Exam 2- Nursing Management of the Older Adult Flashcards
Life expectancy varies by…
Gender and race
Preventative health care (3)
Encouragement
Community-based support services
Promote lifelong health behaviors
Which of the following interventions is the MOST effective way to promote preventative healthcare in the older adult population?
A) Encouraging a high-protein diet to enhance muscle strength
B) Advising a one-time pneumonia vaccine at age 65
C) Recommending bi-annual bone density tests starting at age 70
D) Encouraging regular moderate exercise to maintain cardiovascular health
D) Encouraging regular moderate exercise to maintain cardiovascular health
Leading cause of death
Heart disease
Decreased cardiac output
Myocardial hypertrophy
Reduced stroke volume
Increased fibrosis
Hypertension and increased workload
Calcium and fat deposits
Slower heart recovery rate due to…
Stress
Orthostatic hypotension
BP drops when standing up or sitting down
Age-related change in the respiratory system: onset
Subtle and gradual
What happens to respiratory efficiency in older adults?
Diminished
What happens to inspiratory and expiratory force in older adults?
Reduced
What happens to lung mass in older adults?
Decreases
What happens to residual volume in older adults?
Increases
Most significant risk factor for respiratory system in older adults
Smoking
What happens to epidural proliferation in older adults?
Decreases
What happens to the dermis in older adults?
Becomes thinner
What happens to elastic fibers in older adults?
Reduced
What happens to collagen in older adults?
Becomes stiffer
What happens when subcutaneous fat diminishes?
Less likely to conserve body heat
With wrinkling and sagging of the skin, what happens?
Loss of resiliency
Does hair pigmentation change?
Yes, and balding may ocur
Why does sex decline for women?
Loss of partner, widowhood
Why does sex decline for men?
Poor health, erectile dysfunction, medications, and emotional factors
What happens to the reproductive system in females?
Vaginal narrowing
Decreased elasticity
Decreased vaginal secretions
Involution
Decreased tone
What happens to the reproductive system in males?
Less firm tests but may continue to produce viable sperm up to 90+ years of age
Diminished production of testosterone
What happens to the filtration rate in older adults?
Decreased
What happens to the tubular function?
Diminished, with less efficiency in reabsorbing and concentrating the urine
What happens in the genitourinary system from the response of stress?
Slower restoration of acid-base balance
What can occur in the genitourinary system in males?
Benign prostatic hyperplasia
What occurs in the genitourinary system in females?
- Relaxed perineal muscles
- Detrusor instability (urge incontinence)
- Urethral dysfunction (stress urinary incontinence)
Normal BUN
7-20
Normal creatinine
0.7-1.3
What happens to sense of thirst, smell, and taste in older adults?
Decreases
What happens to salivation in older adults?
Decreases
What happens with chewing and swallowing food in older adults?
More difficulty
What happens to esophageal, gastric emptying in older adults?
Delayed
What is diminished in the gastrointestinal system in older adults?
Secretion of gastric acid and pepsin
What happens to gastrointestinal motility in older adults?
Reduced
Do older adults require more or fewer calories?
Fewer
Recommendations for nutritional health in older adults?
Reduce fat intake
Intake sufficient protein, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber for health and prevention of disease
What may interfere with food shopping and meal preparations?
Budgetary constraints and physical limitations
Factors that affect sleep quality (5)
- Respiratory problems
- Restless leg syndrome
- Nocturia
- Pain
- Dementia
Consequences of poor sleep (6)
- Cognitive decline
- Increase risk for falls
- Daytime fatigue
- Reduced physical and mental health
- Reduced quality of life
- Poor ICU outcomes
What is there a loss of in the musculoskeletal system in older adults?
Loss of bone density
Loss of muscle strength
Loss of muscle size
What deteriorates in the MSK system in older adults?
Muscle fibers and cell membranes
What happens to joint cartilage in the MSK system in older adults?
Degenerated joint cartilage
What is difficult to maintain in the nervous system in older adults?
Homeostasis
In the NS, there are decreased nerve cells in older adults. What does this mean for the brain?
Small loss of brain mass
What happens to the speed in nerve conduction in the NS in older adults?
Reduced
What happens along with physical illness in older adults?
Increased confusion, loss of environmental cues
In the NS, older adults may become faint and lose balance. What is this?
Reduced cerebral circulation
Primary cause of loss of vision
Macular degeneration
What happens with vision in older adults?
- Diminished ability to focus on close objects
- Inability to tolerate glare
- Difficulty adjusting to changes of light intensity
- Decreased ability to distinguish colors
Prejudice or discrimination against older adults
Ageism
Negative images in society
An understanding of the aging process and respect for each person as an individual can dispel the myths of aging
Psychosocial aspects (3)
Ageism
Fear of aging
Negative images in society
Common stressors (5)
- Normal aging changes that impair physical function, activities, and appearance
- Disabilities from injury or chronic illness
- Social and environmental losses related to loss of income
- Decreased ability to perform previous roles and activities
- Death of significant others
Coping: Who do older adults commonly rely on for comfort during stressful times?
Their families and spiritual beliefs
Abilities to adapt to change, make decisions, and respond predictably are determined by…
Past experiences
Where do most older adults live?
In the community
Places for older adults to live (5)
- Nursing home
- At home or with family
- Continuing care retirement communities
- Assisted living facilities
- LTC facilities
Focuses on physiology, pathology, diagnosis, management of disorders, and diseases of older adults
Geriatrics
Nursing process applied to older adults in all environments, including acute, intermediate, skilled care, and in the community
Gerontologic/geriatric considerations
Combined biologic, psychological, sociologic study of older adults within their environment
Gerontology
Nursing management for older adults (9)
- Supporting cognitive function
- Promoting physical safety
- Promoting independence in self-care activities
- Reducing anxiety and agitation
- Improving communication
- Providing for socialization and intimacy needs
- Promoting adequate nutrition
- Promoting balanced activity and rest
- Supporting home, community-based, and transitional care
Aging changes alter drug… (4)
Absorption
Metabolism
Distribution
Secretion
Polypharmacy
Administration of multiple medications at the same time; common in older adults with several chronic illnesses
Nursing implication for medication dosage
Start low, go slow
Most common mental health problems in older adults
Depression
Increased suicide risk
Substance misuse
Delirium
Acute, confused state that begins with disorientation
Delirium
If mental illnesses aren’t immediately evaluated and treated, what might happen?
Can progress to changes in LOC, irreversible brain damage, and sometimes death
Dementia symptoms onset
Subtle and progresses slowly
Accounts for 70% of dementia
Alzheimer’s disease
Non-Alzheimer’s disease
Degenerative, vascular, neoplastic, demyelinating, infectious, inflammatory, toxic, metabolic, and psychiatric disorders
Seventh leading cause of death for adults over age 65
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease affects how many of those 85 years and older?
Half
Is Alzheimer’s a normal aging process?
No
Two types of Alzheimer’s disease
Familial/early onset
Sporadic/late onset
Nursing management of Alzheimer’s (9)
- Supporting cognitive function
- Promoting physical safety
- Promoting independence in self-care activities
- Reducing anxiety and agitation
- Improving communication
- Providing for socialization and intimacy needs
- Promoting adequate nutrition
- Promoting routine, including balanced activity and rest
- Supporting home, community, and transitional care
Geriatric syndromes (9)
- Geriatric triad
- Impaired mobility
- Dizziness
- Falls and falling
- Urinary incontinence
- Increased susceptibility to infection
- Altered pain and febrile responses
- Altered emotional impact
- Altered systemic response
Elder neglect and abuse (6)
- Physical
- Psychosocial
- Emotional
- Sexual
- Abandonment
- Financial exploitation
Potential economic effects in older adults (5)
- Social services
- Health care costs of aging
- Home health care
- Hospice services
- Aging with a disability
When reviewing the need for medication, there are 3 things to do
- Factors that affect compliance
- Keep medication regimen as simple as possible
- Strategies to improve compliance
What nursing implications for medication?
Assess knowledge
Review need for medication, coordination of prescriber