CHAPTER 24 ASSESSING THE OLDER ADULT QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS | CHAPTER 24 ASSESSING THE OLDER ADULT STUDY
GUIDE & PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027
Aging - ANS ✔✔life expectancy
women: 81
men: 76
over 65? older adults
The most common cause of hearing loss in older adults is: - ANS ✔✔Cells within the Organ of Corti are
not replaced.
Hearing begins to decline because the cells within the organ of Corti are not replaced.
4 types of incontinence - ANS ✔✔Stress
Urge
Overflow
Functional
stress - ANS ✔✔incontinence is leaking small amounts of urine with intra-abdominal pressure: coughing,
sneezing, and exercising
may be related to the weakening of the pelvic floor of the muscles
urge - ANS ✔✔incontinence is the sudden urge to urinate
overflow - ANS ✔✔incontinence is caused by weakened bladder muscle or urethral blockage, causing an
overflow of urine, individuals cannot completely empty their bladder
functional - ANS ✔✔below..
A 72 year-old female patient with Parkinson's disease is embarrassed to wear adult pads. She is having
increased tremors, difficulty walking, and getting to the bathroom as needed. Identify the type of
incontinence. - ANS ✔✔Functional
Functional incontinence occurs more often with older individuals with chronic arthritis, Parkinson's
disease, or Alzheimer's disease. These individuals are unable to control their bladder before reaching the
bathroom due to limitations in moving, thinking, or communicating.
Cultural Considerations - ANS ✔✔cultural assessment - help identify specific health care practices of the
older adult
English = may be second language
some cultures designate a family member to make all the decisions
, diagnostics - ANS ✔✔Complete metabolic profile
Albumin and protein levels
Fasting blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C
Lipid panels
Creatinine and blood urea nitrogen
Vitamin B-12
Serum iron
International normalized ratio
Collecting a health history - ANS ✔✔Older adults will often share lifetime stories and reminisce.
Older adults may have difficulty recalling info (just bc they're old doesn't mean they don't know
anything)
Be patient.
Keep room warmer bc older adults lose subcutaneous fat.
collecting a history (PP) - ANS ✔✔This may be challenging both for the patient and nurse.
Older adults may have atypical presentations.
Older adults will often share lifetime stories and reminisce.
"Geriatric syndrome'' is a term used to capture those clinical conditions in older persons that do not fit
into discrete disease categories.
ex: anorexia, demential, dizziness, falls, frailty, gait instability, impaired cognition, impaired healing,
impaired vision, malnutrition, Parkinson disease, pressure ulcers, sleep complaints, vertigo
Assess the reliability of the patient.
Explain what you are doing in simple terms.
Ask short, simple, clear, open-ended and focused questions.
Secondary sources may be needed to obtain the health history.
Older adults may have difficulty recalling information.
- use OLDCARTS
Preparation for Assessment - ANS ✔✔All patients should be addressed by their last name out of respect,
unless the patient specifically says to call him or her by the first name.
Working with older adults takes time; be patient and allow for extra time.
Reduce background noise.
Older adults experience feeling cold more often.
Minimize position changes.
ANSWERS | CHAPTER 24 ASSESSING THE OLDER ADULT STUDY
GUIDE & PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027
Aging - ANS ✔✔life expectancy
women: 81
men: 76
over 65? older adults
The most common cause of hearing loss in older adults is: - ANS ✔✔Cells within the Organ of Corti are
not replaced.
Hearing begins to decline because the cells within the organ of Corti are not replaced.
4 types of incontinence - ANS ✔✔Stress
Urge
Overflow
Functional
stress - ANS ✔✔incontinence is leaking small amounts of urine with intra-abdominal pressure: coughing,
sneezing, and exercising
may be related to the weakening of the pelvic floor of the muscles
urge - ANS ✔✔incontinence is the sudden urge to urinate
overflow - ANS ✔✔incontinence is caused by weakened bladder muscle or urethral blockage, causing an
overflow of urine, individuals cannot completely empty their bladder
functional - ANS ✔✔below..
A 72 year-old female patient with Parkinson's disease is embarrassed to wear adult pads. She is having
increased tremors, difficulty walking, and getting to the bathroom as needed. Identify the type of
incontinence. - ANS ✔✔Functional
Functional incontinence occurs more often with older individuals with chronic arthritis, Parkinson's
disease, or Alzheimer's disease. These individuals are unable to control their bladder before reaching the
bathroom due to limitations in moving, thinking, or communicating.
Cultural Considerations - ANS ✔✔cultural assessment - help identify specific health care practices of the
older adult
English = may be second language
some cultures designate a family member to make all the decisions
, diagnostics - ANS ✔✔Complete metabolic profile
Albumin and protein levels
Fasting blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C
Lipid panels
Creatinine and blood urea nitrogen
Vitamin B-12
Serum iron
International normalized ratio
Collecting a health history - ANS ✔✔Older adults will often share lifetime stories and reminisce.
Older adults may have difficulty recalling info (just bc they're old doesn't mean they don't know
anything)
Be patient.
Keep room warmer bc older adults lose subcutaneous fat.
collecting a history (PP) - ANS ✔✔This may be challenging both for the patient and nurse.
Older adults may have atypical presentations.
Older adults will often share lifetime stories and reminisce.
"Geriatric syndrome'' is a term used to capture those clinical conditions in older persons that do not fit
into discrete disease categories.
ex: anorexia, demential, dizziness, falls, frailty, gait instability, impaired cognition, impaired healing,
impaired vision, malnutrition, Parkinson disease, pressure ulcers, sleep complaints, vertigo
Assess the reliability of the patient.
Explain what you are doing in simple terms.
Ask short, simple, clear, open-ended and focused questions.
Secondary sources may be needed to obtain the health history.
Older adults may have difficulty recalling information.
- use OLDCARTS
Preparation for Assessment - ANS ✔✔All patients should be addressed by their last name out of respect,
unless the patient specifically says to call him or her by the first name.
Working with older adults takes time; be patient and allow for extra time.
Reduce background noise.
Older adults experience feeling cold more often.
Minimize position changes.
