CARE OF OLDER ADULTS EXAM 2 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
CARE OF OLDER ADULTS EXAM 2 STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE
TEST 2026/2027
Four Chronic Diseases - correct answer ✔✔Heart disease, cancer(#1 cause of death), stroke, and
diabetes
-92% have one chronic disease
-77% have two
-3/4 of money the nation spends are on chronic diseases (1% is spent on preventing it)
-OA most common disability
-DM most complications
Falls - correct answer ✔✔Unplanned descent w/ or w/out personal injury, results in individual coming to
rest on floor
-strongest assoc: previous fall, weakness, gait/balance impairment, meds (BP, narcotics)
~hard convos to have w/ them
Co-morbidities - correct answer ✔✔More than one chronic disease
-sequence of disease presentation may be considered (obese->HTN->DM-> heart disease)
-inc complexity of managing disease in pt.
Complications of Chronic Disease - correct answer ✔✔Cancers: chronic pain
DM: eye, renal, nerve damage
Obesity: BMI>30
Polypharmacy
acute care needs in presence of chronic disease: HTN, COPD
Inter-professional Care - correct answer ✔✔NICHE Program- Nurses Improving Care for the Hospitalized
Elderly
ACE units- Acute Care of Elderly
PACE prog- Programs of All-inclusive care of elderly (living in comm but nursing home eligable
Waiver Prog- need same care but dont want to be in nursing home $$
Adult Care
Right level of care at right time- independent living comm, ALF, home care, rahab
Geriatric Syndromes - correct answer ✔✔Common health condition in an older adult that doesn't fit into
category or a specific disease or clearly identified disease
-very prevalent
-multifactorial
-assoc w/ morbidity(state of chronic disease) and mortality(chronic disease relating in death)
~polypharmacy, falls delirium, anxiety&depression, UI, sleep disorders, dysphagia, pressure ulcers
Characteristics of Geriatric Syndromes - correct answer ✔✔-older age (80-90)
-baseline cog impairment
-baseline functional impairment(gait, assistive device)
, -frailty(one who is independent)
-more than one geriatric syndrome
-poor health outcomes (CHF, COPD, heart disease)
Urinary Incontinence - correct answer ✔✔Involuntary leakage of urine to degree that it troubles a
person
-requires assessment and tx(not just containment), often neglected
Causes: delirium/dementia, infection, psych(anxiety/depression), pharm, funct impair(cant get there),
stool impaction (press on bladder; stress)
Urge Incontinence - correct answer ✔✔Bladder muscles contract at the wrong time "overactive bladder"
Stress Incontinence - correct answer ✔✔more common in women due to multiple pregnancies; muscles
arent as strong & urine leaks out when you strain (sneeze, cough, laugh)
Functional Incontinence - correct answer ✔✔Aware they "need to go" but cant get to the bathroom
Overflow Incontinence - correct answer ✔✔More common in neurological disorders; cant tell bladder is
full (bad controlled DM, pelagic)
Interventions for Incontinence - correct answer ✔✔Assessment (bladder diary), behavior (bladder prog),
lifestyle mod, cath, continence products, pharm (flomax, detrol, ditropan), surgery (stress incont->tuck
muscles back up[not always effective]), non-surg (kegels)
Sleep Problems - correct answer ✔✔Changes: sleep quality, insomnia, sleep apnea, restless leg
syndrome, circadian rhythm changes, fragmented sleep cycle (long naps during day)
~melatonin dec as we age
-assess sleep (diary), sleep study, med review, insomnia (other med conditions, trouble falling or staying
asleep), natural habits (alc), hormonal changes (cortisol-wakefulness; melatonin (initiates sleep)
Anxiety - correct answer ✔✔Most common psychiatric condition in elderly
-differentiate from underlying med condition that mimic anxiety
-med work up, review drugs, geriatric syndromes, substance use/abuse, suicide risk
~most appear over time
~can benefit from a variety of approaches (pharm or nonpharm)
~healthy teaching and fam involvement needed
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) - correct answer ✔✔Severe, ongoing anxiety that interferes with
daily activities
-look for daily disturbances in usual routine; provide structural routine/environment
-find ways/ focus on their feelings & prob solving to help them feel in control of life
~SSRI's, Effexor (SNRI), Benzo's (Valium, xanax, loriezapam) should be short term & start low & slow
Paranoia - correct answer ✔✔Mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted
jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically elaborated into an organized system.
~5-10% of elderly lack trust and fear; from alc, meds, hearing impair, Alz.
-Best to: not create argument & estab trust, allow independence, be consistent, limit defensiveness
CARE OF OLDER ADULTS EXAM 2 STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE
TEST 2026/2027
Four Chronic Diseases - correct answer ✔✔Heart disease, cancer(#1 cause of death), stroke, and
diabetes
-92% have one chronic disease
-77% have two
-3/4 of money the nation spends are on chronic diseases (1% is spent on preventing it)
-OA most common disability
-DM most complications
Falls - correct answer ✔✔Unplanned descent w/ or w/out personal injury, results in individual coming to
rest on floor
-strongest assoc: previous fall, weakness, gait/balance impairment, meds (BP, narcotics)
~hard convos to have w/ them
Co-morbidities - correct answer ✔✔More than one chronic disease
-sequence of disease presentation may be considered (obese->HTN->DM-> heart disease)
-inc complexity of managing disease in pt.
Complications of Chronic Disease - correct answer ✔✔Cancers: chronic pain
DM: eye, renal, nerve damage
Obesity: BMI>30
Polypharmacy
acute care needs in presence of chronic disease: HTN, COPD
Inter-professional Care - correct answer ✔✔NICHE Program- Nurses Improving Care for the Hospitalized
Elderly
ACE units- Acute Care of Elderly
PACE prog- Programs of All-inclusive care of elderly (living in comm but nursing home eligable
Waiver Prog- need same care but dont want to be in nursing home $$
Adult Care
Right level of care at right time- independent living comm, ALF, home care, rahab
Geriatric Syndromes - correct answer ✔✔Common health condition in an older adult that doesn't fit into
category or a specific disease or clearly identified disease
-very prevalent
-multifactorial
-assoc w/ morbidity(state of chronic disease) and mortality(chronic disease relating in death)
~polypharmacy, falls delirium, anxiety&depression, UI, sleep disorders, dysphagia, pressure ulcers
Characteristics of Geriatric Syndromes - correct answer ✔✔-older age (80-90)
-baseline cog impairment
-baseline functional impairment(gait, assistive device)
, -frailty(one who is independent)
-more than one geriatric syndrome
-poor health outcomes (CHF, COPD, heart disease)
Urinary Incontinence - correct answer ✔✔Involuntary leakage of urine to degree that it troubles a
person
-requires assessment and tx(not just containment), often neglected
Causes: delirium/dementia, infection, psych(anxiety/depression), pharm, funct impair(cant get there),
stool impaction (press on bladder; stress)
Urge Incontinence - correct answer ✔✔Bladder muscles contract at the wrong time "overactive bladder"
Stress Incontinence - correct answer ✔✔more common in women due to multiple pregnancies; muscles
arent as strong & urine leaks out when you strain (sneeze, cough, laugh)
Functional Incontinence - correct answer ✔✔Aware they "need to go" but cant get to the bathroom
Overflow Incontinence - correct answer ✔✔More common in neurological disorders; cant tell bladder is
full (bad controlled DM, pelagic)
Interventions for Incontinence - correct answer ✔✔Assessment (bladder diary), behavior (bladder prog),
lifestyle mod, cath, continence products, pharm (flomax, detrol, ditropan), surgery (stress incont->tuck
muscles back up[not always effective]), non-surg (kegels)
Sleep Problems - correct answer ✔✔Changes: sleep quality, insomnia, sleep apnea, restless leg
syndrome, circadian rhythm changes, fragmented sleep cycle (long naps during day)
~melatonin dec as we age
-assess sleep (diary), sleep study, med review, insomnia (other med conditions, trouble falling or staying
asleep), natural habits (alc), hormonal changes (cortisol-wakefulness; melatonin (initiates sleep)
Anxiety - correct answer ✔✔Most common psychiatric condition in elderly
-differentiate from underlying med condition that mimic anxiety
-med work up, review drugs, geriatric syndromes, substance use/abuse, suicide risk
~most appear over time
~can benefit from a variety of approaches (pharm or nonpharm)
~healthy teaching and fam involvement needed
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) - correct answer ✔✔Severe, ongoing anxiety that interferes with
daily activities
-look for daily disturbances in usual routine; provide structural routine/environment
-find ways/ focus on their feelings & prob solving to help them feel in control of life
~SSRI's, Effexor (SNRI), Benzo's (Valium, xanax, loriezapam) should be short term & start low & slow
Paranoia - correct answer ✔✔Mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted
jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically elaborated into an organized system.
~5-10% of elderly lack trust and fear; from alc, meds, hearing impair, Alz.
-Best to: not create argument & estab trust, allow independence, be consistent, limit defensiveness
