Deck 4: Challenges and Opportunities of Growing Old

Question 1

Challenges experienced by aging adults include:

A) changes in appearance.
B) changes in body function.
C) managing chronic disease.
D) all of the above

Answer 1

all of the above

Question 2

Your patient has been diagnosed with diabetes and is concerned that she will no longer be able to do activities she enjoys. Which of the following is your best response?

A) You are correct that you can expect some limitations in your ability to travel now that you have diabetes.
B) With careful management, you should be able to prevent complications from diabetes and continue to do all the things you do now.
C) You should discuss some of these complications with your physician so that he or she can explain how to best modify your lifestyle.
D) Most patients are symptom-free for at least 5 years, so you should plan to do as much as you can in that time.

Answer 2

With careful management, you should be able to prevent complications from diabetes and continue to do all the things you do now.

Question 3

Mrs. Rodriguez is 74 years old, is recently widowed, and lives alone. On her most recent visit, she showed signs of forgetfulness. You believe some may be due to lack of stimulation. You discuss this with Mrs. Rodriguez and suggest which of the following activities would be most helpful?

A) watching the news every day
B) completing crossword puzzles
C) playing cards at the senior center
D) reading the daily newspaper

Answer 3

playing cards at the senior center

Question 4

Which of the following is not a normal expectation of aging?

A) loss of friends
B) retirement from work
C) feeling depressed
D) hair loss

Question 5

Your patient's daughter complains that her mother has difficulty sleeping, no longer shows an interest in eating or doing activities, and cannot seem to focus on a conversation. You suspect which of the following?

A) The mother may be depressed and should be evaluated by a mental health professional.
B) It is likely a temporary situation because older adults often experience mood swings.
C) There is insufficient information to warrant a nursing intervention at this time.
D) The daughter may not be interpreting her mother's behavior objectively.

Question 6

Which of the following is true about intimacy among older adults?

A) Older adults typically lose interest in sex by the seventh decade.
B) Most older adults report physical changes that are barriers to fulfillment.
C) Men lose the ability to have an erection around the age of retirement.
D) Physical changes during menopause prevent women from enjoying intercourse.

Question 7

Barriers to sexual fulfillment in older adults include:

A) physiological changes.
B) lack of desire.
C) loss of partner.
D) all of the above

Question 8

Mr. Sidhu and his wife are in their 80s and keep very active. On this visit to your clinic, Mrs. Sidhu confides that she is concerned about her husband's driving, as he has had three minor accidents in the past month. To further evaluate this situation, you decide to assess which of the following with Mr. Sidhu?

A) hearing test
B) visual screening
C) model of the car he drives
D) upper body range of motion
E) 1 and 2

Question 9

Regular eye examinations are important as we age because:

A) most older adults can no longer drive safely.
B) the inability to read warning labels is a safety hazard.
C) all older adults require corrective lenses to see properly.
D) loss of night vision can be reversed with proper treatment.

Question 10

Your patient reports a history of falling several times in his home during the past year. Which of the following referrals would be most helpful?

A) physical therapist
B) psychologist
C) physician
D) pharmacist

Question 11

It is no longer safe for Mrs. Green to live alone in her home. While looking for an assisted living residence, Mrs. Green's daughter expresses frustration that her mother's desire to keep her cat narrows the options considerably. You point out that:

A) having a pet is an added burden that Mrs. Green is no longer able to manage.
B) there are shelters that would find Mrs. Green's cat a new home.
C) the cat may be meeting Mrs. Green's need for affection and companionship.
D) the daughter should assume responsibility and bring the cat to visit Mrs. Green.

Question 12

Mrs. Osterman is 69 years old and hopes to continue working for several more years to increase her retirement savings. Common barriers for older adults who wish to continue working include:

A) lack of understanding about new technology.
B) biases about older adults in the workplace.
C) restrictions on accessing retirement funds while working.
D) all of the above