Author Question: A nurse is working with an older patient in the gerontology clinic. The patient reports a vague ... (Read 142 times)

fnuegbu · **on:** Jul 11, 2018

A nurse is working with an older patient in the gerontology clinic. The patient reports a vague decline in function and says, I guess I'm just getting older. What action by the nurse is best?

a. Help the patient find ways to cope with the changes.
b. Assess the patient for an undetected ill-ness.
c. Ask if the patient needs any home health services.
d. Find out what the patient thinks of these changes.

Question 2

Financial considerations are a major barrier to the older adult's participation in health promotion because

a. most older adults have accepted poor health as a part of growing older.
b. Medicare often does not cover the cost of preventive services.
c. many already have been diagnosed with chronic illnesses.
d. they generally place more value on saving their disposable income.

flexer1n1 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 11, 2018

Answer to Question 1

B
Vague changes and declining function are often attributed to aging but can be the only signs of illness. The nurse should perform a thorough assessment to look for any possible ailments. If the findings are normal and the changes are age related, the nurse can help the patient find ways to cope, ask about home health care services, and determine the patient's thoughts on the matter.

Answer to Question 2

B
Older adults must incur the cost of many preventive services because Medicare does not cover them all. This can be hard on the fixed, limited income of many older adults. It is not true that older adults accept poor health as inevitable. Health promotion activities can occur in the pres-ence of chronic illnesses. Some older adults do place high value on saving money, but not all older adults are influenced by this desire.