NURSING FOR WELLNESS IN
OLDER ADULTS
9TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)CAROL A.
MILLER
TEST BANK
1) Reference
Ch. 1 — Seeing Older Adults Through the Eyes of Wellness
Question
An 82-year-old man lives independently, gardens daily, and
manages his own medications. During an intake visit, a nurse
notes that he walks more slowly than he did 5 years ago but
denies pain, falls, or dizziness. Which nursing interpretation is
most appropriate?
A. The patient is demonstrating expected age-related decline
,that requires no further assessment.
B. The patient should be screened for depression because
slowed walking always indicates mood change.
C. The patient’s current function suggests wellness, but the
nurse should assess mobility and fall risk more fully.
D. The patient is unsafe to live independently because slower
gait means loss of independence.
Correct Answer: C
Rationales
C. Correct. Wellness in older adults is centered on function,
strengths, and the ability to adapt, not on the absence of
change. A slower gait may reflect normal aging, but it still
warrants assessment of mobility, safety, and compensatory
strategies.
A. Incorrect. Normal aging does not eliminate the need for
assessment, especially when mobility changes could affect
safety. The nurse should not assume no risk.
B. Incorrect. Slowed walking alone does not mean depression.
Mood should be assessed when indicated, but this finding is not
diagnostic.
D. Incorrect. Independent living cannot be judged by gait speed
alone. Functional status and safety require broader assessment.
Teaching Point: Function matters more than age alone.
Citation: Miller, C. A. (2023). Nursing for Wellness in Older
Adults (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
,2) Reference
Ch. 1 — Seeing Older Adults Through the Eyes of Wellness
Question
A nurse is planning discharge teaching for a 76-year-old woman
who has controlled hypertension, mild hearing loss, and no
cognitive impairment. She says, “I do not need much teaching;
I’m old and set in my ways.” Which response best reflects a
wellness perspective?
A. “Older adults usually resist learning new information, so I will
keep teaching brief.”
B. “Let us focus on what helps you stay independent and
manage your health safely at home.”
C. “At your age, it is unrealistic to expect major changes in self-
care habits.”
D. “Your hearing loss means your daughter should make all
decisions for you.”
Correct Answer: B
Rationales
B. Correct. A wellness perspective emphasizes strengths,
autonomy, and individualized goals that support independence.
This response is respectful and patient-centered.
A. Incorrect. This reinforces ageism and assumes low learning
capacity. Older adults can learn effectively when teaching is
individualized.
, C. Incorrect. Age does not determine inability to change. Health
behavior change can still be meaningful in later life.
D. Incorrect. Hearing loss does not remove decision-making
capacity. The nurse should adapt communication, not default to
surrogate decision-making.
Teaching Point: Adapt teaching; do not assume inability.
Citation: Miller, C. A. (2023). Nursing for Wellness in Older
Adults (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
3) Reference
Ch. 1 — Seeing Older Adults Through the Eyes of Wellness
Question
An older adult says, “My doctor keeps telling me what is wrong
with me, but nobody asks what I still do well.” Which nursing
action best supports a wellness model?
A. Focus assessment on diseases and medication lists because
those predict outcomes best.
B. Identify strengths, coping skills, and activities the patient
values.
C. Avoid discussing strengths because it may minimize the
seriousness of illness.
D. Encourage the patient to stop self-managing to reduce the
burden of aging.
Correct Answer: B
OLDER ADULTS
9TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)CAROL A.
MILLER
TEST BANK
1) Reference
Ch. 1 — Seeing Older Adults Through the Eyes of Wellness
Question
An 82-year-old man lives independently, gardens daily, and
manages his own medications. During an intake visit, a nurse
notes that he walks more slowly than he did 5 years ago but
denies pain, falls, or dizziness. Which nursing interpretation is
most appropriate?
A. The patient is demonstrating expected age-related decline
,that requires no further assessment.
B. The patient should be screened for depression because
slowed walking always indicates mood change.
C. The patient’s current function suggests wellness, but the
nurse should assess mobility and fall risk more fully.
D. The patient is unsafe to live independently because slower
gait means loss of independence.
Correct Answer: C
Rationales
C. Correct. Wellness in older adults is centered on function,
strengths, and the ability to adapt, not on the absence of
change. A slower gait may reflect normal aging, but it still
warrants assessment of mobility, safety, and compensatory
strategies.
A. Incorrect. Normal aging does not eliminate the need for
assessment, especially when mobility changes could affect
safety. The nurse should not assume no risk.
B. Incorrect. Slowed walking alone does not mean depression.
Mood should be assessed when indicated, but this finding is not
diagnostic.
D. Incorrect. Independent living cannot be judged by gait speed
alone. Functional status and safety require broader assessment.
Teaching Point: Function matters more than age alone.
Citation: Miller, C. A. (2023). Nursing for Wellness in Older
Adults (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
,2) Reference
Ch. 1 — Seeing Older Adults Through the Eyes of Wellness
Question
A nurse is planning discharge teaching for a 76-year-old woman
who has controlled hypertension, mild hearing loss, and no
cognitive impairment. She says, “I do not need much teaching;
I’m old and set in my ways.” Which response best reflects a
wellness perspective?
A. “Older adults usually resist learning new information, so I will
keep teaching brief.”
B. “Let us focus on what helps you stay independent and
manage your health safely at home.”
C. “At your age, it is unrealistic to expect major changes in self-
care habits.”
D. “Your hearing loss means your daughter should make all
decisions for you.”
Correct Answer: B
Rationales
B. Correct. A wellness perspective emphasizes strengths,
autonomy, and individualized goals that support independence.
This response is respectful and patient-centered.
A. Incorrect. This reinforces ageism and assumes low learning
capacity. Older adults can learn effectively when teaching is
individualized.
, C. Incorrect. Age does not determine inability to change. Health
behavior change can still be meaningful in later life.
D. Incorrect. Hearing loss does not remove decision-making
capacity. The nurse should adapt communication, not default to
surrogate decision-making.
Teaching Point: Adapt teaching; do not assume inability.
Citation: Miller, C. A. (2023). Nursing for Wellness in Older
Adults (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
3) Reference
Ch. 1 — Seeing Older Adults Through the Eyes of Wellness
Question
An older adult says, “My doctor keeps telling me what is wrong
with me, but nobody asks what I still do well.” Which nursing
action best supports a wellness model?
A. Focus assessment on diseases and medication lists because
those predict outcomes best.
B. Identify strengths, coping skills, and activities the patient
values.
C. Avoid discussing strengths because it may minimize the
seriousness of illness.
D. Encourage the patient to stop self-managing to reduce the
burden of aging.
Correct Answer: B
