Deck 18: Frailty,Vulnerability,and Elder Mistreatment

Question 1

What is a true statement about mandatory reporting of elder mistreatment?

A) Nurses are mandatory reporters of elder mistreatment in all states and territories in the United States.
B) The nurse must have documented proof of elder abuse before reporting an incident.
C) Elder mistreatment reports require that the reporter identify herself in the report.
D) The standard for reporting is one of reasonable belief that a vulnerable person has been or is likely to be abused.

Answer 1

The standard for reporting is one of reasonable belief that a vulnerable person has been or is likely to be abused.

Question 2

You are caring for an older adult who is a victim of elder abuse.He lives in low-income housing with his daughter,who is a working single mother of four children ages 3 to 13.After careful investigation,it is determined that caregiver stress is the cause of the abuse.The best intervention for the patient and his family would be:

A) to remove the patient from his daughter's home.
B) to foster a close working relationship between the patient's daughter and the social worker.
C) to arrange respite care or day care for the patient.
D) to place the patient in a long-term care facility.

Answer 2

to arrange respite care or day care for the patient.

Question 3

A 90-year-old client tells her home care nurse that she must buy her neighbor's groceries or the neighbor will not take her to the store.This is an example of which type of elder mistreatment?

A) Abandonment
B) Abuse
C) Neglect
D) Exploitation

Answer 3

Exploitation

Question 4

A visitor to a nursing home witnesses an attendant scolding a client with dementia about being incontinent.The visitor reports the incident to the charge nurse.This is an example of:

A) caregiver burnout.
B) exploitation.
C) psychological abuse.
D) neglect.

Question 5

Which elderly client is at greatest risk for mistreatment in the home setting?

A) An active 70-year-old woman with well-controlled diabetes who lives alone
B) A healthy 75-year-old man who is a retired businessman and lives with his son
C) An 82-year-old woman with severe osteoarthritis and macular degeneration who lives with her single daughter who has an autistic adult son
D) A 77-year-old man who has a history of coronary bypass surgery,is active,and lives with his wife

Question 6

You observe an older man in the community who lives alone and has not bathed or changed his clothing for several days.You make a confidential report to Adult Protective Services,and an investigator visits and completes a report.This is an example of:

A) physical abuse.
B) financial exploitation.
C) psychological abuse.
D) self-neglect.

Question 7

Frailty is defined as a trajectory that begins at the point when:

A) the limitations in one's self-care are no longer temporary.
B) an individual is totally dependent in both activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living.
C) an individual experiences cognitive decline.
D) an individual is no longer able to live in the community.

Question 8

An 81-year-old widowed white woman is admitted to the hospital for community-acquired pneumonia.She lives alone and has a history of hypertension,coronary artery disease,glaucoma,and a cataract in her right eye.Her daughter lives 2500 miles away.What factor makes her the most physically vulnerable?

A) Hypertension
B) Osteoarthritis
C) Widowhood and a daughter living far away
D) Pneumonia

Question 9

A 78-year-old wealthy white widow lives in a luxury high-rise condominium with her son.She has mild cognitive impairment and needs moderate assistance with activities of daily living.She is admitted to the Acute Care for the Elderly (ACE)unit for pneumonia and is noted to have burns on her upper back.The son states that the patient burned herself when attempting to shower.The nurse presents the patient in interdisciplinary rounds,and a discussion ensues on elder mistreatment.Which statement by a member of the team reflects a need for further education?

A) "This could not possibly be elder abuse.She is white and wealthy; abuse does not happen in these circumstances."
B) "Even if we are not sure,we should report our suspicions."
C) "Most abusers are either adult children or spouses."
D) "The incidence of abuse increases with the increased time needed by the caregiver to provide care."

Question 10

A nurse suspects that her next door neighbor,an elderly woman,is a victim of elder abuse by her daughter.The best action of the nurse is to:

A) not get involved because the neighbor is not one of the nurse's patients.
B) plan to visit the neighbor frequently and then confront the family with her suspicions.
C) complete a confidential report with the adult protective services in the area.
D) ask the neighbor if she is being abused.