person and lead nurses to a deeper understanding of their own spirituality.Choices A, B, and C all represent unobtrusive and sensitive efforts to actualize a given patient's spirituality.Praying out loud does not demonstrate respect for a person's spirituality but imposes the nurse's belief system on the person.Home health aides appropriately shop for a patient purchasing food and/or personal supplies.Picking up incense while at the store would appropriate and consistent with this role.

Quiz 24: Older Adult