A nurse notes an older adult puts excessive amounts of salt on ...

[armygirl]

A nurse notes an older adult puts excessive amounts of salt on her food. What intervention by the nurse is best?
 
  a. Teach the adult how salt intake relates to hypertension.
  b. Ask the older adult why she puts so much salt on food.
  c. Encourage the older adult to use less salt on her food.
  d. Explore other herbs and flavor enhancers with the adult.

Question 2

A nurse in the family practice clinic is assessing an older adult who has dementia. The adult daughter/caregiver expresses concern that the parent should no longer be left alone while the daughter is at work. What response by the nurse is best?
 
  a. Refer the family to a social worker.
  b. Encourage the daughter to look into nursing homes
  c. Tell the daughter there are medications for dementia. d.
  Help the daughter explore adult day care options.

[pikon]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: D
Older adults tend to lose their sense of taste and smell. Food becomes less attractive to them and they may respond by adding salt. The nurse who understands this concept will help the older adult explore other flavor enhancers for food. Teaching about the relationship of sodium to hypertension is important but does not address the problem. Encouraging the adult to use less salt does not give her a strategy to do so. Asking why questions is a communication barrier that often causes people to become defensive.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: D
Adult day care facilities offer care of the older person during the working hours. This might be a good option for the family. A social worker can help, but the nurse should be active in problem solving with the daughter. Medications are available for dementia, but dementia remains a progressive disorder, so this does not help solve the problem. A nursing home may not yet be needed.

[armygirl]

TYSM

[T4T]

Excellent