Deck 19: Communicating With Older Adults

Question 1

When assessing an older adult client,the nurse notes that the client demonstrates an inability to take purposeful action even when the muscles,senses,and vocabulary appear to be intact.The client appears to register on a command but acts in a way that suggests little understanding of what transpired verbally.The nurse recognizes these assessment findings as consistent with which of the following conditions?

A) Presbycusis
B) Somatization
C) Apraxia
D) Polypharmacy

Answer 1

Apraxia

Question 2

A client diagnosed with dementia is becoming increasingly unable to express complete thoughts and is having difficulty engaging in simple conversations.When communicating with this client,the nurse should

A) use words directly applicable to the client's daily routine.
B) restate ideas using different words in a different sequence.
C) refrain from validating the meaning of the client's responses.
D) ask the client questions that require more than a yes or no answer.

Answer 2

use words directly applicable to the client's daily routine.

Question 3

When caring for an older adult client who is experiencing memory loss,the nurse notes that the client emotionally overreacts to situations,appearing as if having temper tantrums when responding to real or perceived frustration.The nurse recognizes the client is experiencing a catastrophic reaction.When caring for this client,the nurse should

A) attempt to keep the client awake for extended periods of time.
B) demand the client stop demonstrating inappropriate behavior.
C) increase the client's environmental stimuli.
D) use distraction to move the client away from the offending environmental stimuli.

Answer 3

use distraction to move the client away from the offending environmental stimuli.

Question 4

The nurse has just completed a care plan on a visually impaired client.Which of the following interventions is most appropriate for this client?

A) Stand away from the client when communicating to not obstruct the view of the immediate environment.
B) Provide the client with reading material that has all capital letters.
C) Verbally explain all written information while discouraging the client from asking questions.
D) Ensure the client's room has bright lighting with no glare.

Question 5

The nurse is caring for an older adult client who has recently experienced losses associated with deaths of important people in her life.The nurse recognizes that this type of problem challenges which of Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

A) Physiological integrity
B) Love and belonging
C) Self-actualization
D) Safety and security

Question 6

The nurse is caring for an older adult client who has been diagnosed with dementia.The nurse recognizes which of the following as true in relation to the use of touch with this client?

A) Clients with dementia can ask for touch.
B) Clients with dementia can create touch for themselves.
C) Clients with dementia can become more anchored in the present time, space, and humanity when touched.
D) Clients with dementia can tell the nurse about the meaning of touch.

Question 7

When visiting a client in his or her home,the home health nurse notes that the client frequently shifts the conversation to reminisce.Which of the following communication techniques would be most effective for the nurse to use with this client?

A) Restating
B) Changing the subject
C) Providing information
D) Asking about the client's life history

Question 8

When assessing an older adult client,the nurse recognizes the client has a significant hearing loss.The most appropriate intervention by the nurse is to

A) introduce herself first.
B) shout into the client's good ear.
C) repeat words the client doesn't understand.
D) check the hearing aid batteries.

Question 9

When performing a mental status examination on an older adult client,the nurse discovers that the client is illiterate and only has a third-grade education.How should the nurse assess the client's cognition?

A) Have the client spell the word "world" backwards.
B) Have the client spell the word "world" forwards.
C) Ask the client to perform serial 7s.
D) Instruct the client to state the days of the week backwards.

Question 10

When communicating with older adult clients,the nurse recognizes that

A) hearing problems can diminish an older person's ability to interact with others.
B) hearing loss associated with normal aging begins after age 40 years.
C) older adults who experience hearing loss initially cannot hear lower-frequency sounds of vowels.
D) older adults distinguish sounds better against background noises.

Question 11

The nurse is caring for an older adult client who has early moderate cognitive impairment and has been diagnosed with dementia.When interacting with the client's family,the nurse should teach family members that

A) memory for recent events is retained longer than remote memory.
B) it is important to focus on recent events when asking the client questions.
C) reminiscing about the past can cause the client undue distress.
D) reminiscing about the past can be a means of connecting.

Question 12

The nurse is caring for an older adult client.The nurse recognizes that the factor most closely associated with the older adult's inability to live independently is

A) chronological age.
B) functional status.
C) relationship needs.
D) social functioning.

Question 13

The nurse is caring for a frail older adult client who is admitted to the hospital after falling.The client has been living alone independently and appears reluctant to accept assistance.The nurse recognizes that the client's reluctance to accept assistance is most likely caused by fear of

A) inability to pay for services.
B) additional financial burden on the family.
C) relinquishing independent living.
D) loss of privacy.

Question 14

A client has an order for a new medication.When preparing to administer the medication to the client for the first time,the nurse gets ready to educate the client and the client's daughter about the medication.When educating the client and the daughter,the nurse should do all of the following except

A) observe the client before implementing teaching and gear teaching strategies to meet the individual needs of the client.
B) direct instructions to the client's daughter.
C) draw on the client's experiences and interests in planning teaching.
D) make the teaching session short enough to avoid tiring the client.

Question 15

The nurse is performing an admission assessment on a client with cognitive impairment.When developing a plan of care for this client,the nurse should plan to

A) provide instructions one step at a time.
B) offer several instructions at a time when orienting the client to their room.
C) teach the client new skills using complex instructions with multiple steps.
D) refrain from mentioning the client's past life experiences when asking questions.

Question 16

An older adult client tells the nurse,"My life has been a waste." The nurse recognizes this statement as demonstrating which aspect of psychosocial development?

A) Ego integrity
B) Ego despair
C) Lack of generativity
D) Isolation