A nurse is teaching a colleague about the difference between ...

[mspears3]

A nurse is teaching a colleague about the difference between age-related changes and risk factors. Which of the following examples should the nurse use when discussing age-related changes?
 
  A) An older adult with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus
  B) An older adult who is obese
  C) An older adult with obstructive lung disease
  D) An older adult with decreased bowel motility

Question 2

A nurse is working with a 79-year-old client newly diagnosed with osteoporosis. Which of the following interactions promotes achievement of wellness outcomes?
 
  A) The nurse performs strength and mobility training appropriate to the client's age and diagnosis.
  B) The nurse teaches the client about bone density in older women and the role of vitamin D and calcium intake.
  C) The nurse plans interventions in light of the bodymindspirit interconnectedness of the client.
  D) The nurse teaches the client about how her risk factors are a consequence of age.

[aloop]

Answer to Question 1

Ans: D
Decreased bowel motility is an example of a phenomenon that is a normal consequence of the aging process. Diabetes, obesity, and obstructive lung disease are all phenomena that may constitute or exacerbate health problems for older adults, but they are not age-related changes.

Answer to Question 2

Ans: B
Teaching about bone density and the role of vitamin D reflects an acknowledgment that the client's diagnosis is attributable to both the client's age-related changes and risk factors such as inadequate nutrient and mineral intake. Strength and mobility training may well be an appropriate intervention, but it does not necessarily acknowledge the interplay of risk factors and age in the client's diagnosis. The bodymindspirit interconnectedness is a component of the Functional Consequences Theory, but it does not address the relationship between risk factors and age per se. Teaching about risk factors as a consequence of age implies that these factors are an inevitable consequence of age, which is not the case.