Author Question: Mrs. J, age 79, presents with acute abdominal pain at the ER. She is found to have an ovarian cyst. ... (Read 24 times)

Metfan725 · **on:** Jul 11, 2018

Mrs. J, age 79, presents with acute abdominal pain at the ER. She is found to have an ovarian cyst.

Surgery is promptly and successfully performed. Because Mrs. J lives alone, she is transferred to a short-term care facility where she can recover until her daughter can travel from another state to take her home. While in the care facility, Mrs. J, who is already underweight and frail, refuses to eat. She begins to lose weight rapidly. In developing a care plan for Mrs. J, her gerontological nurse can best strengthen Mrs. J's self-care capacity by:
A) Making sure her meals are attractive and seasoned well
B) Planning and ordering nutritious meals for her
C) Monitoring her nutritional status through observations of skin turgor and muscle strength
D) Obtaining a menu from the facility's kitchen from which she can order foods she prefers

Question 2

Which of the following is true of coaching an elder to perform a self-care task independently?

A) It requires more time and effort than letting the caregiver do the task
B) It makes the patient feel demeaned and dependent
C) It is not advised for patients who require multiple medications
D) It is not possible when a patient lacks desire or decides against self-care

Briannahope · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 11, 2018

Answer to Question 1

D
Feedback:
The holistic model of gerontological care emphasizes promoting self-care. Therefore, empowering Mrs. J to make her own choices and control her meals is the best choice. The other options may be used if Mrs. J's capacity is diminished.

Answer to Question 2

A
Feedback:
Self-care coaching empowers an elder. Self-care is possible for most elders regardless of medications, and motivational coaching can increase desire or reverse a decision against self-care. It typically requires more time and effort in the short run but pays off in the long term.