Psychosocial Function

Question 1

What does psychosocial health consist of:

Answer 1

Mental health, which consists of:
- Cognitive function (thinking, reasoning, impairments such as delirium or dementia)
- Affective function (intrapersonal and interpersonal, impairments such as depression, mental, emotional, and behavioural illnesses)

Question 2

6 Nursing Assessment of Psychosocial Health

Answer 2

• Cognitive Function: Mini-Mental Status Assessment (MMSE)
• Physical appearance
• Affective function (mood - high, low, lability/mood changes)
• Delusions
• Hallucinations
• Illusions

Question 3

Difference between delusions, hallucinations, illusions

Answer 3

• Delusions: fixed false beliefs
• Hallucinations: sensory experience that has no basis in external stimulus
• Illusion: misperceptions of an external stimuli (have some basis in reality)

Question 4

How is depression clinically different for OA

Answer 4

• less likely to admit depressive symptoms
• more likely to experience depression
• more serious consequences (more successful suicide attempts)
• more apathy and withdrawal from activities
• sense of emptiness
• anorexia, weight loss
• hypersomnia, early-morning awakening

Question 5

What does psychosomatic mean?

Answer 5

affecting the mind and body

Question 6

Risk factors for depression in OA

Answer 6

• female
• Family hx
• bereavement of loved ones
• loneliness
• lack of social support
• previous experiences of abuse and neglect
• medical conditions such as cancer, dementia, parkinsons, MS, ALS, disabilities
• nutritional deficiencies
• medications
• alcohol

Question 7

Nursing Assessment for Depression

Answer 7

• geriatric depression scale (GDS)

Question 8

Nursing Interventions for Depression

Answer 8

• alleviate risk factors: ex. medications, alcohol use
• improve psychosocial function
• physical activity
• nutrition
• education and counselling
• referrals to psychosocial therapies
• pharmacological interventions (antidepressant medication, ex. SSRI: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)
• non-pharmacological interventions (light therapy, St John’s wort, stress-reduction interventions)
• ECT (electroconvulsive therapy): induction of seizures

Question 9

What would be appropriate for initial assessment to determine the presence or absence of suicidal thoughts in an older adult with risk factors

Answer 9

“Does your life feel worthless? Do you ever think about escaping from your problems?”

Question 10

Late-life depression does not lead to which of these functional consequences: decreased functioning, increased risk for suicide, dementia, higher level of pain

Answer 10

dementia