Older Adults Exam 1 with complete solution
Functional aging - Correct Answer - ability to perform ALDs and IADLs
4 major factors that define a "good" old age? - Correct Answer - 1. physical health and functioning
2. material security
3. family
4. sociality
What physical activity should older adults be counseled to do? - Correct Answer - Endurance (walking,
cycling)
Flexibility (stretching)
Strength (weight lifting)
Balance (Tai Chi)
What immunizations should older adults get? - Correct Answer - Influenza vaccine
Pneumococcal (age 65+)
Tetanus-diphtheria booster ( every 10 yrs)
Herpes zoster (once after age 60)
What chemoprophylaxis should older adults receive? - Correct Answer - Calcium and Vit D
Multivitamin
Not recommended: Hormone therapy
What are stochastic biologic theories of aging? - Correct Answer - "Error" theories:
1. Free radical
2. Cross link
, 3. Wear and tear
What are non-stochastic biologic theories of aging? - Correct Answer - "Programmed" theories:
1. Genetics
2. Hayflick's (apoptosis)
3. Neuroendocrine
4. Immunity
Describe what is most important for the nurse to know about conducting an assessment and
establishing rapport with an older adults. ((T&J, pg. 93) - Correct Answer - Include functional and
cognitive status, caregiver stress, patterns of health and health care, advance care planning, and
geriatric syndrome screening in assessment
Never use first names as it could be perceived as rude
Explain key points and strategies to use in applying cultural rules and etiquette when completing an
assessment with an older adult. (T&J, pg. 93) - Correct Answer - Ask before touching or coming into
personal space, be aware of past health care experiences, ask if there should be someone else like a
family member present too
Recognize appropriate questions from The Explanatory Model for Culturally Sensitive Assessment to use
when conducting a health assessment with older adult with cultural diversity. (T&J, 19, Box 2.8, Ch 2) -
Correct Answer - Basically just ask the patient how they perceive what is wrong with them and how it
got that way
4. Compare and contrast the three assessment approaches that the nurse should use when collecting
assessment data: self-report format, report-by-proxy, and observation. (T&J, pg. 93) - Correct Answer -
Assessments:
a. Self-report - patients overestimate their abilities and leave out important symptoms that they think
are part of aging
b. Report-by-proxy - used when patient is impaired, usually underestimates abilities
c. Observational - nurse collects data and is considered objective
Explain best approaches and rationale for the nurse to use when conducting a health history with an
older adult. (T&J, pg. 94) - Correct Answer - Health history should be collected in approach that takes
into account any impairments, language barriers, or health literacy issues
Describe modifications that may be necessary when conducting a physical exam with an older adult, due
to common age-related changes in late life. (T&J, pg. 94) - Correct Answer - Head-to-toe is usually not
possible - begin with system of chief complaint and divide info into "need to know" vs. "nice to know"
Functional aging - Correct Answer - ability to perform ALDs and IADLs
4 major factors that define a "good" old age? - Correct Answer - 1. physical health and functioning
2. material security
3. family
4. sociality
What physical activity should older adults be counseled to do? - Correct Answer - Endurance (walking,
cycling)
Flexibility (stretching)
Strength (weight lifting)
Balance (Tai Chi)
What immunizations should older adults get? - Correct Answer - Influenza vaccine
Pneumococcal (age 65+)
Tetanus-diphtheria booster ( every 10 yrs)
Herpes zoster (once after age 60)
What chemoprophylaxis should older adults receive? - Correct Answer - Calcium and Vit D
Multivitamin
Not recommended: Hormone therapy
What are stochastic biologic theories of aging? - Correct Answer - "Error" theories:
1. Free radical
2. Cross link
, 3. Wear and tear
What are non-stochastic biologic theories of aging? - Correct Answer - "Programmed" theories:
1. Genetics
2. Hayflick's (apoptosis)
3. Neuroendocrine
4. Immunity
Describe what is most important for the nurse to know about conducting an assessment and
establishing rapport with an older adults. ((T&J, pg. 93) - Correct Answer - Include functional and
cognitive status, caregiver stress, patterns of health and health care, advance care planning, and
geriatric syndrome screening in assessment
Never use first names as it could be perceived as rude
Explain key points and strategies to use in applying cultural rules and etiquette when completing an
assessment with an older adult. (T&J, pg. 93) - Correct Answer - Ask before touching or coming into
personal space, be aware of past health care experiences, ask if there should be someone else like a
family member present too
Recognize appropriate questions from The Explanatory Model for Culturally Sensitive Assessment to use
when conducting a health assessment with older adult with cultural diversity. (T&J, 19, Box 2.8, Ch 2) -
Correct Answer - Basically just ask the patient how they perceive what is wrong with them and how it
got that way
4. Compare and contrast the three assessment approaches that the nurse should use when collecting
assessment data: self-report format, report-by-proxy, and observation. (T&J, pg. 93) - Correct Answer -
Assessments:
a. Self-report - patients overestimate their abilities and leave out important symptoms that they think
are part of aging
b. Report-by-proxy - used when patient is impaired, usually underestimates abilities
c. Observational - nurse collects data and is considered objective
Explain best approaches and rationale for the nurse to use when conducting a health history with an
older adult. (T&J, pg. 94) - Correct Answer - Health history should be collected in approach that takes
into account any impairments, language barriers, or health literacy issues
Describe modifications that may be necessary when conducting a physical exam with an older adult, due
to common age-related changes in late life. (T&J, pg. 94) - Correct Answer - Head-to-toe is usually not
possible - begin with system of chief complaint and divide info into "need to know" vs. "nice to know"
