Older Adult Issues in Hospitals and Long-Term Care Set-Community-Based
Settings Ch 2
The nurse learns that a patient is prescribed methylnaltrexone. Which other type of
medication should the nurse expect the patient to have been prescribed?
Opioid
Vasodilator
Anticoagula
nt
Anticholiner
gic
Rationale
Methylnaltrexone may be prescribed to treat opioid-induced constipation. The nurse expects
that the patient was also prescribed an opioid. Methylnaltrexone is not prescribed to treat
adverse effects from vasodilator, anticoagulant, or anticholinergic medications. p. 11
What is the most common type of elder abuse?
Neglect
Physical
Financial
Emotion
al
Neglect occurs when a caregiver fails to provide for an older adult’s basic needs and
accounts for almost half of all cases of elder abuse. Physical abuse is the use of physical
force that results in bodily injury.
Financial abuse occurs when the older adult’s property or resources are mismanaged or
misused and is more common than physical abuse. Emotional abuse is the use of threats,
humiliation, intimidation, and isolation toward older adults. p. 19
An older patient has an acute change in mental status and is unable to keep track of what is
being said. Which additional assessment finding should cause the nurse to suspect that this
patient is experiencing delirium?
Complaining of
nausea Asking to
get out of bed
Asking to talk with the salesman
Adjusting the volume on the television
Asking to talk with the salesman indicates disorganized thinking. This is a criterion within
the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) that is used to diagnose delirium. Complaining of
nausea, asking to get out of bed, and adjusting the volume on the television are not criteria
used to determine the presence of delirium. p. 18
Which statement regarding depression in older adults is correct?
Depression in older adults is very easy to diagnose.
Primary depression may result due to an increase in serotonin in the brain.
Secondary depression may occur due to cardiac disease.
,Older Adult Issues in Hospitals and Long-Term Care Set-Community-Based
Settings Ch 2
Depression in older adults has no physical manifestations.
Secondary depression, also known as situational depression, may occur secondary to
common illnesses such as cardiac disease, arthritis, and stroke. Sometimes depression in
older adults is not diagnosed by the primary healthcare provider and remains untreated.
Primary depression is a result of the lack of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain.
Along with cognitive and affective manifestations, depression in older adults has physical
manifestations as well. p. 9
,Older Adult Issues in Hospitals and Long-Term Care Set-Community-Based
Settings Ch 2
What is the fastest-growing subgroup of older adults?
Young old
Middle old
Old old
Elite old
The old old, people aged 85 to 99 years, is the fastest-growing subgroup of older adults.
The young old are people aged 65 to 74 years, and the middle old are people aged 75 to 84
years. The elite old are people aged 100 years or older. p. 9
What enhances cognitive health?
Gardening
Weight loss
Increased
sleep Physical
activity
From a literature review, it was determined that nutrition and physical activity are helpful in
optimizing cognitive health in aging. Gardening, weight loss, and increased sleep were not
identified as optimizing cognitive health in aging. p. 16
What is a typical age-related change that affects drug distribution in older adults?
Reduced ratio of adipose tissue to lean-body mass
Reduced amount of total body water
Increased albumin
level Increased
cardiac output
In older adults, the amount of total body water decreases, which affects the distribution of
drugs in the body. Other age-related changes that affect drug distribution include an increase
in the ratio of adipose tissue to lean-body mass, a decrease in the albumin level, and a
decrease in cardiac output.
An increase in the ratio of adipose tissue to lean body mass leads to an increase in the storage
of lipid- soluble drugs. This, in turn, leads to a decreased concentration of the drug in plasma
but an increased concentration in tissue. p. 20
An 80-year-old patient reports a fear of falling when moving around at home. What home
modifications can help this patient prevent falls?
Low toilet
seat
Handrails
Scatter rugs
Nonslip bathmats
Adequate lighting
Handrails provide support to the older adult while moving around the house and helps the
, Older Adult Issues in Hospitals and Long-Term Care Set-Community-Based
Settings Ch 2
patient balance the body. Nonslip bathmats prevent falls in the bathroom. Adequate lighting
allows the patient to see better, preventing the patient from tripping over and falling. A
raised toilet seat with a grab-bar within reach makes it easier for the patient to get on and
off the toilet. The older patient may trip over scatter rugs lying on the floor, so they should
be avoided. p. 11
Settings Ch 2
The nurse learns that a patient is prescribed methylnaltrexone. Which other type of
medication should the nurse expect the patient to have been prescribed?
Opioid
Vasodilator
Anticoagula
nt
Anticholiner
gic
Rationale
Methylnaltrexone may be prescribed to treat opioid-induced constipation. The nurse expects
that the patient was also prescribed an opioid. Methylnaltrexone is not prescribed to treat
adverse effects from vasodilator, anticoagulant, or anticholinergic medications. p. 11
What is the most common type of elder abuse?
Neglect
Physical
Financial
Emotion
al
Neglect occurs when a caregiver fails to provide for an older adult’s basic needs and
accounts for almost half of all cases of elder abuse. Physical abuse is the use of physical
force that results in bodily injury.
Financial abuse occurs when the older adult’s property or resources are mismanaged or
misused and is more common than physical abuse. Emotional abuse is the use of threats,
humiliation, intimidation, and isolation toward older adults. p. 19
An older patient has an acute change in mental status and is unable to keep track of what is
being said. Which additional assessment finding should cause the nurse to suspect that this
patient is experiencing delirium?
Complaining of
nausea Asking to
get out of bed
Asking to talk with the salesman
Adjusting the volume on the television
Asking to talk with the salesman indicates disorganized thinking. This is a criterion within
the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) that is used to diagnose delirium. Complaining of
nausea, asking to get out of bed, and adjusting the volume on the television are not criteria
used to determine the presence of delirium. p. 18
Which statement regarding depression in older adults is correct?
Depression in older adults is very easy to diagnose.
Primary depression may result due to an increase in serotonin in the brain.
Secondary depression may occur due to cardiac disease.
,Older Adult Issues in Hospitals and Long-Term Care Set-Community-Based
Settings Ch 2
Depression in older adults has no physical manifestations.
Secondary depression, also known as situational depression, may occur secondary to
common illnesses such as cardiac disease, arthritis, and stroke. Sometimes depression in
older adults is not diagnosed by the primary healthcare provider and remains untreated.
Primary depression is a result of the lack of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain.
Along with cognitive and affective manifestations, depression in older adults has physical
manifestations as well. p. 9
,Older Adult Issues in Hospitals and Long-Term Care Set-Community-Based
Settings Ch 2
What is the fastest-growing subgroup of older adults?
Young old
Middle old
Old old
Elite old
The old old, people aged 85 to 99 years, is the fastest-growing subgroup of older adults.
The young old are people aged 65 to 74 years, and the middle old are people aged 75 to 84
years. The elite old are people aged 100 years or older. p. 9
What enhances cognitive health?
Gardening
Weight loss
Increased
sleep Physical
activity
From a literature review, it was determined that nutrition and physical activity are helpful in
optimizing cognitive health in aging. Gardening, weight loss, and increased sleep were not
identified as optimizing cognitive health in aging. p. 16
What is a typical age-related change that affects drug distribution in older adults?
Reduced ratio of adipose tissue to lean-body mass
Reduced amount of total body water
Increased albumin
level Increased
cardiac output
In older adults, the amount of total body water decreases, which affects the distribution of
drugs in the body. Other age-related changes that affect drug distribution include an increase
in the ratio of adipose tissue to lean-body mass, a decrease in the albumin level, and a
decrease in cardiac output.
An increase in the ratio of adipose tissue to lean body mass leads to an increase in the storage
of lipid- soluble drugs. This, in turn, leads to a decreased concentration of the drug in plasma
but an increased concentration in tissue. p. 20
An 80-year-old patient reports a fear of falling when moving around at home. What home
modifications can help this patient prevent falls?
Low toilet
seat
Handrails
Scatter rugs
Nonslip bathmats
Adequate lighting
Handrails provide support to the older adult while moving around the house and helps the
, Older Adult Issues in Hospitals and Long-Term Care Set-Community-Based
Settings Ch 2
patient balance the body. Nonslip bathmats prevent falls in the bathroom. Adequate lighting
allows the patient to see better, preventing the patient from tripping over and falling. A
raised toilet seat with a grab-bar within reach makes it easier for the patient to get on and
off the toilet. The older patient may trip over scatter rugs lying on the floor, so they should
be avoided. p. 11
