Chapter 35: Older Adults
Steele: Keltner’s Psychiatric Nursing,
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A patient living in community housing for older adults says, ―I don‘t go to the senior citizens
club. They play cards and talk about the past, because that‘s all they can do.‖ The nurse suspects
that these remarks represent what personal behavior?
a. Failure to achieve developmental tasks
b. Thinking associated with ageism
c. Hypercritical behavior
d. Paranoid thinking
ANS: B
Ageism is negative stereotyping and devaluation of people based on their age. Older adults might
be as guilty of using ageism as younger individuals. The other options are not substantiated by
the information given in the scenario.
DIF: Cognitive level: Applying TOP: Nursing process: Assessment
MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
2. A community health nurse visits an older adult whose spouse died 6 months ago and notes
several vodka bottles are in the trash. The person says, ―I get lonely and drink a little to help me
forget.‖ What is the nurse‘s most therapeutic intervention?
a. Teach the person about alcoholism and suggest other coping strategies.
b. Request a mental health consultation to assess for alcohol dependency.
c. Advise the person not to drink alone, because the risks for injury increase.
d. Arrange for the person to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting for older adults.
ANS: D
, This patient needs help with alcohol abuse as well as social involvement. The AA meeting for
older adults will provide an opportunity for peer bonding and reminiscing as well as strategies
for coping with stress without abusing alcohol. The other options are unnecessary or ineffective.
DIF: Cognitive level: Analyzing TOP: Nursing process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
Steele: Keltner’s Psychiatric Nursing,
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A patient living in community housing for older adults says, ―I don‘t go to the senior citizens
club. They play cards and talk about the past, because that‘s all they can do.‖ The nurse suspects
that these remarks represent what personal behavior?
a. Failure to achieve developmental tasks
b. Thinking associated with ageism
c. Hypercritical behavior
d. Paranoid thinking
ANS: B
Ageism is negative stereotyping and devaluation of people based on their age. Older adults might
be as guilty of using ageism as younger individuals. The other options are not substantiated by
the information given in the scenario.
DIF: Cognitive level: Applying TOP: Nursing process: Assessment
MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
2. A community health nurse visits an older adult whose spouse died 6 months ago and notes
several vodka bottles are in the trash. The person says, ―I get lonely and drink a little to help me
forget.‖ What is the nurse‘s most therapeutic intervention?
a. Teach the person about alcoholism and suggest other coping strategies.
b. Request a mental health consultation to assess for alcohol dependency.
c. Advise the person not to drink alone, because the risks for injury increase.
d. Arrange for the person to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting for older adults.
ANS: D
, This patient needs help with alcohol abuse as well as social involvement. The AA meeting for
older adults will provide an opportunity for peer bonding and reminiscing as well as strategies
for coping with stress without abusing alcohol. The other options are unnecessary or ineffective.
DIF: Cognitive level: Analyzing TOP: Nursing process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
