Basic Nursing 1st Edition by Judith Wilkinson, Leslie Treas

Exercise 17

Patient Situation.
Alvin Bell, 82 years old, was just discharged from the hospital following a myocardial infarction (heart attack). On your first home visit to supervise his medication regimen, you notice that the house looks as though it has not been cleaned in weeks. He has what appears to be months' accumulation of newspapers, magazines, and other clutter piled on every flat surface, including the floor. There are dishes piled in the sink, apparently left there before his hospitalization. There is hardly any food in the cupboard; when you weigh Mr. Bell, you see that he has lost 3 pounds in the 3 days he has been home. He admits he has not been eating: "I'm not hungry, and it's too much trouble." As you talk with him, you learn that his wife died of cancer 7 months ago. He says, "I don't know what to do without her. I hate living alone. There doesn't seem to be much reason for going on." Mr. Bell is alert and oriented, but talks and moves very slowly.
Thinking
Theoretical Knowledge:
a. What do you know about depression in older adults? Do you have enough knowledge of that topic to be able to assess whether Mr. Bell is depressed? If not, what resources would you use to find out? List specific resources; that is, give the URL, don't just say "the Internet"; give the name or author of the book, not just "my psych-nursing book."
b. You will also need to know whether it is normal for appetite to decrease in older adults, and what their calorie needs are compared to other age groups. Where can you go to find this information?