NUR 257 Exam 1 Study Guide: Healthy Aging and Gerontological Care Insights |
2026 Update with Complete Solutions – Galen
Every culture has its own definition of when one is recognized as “old” –
• Functional
• Social – determined by changes in roles, such as retirement from one’s usual occupation, appointment as
a wise woman/man of the community, or at the birth of a grandchild.
• Biological
• Chronological terms – late life is recognized as beginning sometime between the ages of 50 and 65.
o Super-centenarians – those who live until at least 110 years of age, they emerged in the 1960’s
▪ Survived the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919
o Centenarians – between the ages of 100-109
▪ Smallpox was a threat, and many of them had all or most of the childhood diseases:
measles, mumps, chickenpox, and whooping cough and some had polio as children.
o Those in between – born between 1915-1945
▪ Last survivors of holocaust and many fought in WW2
o Baby boomers – born 1946-1964
Healthy Aging – often thought of in terms of functional ability rather than the absence of disease. It is related to
functional status, socioeconomic factors, degree of social interaction, marital status, and aspects of one’s living
situation and environment.
Role of Gerontological Nurse
1. Assist the older person to achieve the highest level of wellness in relation to whatever situation exists
2. Empower, enhance, and support the achievement of wellness
3. Use available resources
4. Work with the person and significant others to develop affirming and appropriate plans of care
, Health Enhancing Behaviors
1. Have a yearly physical exam – more frequent exams if client has chronic illnesses that require monitoring
2. Reduce dietary fat to not more than 30% of calories; saturated fat to less than 10% of calories
3. Increase daily dietary intake of complex carbs and fiber containing food to 5 or more servings of fruits
and vegetables and 6 or more servings of grain products
4. Increase calcium intake to between 1,000 and 1,500 mg daily; take vitamin D supplement everyday if not
exposed to sunlight daily
5. Spend 10-15 minutes in the sun 2 or 3 times weekly for vitamin D intake; avoid prolonged sun exposure
6. Exercise 3-5 times a week
7. Manage stress through coping mechanisms
8. Avoid isolation and socialize with others in a variety of settings
9. Reminisce about life through reflective discussions or journaling
Cross-Cultural Care
• Culture – shared and learned values, beliefs, expectations, and behaviors of a group of people.
• Diversity – usually refers to the seven major ethnoracial groups and it’s important to recognize that
within any one group, culturally similar or disparate, there is diversity of other kinds, most notably that
of gender, education, power and status.
• Health Disparity – differences in health outcomes between groups. It is usually discussed in terms of the
excess burden of illness in one group compared with another.
• Ways to move toward cultural proficiency and healthy aging (Box 2.3) – this requires a willingness to
become more self-aware, to learn the perspectives of others, and finally to apply new skills to more
effectively support rather than hinder their personal and cultural strengths in achieving healthy
outcomes.
o Become familiar with your own cultural perspectives
o Examine your own bias and signs of
o Remain open to viewpoints and behaviors that are different from your expectations
o Appreciate the inherent worth of all persons from all groups
o Develop the skill of attending of both nonverbal and verbal communication
o Develop sensitivity to the clues given by others, indicating the paradigm from which they face
health, illness and aging.
o Learn to negotiate, rather than impose, strategies to promote healthy aging consistent with the
beliefs of the persons to whom we provide care.
• Unintentional ageism in language (Box 2.4)
o Use of general labeling terms: sweet old lady, little old lady, geezer
o Use of terms applied in health care setting: fossil, bed blocker, GOMER
o When speaking - exaggerated pitch, demeaning emotional tone, lower quality of speech
o Consequences of ageism in language: reduced sense of self, lowered self-esteem, lowered sense
of self-competence, decreased memory performance
Age-Related Changes with Aging (Think about appropriate interventions/health promotions)
1. Skin and Nails –
a. Epidermis – with age, production of melanin lessens, so there is an increased risk for skin
cancers, thinning of the skin so bruises and tears more easily, increased time for cell renewal
(longer to heal)
b. Dermis – reduced thickness, so pallor, less ability to withstand cooler temps and there’s reduced
elastin, so sagging and increased risk for injury.
c. Hypodermis – sebaceous (oil) glands atrophy, so there is a reduced ability to produce vitamin D
when skin is exposed to sunlight.
d. Nails – thickening of the nails, so an increased risk for fungal infections
2026 Update with Complete Solutions – Galen
Every culture has its own definition of when one is recognized as “old” –
• Functional
• Social – determined by changes in roles, such as retirement from one’s usual occupation, appointment as
a wise woman/man of the community, or at the birth of a grandchild.
• Biological
• Chronological terms – late life is recognized as beginning sometime between the ages of 50 and 65.
o Super-centenarians – those who live until at least 110 years of age, they emerged in the 1960’s
▪ Survived the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919
o Centenarians – between the ages of 100-109
▪ Smallpox was a threat, and many of them had all or most of the childhood diseases:
measles, mumps, chickenpox, and whooping cough and some had polio as children.
o Those in between – born between 1915-1945
▪ Last survivors of holocaust and many fought in WW2
o Baby boomers – born 1946-1964
Healthy Aging – often thought of in terms of functional ability rather than the absence of disease. It is related to
functional status, socioeconomic factors, degree of social interaction, marital status, and aspects of one’s living
situation and environment.
Role of Gerontological Nurse
1. Assist the older person to achieve the highest level of wellness in relation to whatever situation exists
2. Empower, enhance, and support the achievement of wellness
3. Use available resources
4. Work with the person and significant others to develop affirming and appropriate plans of care
, Health Enhancing Behaviors
1. Have a yearly physical exam – more frequent exams if client has chronic illnesses that require monitoring
2. Reduce dietary fat to not more than 30% of calories; saturated fat to less than 10% of calories
3. Increase daily dietary intake of complex carbs and fiber containing food to 5 or more servings of fruits
and vegetables and 6 or more servings of grain products
4. Increase calcium intake to between 1,000 and 1,500 mg daily; take vitamin D supplement everyday if not
exposed to sunlight daily
5. Spend 10-15 minutes in the sun 2 or 3 times weekly for vitamin D intake; avoid prolonged sun exposure
6. Exercise 3-5 times a week
7. Manage stress through coping mechanisms
8. Avoid isolation and socialize with others in a variety of settings
9. Reminisce about life through reflective discussions or journaling
Cross-Cultural Care
• Culture – shared and learned values, beliefs, expectations, and behaviors of a group of people.
• Diversity – usually refers to the seven major ethnoracial groups and it’s important to recognize that
within any one group, culturally similar or disparate, there is diversity of other kinds, most notably that
of gender, education, power and status.
• Health Disparity – differences in health outcomes between groups. It is usually discussed in terms of the
excess burden of illness in one group compared with another.
• Ways to move toward cultural proficiency and healthy aging (Box 2.3) – this requires a willingness to
become more self-aware, to learn the perspectives of others, and finally to apply new skills to more
effectively support rather than hinder their personal and cultural strengths in achieving healthy
outcomes.
o Become familiar with your own cultural perspectives
o Examine your own bias and signs of
o Remain open to viewpoints and behaviors that are different from your expectations
o Appreciate the inherent worth of all persons from all groups
o Develop the skill of attending of both nonverbal and verbal communication
o Develop sensitivity to the clues given by others, indicating the paradigm from which they face
health, illness and aging.
o Learn to negotiate, rather than impose, strategies to promote healthy aging consistent with the
beliefs of the persons to whom we provide care.
• Unintentional ageism in language (Box 2.4)
o Use of general labeling terms: sweet old lady, little old lady, geezer
o Use of terms applied in health care setting: fossil, bed blocker, GOMER
o When speaking - exaggerated pitch, demeaning emotional tone, lower quality of speech
o Consequences of ageism in language: reduced sense of self, lowered self-esteem, lowered sense
of self-competence, decreased memory performance
Age-Related Changes with Aging (Think about appropriate interventions/health promotions)
1. Skin and Nails –
a. Epidermis – with age, production of melanin lessens, so there is an increased risk for skin
cancers, thinning of the skin so bruises and tears more easily, increased time for cell renewal
(longer to heal)
b. Dermis – reduced thickness, so pallor, less ability to withstand cooler temps and there’s reduced
elastin, so sagging and increased risk for injury.
c. Hypodermis – sebaceous (oil) glands atrophy, so there is a reduced ability to produce vitamin D
when skin is exposed to sunlight.
d. Nails – thickening of the nails, so an increased risk for fungal infections
