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Ruben's Nursing 50B > Gerontology > Flashcards

Gerontology Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the study of all aspects of the aging process and its consequences?

A

gerontology

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2
Q

What is the discrimination of people because of increasing age?

A

ageism

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3
Q

What are the two types of biological theories of aging?

A

Stochastic

Nonstochastic

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4
Q

Which biological theory of aging views aging as the result of random cellular damage that occurs over time?

A

Stochastic theory

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5
Q

Which biological theory of aging views aging as the result of genetically programmed physiological mechanisms within the the body that control the process of aging?

A

nonstochastic theory

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6
Q

What is the psychosocial theory of aging that states that aging individuals withdraw from customary roles and engage in more introspective, self-focused activities?

A

Disengagement theory

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7
Q

What is the psychosocial theory of aging that considers the continuation of activities performed during middle age as necessary for successful aging?

A

Activity Theory

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8
Q

What is the psychosocial theory of aging that suggests that personality remains stable and behavior becomes more predictable as people age?

A

Continuity/Developmental theory

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9
Q

What is the psychosocial theory of aging that proposes that the older adult experiences a shift in perspective with age?

A

Gerotranscendence

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10
Q

What is the best way for a patient to evaluate the quality of a nursing center in a community?

A

visit the facility and inspect it personally

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11
Q

What basic criteria should a nursing home meet? (4)

A
  • should not feel like a hospital
  • has adequate, certified staff
  • has social & recreational activities
  • is clean
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12
Q

What does gerontology nursing require?

A

creative approaches for maximizing the potential of older adults

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13
Q

What are the five key points of a gerontological nursing assessment?

A
  1. The interrelation between physical and psychosocial aspects of aging.
  2. The effects of diseases and disability on functional status.
  3. The decreased efficiency of homeostatic mechanisms.
  4. The lack of standards for health and illness norms.
  5. Altered presentation and response to a specific disease.
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14
Q

Which communication techniques can be used when speaking to a person with visual impairments? (4)

A
  1. Sit/Stand at eye level
  2. Face the older adult while speaking; do not cover mouth.
  3. Provide diffuse, bright, nonglare lighting.
  4. Encourage older adult to use his/her familiar assistive devises.
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15
Q

What defines quality of life?

A

perception of well-being

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16
Q

What are normal aging related changes in the integumentary system?

A
  • Skin loses resilience and moisture
  • epithelial layer thins
  • elastic collagen fibers shrink and become rigid
  • wrinkles
  • spots and legions
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17
Q

What are normal aging related changes in the head and neck?

A
  • more pronounced facial features
  • asymmetrical facial features
  • vocal changes
  • visual acuity decrease (ie presbyopia)
  • subtle auditory changes (ie presbycusis)
  • reduced salivary secretion
  • reduced taste
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18
Q

Whatare normal aging related changes in the thorax and lungs?

A
  • decreased respiratory muscle strength
  • anteroposterior diameter of thorax increases
  • vertebral changes (ie kyphosis, lordosis, scoliosis)
  • calcification of costal cartilage
19
Q

What are normal aging related changes in the heart and vascular system?

A
  • decreased contractile strength of myocardium (decreased CO)
  • weaker peripheral pulses
20
Q

What are normal aging related changes in the breasts?

A
  • milk ducts are replaced by fat making breasts less firm

- decreased muscle mass/tone/elasticity result is smaller breasts.

21
Q

What are normal aging related changes in the GI system and abdomen?

A
  • increased fatty tissue in the trunk
  • decreased peristalsis
  • altered secretions
  • delayed gastric emptying
22
Q

What are normal aging related changes in the reproductive system?

A
  • female menopause

- less frequent sexual activity related to illness, death of partner or decreased socialization

23
Q

What are normal aging related changes in the urinary system?

A
  • hypertrophy of prostate

- urinary incontinence related to other health issues (abnormal but common)

24
Q

What are normal aging related changes in the musculoskeletal system?

A
  • muscle fibers become smaller
  • decreased muscle strength
  • decreased bone density and bone mass
25
Q

What are normal aging related changes in the neurological system?

A
  • decrease in number/size of neurons
  • change in neurotransmitters
  • slower voluntary reflexes
  • alterations in sleep quality and quantity
26
Q

What are the three common cognitive changes in older adults? (table 14-2)

A

Delirium (potentially reversible)

Dementia (not reversible)

Depression

27
Q

What is the term for an acute confusional state?

A

Delirium

28
Q

What is the term for a generalized impairment of intellectual functioning that interferes with social and occupational functioning?

A

Dementia

29
Q

Dementia is an umbrella term for which conditions? (4)

A
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Lewy body disease
  • frontal temporal dementia
  • vascular dementia
30
Q

What are 4 common psychosocial changes that older adults experience?

A
  • retirement
  • social isolation
  • sexuality
  • housing & environment
  • death
31
Q

Which therapeutic tool provides sensory stimulation, induces relaxation, provides physical and emotional comfort, orients the person to reality, shows warmth, and communicates interest?

A

touch

32
Q

Which communication technique is used to make an adult more aware of time, place and person?

A

reality orientation

33
Q

Which communication technique is an alternative approach that accepts the description of time and place as stated by the confused older adult?

A

validation therapy

34
Q

Which communication technique uses the recollection of the past to bring meaning and understanding to the present and resolve current conflicts?

A

reminiscence

35
Q

What is the term for the concurrent use of many medications that increases the risk for adverse drug effects, inappropriate use of medications, and falls in older adults?

A

polypharmacy

36
Q

What risks do acute care settings pose to older adults?

A
  • delirium
  • dehydration
  • malnutrition
  • HAIs
  • falls
37
Q

What is the term for fear of falling?

A

fallophobia

38
Q

What is presbyopia?

A

farsightedness that worsens with aging

39
Q

How is absorption effected by old age?

A
  • increased gastric pH
  • decreased gastric blood flow
  • decreased gastric motility
    note: no major absorption difficulties
40
Q

How is distribution effected by old age?

A
  • smaller amounts of total body water
  • increased ratio of adipose tissue to lean body mass (increased storage of lipid-soluble drugs)
  • decreased CO
41
Q

How is metabolism effected by old age?

A
  • decreased liver size
  • decreased liver blood flow
  • decreased serum liver enzyme activity
    note: result in increased plasma concentration of a drug
42
Q

How is excretion effected by old age?

A
  • decreased renal blood flow
  • reduced GFR
    note: result in decreased CrCl, thus slower excretion time for medications. Leads to toxic serum drug levels.
43
Q

What are the 3 common reasons for adverse effects when patient’s self-administer drugs?

A
  1. Forget to take drug
  2. Poor communication with health care professionals
  3. Varying ways patients take meds (including adding OTC and supplements)

Ruben's Nursing 50B (15 decks)

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