Assessment of a family reveals the following: 59-year-old father, 54-year-old mother, a 30-year-old son and 30-year-old daughter-in-law who live nearby, and a 25-year-old daughter who lives at home with the parents. The son has two daughters, ages 3 and 1. The parents currently are taking care of the mother's 80-year-old father and 77-year-old mother. Which term would the nurse most likely use to identify the 59-year-old father and 54-year-old mother?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The middle-aged parents are already caring for their own parents, creating the sandwich generation, with its responsibilities toward the elder generation above and two generations of children below them. The term "empty nest" refers to a home devoid of children and caregiving responsibilities. However, the young adult daughter lives at home with the parents. Informal caregiver, which refers to an unpaid individual who provides care, would probably apply to this family, not formal caregiver. Extended adulthood refers to the lengthening of the lifespan chronologically due to technological advances, such as economic development, improved nutrition, public health control of infectious diseases, access to health care, and other modern developments.

Assessment of a Family Reveals the Following: 59-Year-Old Father, 54-Year-Old