Chapter 33 Assessment

specific legal papers that direct caregivers about what type of treatment to give a patient who cannot speak for himself

advance directives

Explain the importance of performing a social assessment when caring for a geriatric patient

As people age, the size of their support network tends to decrease as their children move away and their spouse and friends die.

The accumulation of fatty material in the arteries is

atherosclerosis

On auscultation of the patient's lungs, your partner hears rales. These lung sounds are caused by air passing through:

fluid in the alveoli

Curvature of the spine that causes the neck and shoulder to curve forward is called

kyhosis

You find your 86 year old patient sitting upright in her bed with four pillows behind her. She is having difficulty speaking because of a previous stroke. Which interview technique should you use when addressing the patient?

listen carefully to the answers the patient provides

Lower digestive tract bleeding is usually marked by

melena (black, tarry stools)

Sudden feeling of suffocation and respiratory distress are symptoms characteristic of what?

paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea

The pulse oximeter is unable to provide an accurate reading. What is the possible cause for this finding?

poor circulation

Your patient tells you that she takes numerous medications every day for her heart and blood pressure; however she cannot remember their names. She points to a plastic bag by the bedside that contains 11 prescription bottles with similar medications, and some of the medications were not prescribed to her. What problems might this situation pose?

Because medications are expensive elderly people may spread out dosages, not refill prescriptions or share medications with friends and family.

What are the four elements of the GEMS diamond?

Geriatric patients, Environmental assessment, Medical Assessment, Social Assessment

What is the chief component of connective tissue and bones?

collagen

What condition is considered to be a risk factor for congestive heart failure

coronary artery disease

older men

have the highest suicide rate of any age group in the US

What assessment question should you ask to clarify geriatric patient's symptoms of sudden feeling of suffocation and respiratory distress?

how many pillows do you sleep on?

Delirium

is a change in mental status marked by inability to focus, think logically and maintain attention

What is one of the most frequently occurring conditions that affect older people?

respiratory distress

With age brain tissue tend to

shrink, increasing chances of injury if there is a fall