A nurse notes an older adult puts excessive amounts of salt on her food. What intervention by the nurse is best?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Older adults tend to lose their sense of taste and smell. Food becomes less attractive to them and they may respond by adding salt. The nurse who understands this concept will help the older adult explore other flavor enhancers for food. Teaching about the relationship of sodium to hypertension is important but does not address the problem. Encouraging the adult to use less salt does not give her a strategy to do so. Asking "why" questions is a communication barrier that often causes people to become defensive.

A Nurse Notes an Older Adult Puts Excessive Amounts of Salt