An older resident in a senior community tells a nurse: I am ...

[Jipu 123]

An older resident in a senior community tells a nurse: I am really worried. I joined an exercise class, and I just learned everyone's name yesterday, and I cannot remember them all today. Am I developing Alzheimer's disease?
 
  The best response by the nurse is:
  a. You should be concerned. It is very un-usual to forget something that you just learned.
  b. There is no reason to be concerned. Short-term memory decreases with age.
  c. Don't worry, a decline in both short- and long-term memory is a normal part of get-ting older.
  d. Although it is normal to have some changes in memory, forgetting names is very unusual.

Question 2

Health literacy is defined as:
 
  a. the capacity to read basic health infor-mation in order to make appropriate health decisions.
  b. the capacity to obtain, process, and under-stand basic health information needed to make appropriate health decisions.
  c. the capacity to read and write in order to access health care.
  d. the capacity to read and execute health care documents.

[nyrave]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
Even though some older adults show decrements in the ability to process information, the major-ity of functioning remains intact. Age-associated memory impairment is used to describe memory loss that is considered normal for one's age and educational level. It may include slowness in processing, storing, and recalling new information and difficulty remembering names and words.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
Health literacy involves more than basic reading and writing skills. It involves the ability to ob-tain, process, and understand health information in order to make health care decisions.