NR 506 WEEK 7 ASSIGNMENT SUMMARY OF
HEALTHCARE CONCERN PRESENTATION EXAM
SCRIPT 2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◉ What happens to saliva production in older adults? Answer:
Decreased saliva production causes dry mouth and increases the
risk of periodontal disease.
◉ What is anosmia? Answer: Anosmia is the loss of the sense of
smell, often due to decreased olfactory epithelium surface area in
older adults.
◉ What percentage of individuals aged 65-74 experience hearing
loss? Answer: About 1/3 of individuals aged 65-74 experience
hearing loss.
◉ What visual changes occur in older adults? Answer: Changes
include decreased corneal curvature, slower pupillary reflexes, lens
clouding (cataracts), and potential loss of color discrimination.
◉ How does aging affect the respiratory system? Answer: Bone
density loss reduces lung expansion; decreased alveoli impair gas
exchange; lungs lose recoil elasticity, increasing infection risk.
,◉ What cardiovascular changes occur with aging? Answer: Heart
muscle thins, valves stiffen, arterial stiffness elevates blood pressure,
and there is an increased incidence of arrhythmias.
◉ What are common signs of heart failure in older adults? Answer:
Signs include S3 and S4 heart sounds, jugular vein distention,
swollen feet, and shortness of breath.
◉ What happens to the immune system as people age? Answer:
Lymph node numbers decrease, impairing immune response and
increasing the risk of autoimmune diseases.
◉ What gastrointestinal changes are common in older adults?
Answer: Increased abdominal fat, reduced gastric acidity, decreased
intestinal peristalsis, and declining liver mass affect nutrient
absorption.
◉ What are the four types of urinary incontinence? Answer: Stress,
urge, overflow, and functional incontinence.
◉ What musculoskeletal changes occur with aging? Answer: Bone
density loss increases osteoporosis risk; muscle atrophy reduces
strength, and height loss may occur due to vertebral compression.
,◉ What cognitive disorders are commonly assessed in older adults?
Answer: Dementia, delirium, and depression.
◉ What is the Mini-Cog screening tool? Answer: A brief cognitive
screening that combines a three-item recall and a clock drawing test.
◉ What does the AD8 Questionnaire assess? Answer: It is an
informant-based tool that distinguishes dementia presence, focusing
on memory, orientation, executive function, and interests.
◉ What does a score of ≥ 5 on the Geriatric Depression Scale
suggest? Answer: It suggests the presence of depression in older
adults.
◉ What are common reproductive system changes in older females?
Answer: Breast tissue atrophy, vulvar shrinkage, vaginal dryness,
and possible uterine prolapse post-menopause.
◉ What reproductive changes occur in older males? Answer:
Thinning of the scrotum, testicular descent, penile size reduction,
erectile dysfunction, and benign prostatic hypertrophy.
◉ What is the impact of aging on the neurological system? Answer:
Loss of brain nerve cells and slower neural impulses contribute to
decreased sensation, reflexes, and cognitive slowing.
, ◉ What is essential for collecting a complete and reliable health
history? Answer: Patience and adaptive communication.
◉ What challenges may older adults face that affect health history
accuracy? Answer: Cognitive or affective challenges.
◉ What type of language should be used when communicating with
older adults? Answer: Simple, clear language without medical
jargon.
◉ Why is it important to allow extra time during health history
collection? Answer: To avoid rushing and ensure accurate responses.
◉ How can you validate patient responses during health history
collection? Answer: By asking confirmatory questions and
corroborating with secondary sources.
◉ What common health history topics should be attended to?
Answer: Living arrangements, medication lists, sensory
impairments, mobility, nutrition, sleep, social networks, and safety
concerns.
◉ What should be respected when discussing sensitive topics with
older adults? Answer: Their privacy.
HEALTHCARE CONCERN PRESENTATION EXAM
SCRIPT 2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◉ What happens to saliva production in older adults? Answer:
Decreased saliva production causes dry mouth and increases the
risk of periodontal disease.
◉ What is anosmia? Answer: Anosmia is the loss of the sense of
smell, often due to decreased olfactory epithelium surface area in
older adults.
◉ What percentage of individuals aged 65-74 experience hearing
loss? Answer: About 1/3 of individuals aged 65-74 experience
hearing loss.
◉ What visual changes occur in older adults? Answer: Changes
include decreased corneal curvature, slower pupillary reflexes, lens
clouding (cataracts), and potential loss of color discrimination.
◉ How does aging affect the respiratory system? Answer: Bone
density loss reduces lung expansion; decreased alveoli impair gas
exchange; lungs lose recoil elasticity, increasing infection risk.
,◉ What cardiovascular changes occur with aging? Answer: Heart
muscle thins, valves stiffen, arterial stiffness elevates blood pressure,
and there is an increased incidence of arrhythmias.
◉ What are common signs of heart failure in older adults? Answer:
Signs include S3 and S4 heart sounds, jugular vein distention,
swollen feet, and shortness of breath.
◉ What happens to the immune system as people age? Answer:
Lymph node numbers decrease, impairing immune response and
increasing the risk of autoimmune diseases.
◉ What gastrointestinal changes are common in older adults?
Answer: Increased abdominal fat, reduced gastric acidity, decreased
intestinal peristalsis, and declining liver mass affect nutrient
absorption.
◉ What are the four types of urinary incontinence? Answer: Stress,
urge, overflow, and functional incontinence.
◉ What musculoskeletal changes occur with aging? Answer: Bone
density loss increases osteoporosis risk; muscle atrophy reduces
strength, and height loss may occur due to vertebral compression.
,◉ What cognitive disorders are commonly assessed in older adults?
Answer: Dementia, delirium, and depression.
◉ What is the Mini-Cog screening tool? Answer: A brief cognitive
screening that combines a three-item recall and a clock drawing test.
◉ What does the AD8 Questionnaire assess? Answer: It is an
informant-based tool that distinguishes dementia presence, focusing
on memory, orientation, executive function, and interests.
◉ What does a score of ≥ 5 on the Geriatric Depression Scale
suggest? Answer: It suggests the presence of depression in older
adults.
◉ What are common reproductive system changes in older females?
Answer: Breast tissue atrophy, vulvar shrinkage, vaginal dryness,
and possible uterine prolapse post-menopause.
◉ What reproductive changes occur in older males? Answer:
Thinning of the scrotum, testicular descent, penile size reduction,
erectile dysfunction, and benign prostatic hypertrophy.
◉ What is the impact of aging on the neurological system? Answer:
Loss of brain nerve cells and slower neural impulses contribute to
decreased sensation, reflexes, and cognitive slowing.
, ◉ What is essential for collecting a complete and reliable health
history? Answer: Patience and adaptive communication.
◉ What challenges may older adults face that affect health history
accuracy? Answer: Cognitive or affective challenges.
◉ What type of language should be used when communicating with
older adults? Answer: Simple, clear language without medical
jargon.
◉ Why is it important to allow extra time during health history
collection? Answer: To avoid rushing and ensure accurate responses.
◉ How can you validate patient responses during health history
collection? Answer: By asking confirmatory questions and
corroborating with secondary sources.
◉ What common health history topics should be attended to?
Answer: Living arrangements, medication lists, sensory
impairments, mobility, nutrition, sleep, social networks, and safety
concerns.
◉ What should be respected when discussing sensitive topics with
older adults? Answer: Their privacy.
