Test Bank for Gerontological Nursing 8th Edition by Charlotte

Origin:  Chapter 1- The Aging Population, 1

Chapter:  1

Client Needs:  A1

Cognitive Level:  Analysis

Difficulty:  Easy

Integrated Process:  Nursing process

Objective:  1

Page and Header:  3, Views of Older Adults Through History

1.

A nurse who works on a subacute medical unit of a hospital is discussing the increasing population of older adults on the unit with a colleague. Which of the colleague’s following statements about older adults is most accurate?

A)

“Fortunately, Social Security ensures a sufficient level of income for people over 65.”

B)

“It helps that older people don’t have to directly incur any costs for their medical care.”

C)

“Most of the older clients on the unit will have come to us from nursing homes.”

D)

“It’s reassuring that people are starting to show more concern for older adults than in decades past.”

Ans:

D

Feedback:

The formation of the Administration on Aging, enactment of the Older Americans Act, and the introduction of Medicaid and Medicare all occurred in 1965. Since that time, society has demonstrated a growing concern for its older members. Myths about older people include the belief that Social Security ensures them an adequate income, that they do not have to pay for medical care, and that most older adults live in nursing homes.

Origin:  Chapter 1- The Aging Population, 2

Chapter:  1

Client Needs:  A1

Cognitive Level:  Analysis

Difficulty:  Moderate

Integrated Process:  Nursing process

Objective:  3

Page and Header:  4, Population Growth and Increasing Life Expectancy

2.

A public health nurse who directs a homecare program that serves an area with a large population of older adults is conducting a long-term strategic plan. Which of the following phenomena should the nurse take into account when planning for the future?

A)

While life expectancy will continue to rise, the percentage of older adults in the United States relative to the overall population will decrease.

B)

By 2020, it is expected that over one-third of Americans will be over the age of 65.

C)

Both life expectancy and the percentage of people over 65 in the population will increase in coming decades.

D)

Chronic conditions, such as diabetes, are expected to bring a gradual decrease in the number of older adults by 2020.

Ans:

C

Feedback:

Both life expectancy and the percentage of individuals over age 65 are expected to increase in coming years. About 17% of the population is expected to be over 65 by 2020.

Origin:  Chapter 1- The Aging Population, 3

Chapter:  1

Client Needs:  A1

Cognitive Level:  Analysis

Difficulty:  Moderate

Integrated Process:  Nursing process

Objective:  2

Page and Header:  4, Population Growth and Increasing Life Expectancy

3.

A nurse who practices in a long-term care facility is providing care for a 101-year-old black female. The nurse’s coworker states, “It’s gratifying that black people in this country are finally reaching the same levels of health that white people are enjoying.” How can the nurse best respond?

A)

“Actually, the difference in life expectancy between black people and white people is growing, not shrinking.”

B)

“We’ve not yet arrived at a place where the life expectancies are equal between black and white people, but the gap is decreasing gradually.”

C)

“Black women do tend to live longer than white women, but the overall life expectancies when men are included are not yet equal.”

D)

“You’re right. Since the 1980s the life expectancies of black and white Americans have remained nearly the same.”

Ans:

A

Feedback:

Since the 1980s, the gap between life expectancies of black Americans and white Americans has been increasing rather than decreasing. Black women do not tend to live longer than white women.

Origin:  Chapter 1- The Aging Population, 4

Chapter:  1

Client Needs:  A1

Cognitive Level:  Analysis

Difficulty:  Moderate

Integrated Process:  Nursing process

Objective:  2

Page and Header:  5, Marital Status and Living Arrangements

4.

Which of the following phenomena most likely accounts for the fact that more women than men live alone later in life?

A)

Women tend to both live longer than men and marry men older than themselves.

B)

Men tend to have greater access to care facilities due to higher incomes and savings.

C)

Men are more likely to live with younger family members following the death of a spouse.

D)

Social pressures tend to stigmatize older men who live alone.

Ans:

A

Feedback:

The facts that women live longer than men and often marry men older than themselves account for their higher rates of living alone in old age. Men are not noted to have greater access to care facilities, to be more likely to live with younger family members or to face stigma for living alone.

Origin:  Chapter 1- The Aging Population, 5

Chapter:  1

Client Needs:  A1

Cognitive Level:  Analysis

Difficulty:  Moderate

Integrated Process:  Nursing process

Objective:  2

Page and Header:  6, Income and Employment

5.

Which of the following statements most accurately captures the financial status of older adults in the United States?

A)

The percentage of older people living below the poverty level has been increasing.

B)

The financial needs of most older adults are well met by Social Security income alone.

C)

The recent decline in housing prices has made many older adults “asset rich and cash poor.”

D)

Women 65 years of age and older is the fastest growing group of employment.

Ans:

C

Feedback:

The percentage of older people living below the poverty level has been declining, with about 10% now falling into this category. Most older people depend on Social Security for more than half of their income. Although the median net worth of older households is nearly twice the national average because of the high prevalence of home ownership by elders, many older adults are “asset rich and cash poor.” The recent decline in housing prices, however, has made that asset a less valuable one for many older adults. There has been a significant rise in the percentage of middle-aged women who are employed, although there has been little change in the labor force participation of women 65 years of age and older.

Origin:  Chapter 1- The Aging Population, 6

Chapter:  1

Client Needs:  D4

Cognitive Level:  Analysis

Difficulty:  Moderate

Integrated Process:  Nursing process

Objective:  2

Page and Header:  8, Health Status

6.

A care aide employed on a geriatric medicine unit of a hospital expresses frustration that “old people get sick so much more often than young people.” What is the nurse’s most appropriate response to this statement?

A)

“In fact, the prevalence of obesity and accompanying chronic illnesses mean that young people actually have more chronic conditions than older adults.”

B)

“It’s actually a myth that older adults require more hospitalization than young people.”

C)

“Actually, older adults experience fewer acute illnesses than younger people, it’s just that they tend to take longer to recover from them.”

D)

“With the increase in life expectancies in recent years, most older people actually live free of chronic diseases until very late in life.”

Ans:

C

Feedback:

The incidence of acute illness is lower among older adults than younger adults, though recovery times tend to be longer. Older adults tend to have a higher incidence of chronic illness and require more frequent and longer hospitalizations.

Origin:  Chapter 1- The Aging Population, 7

Chapter:  1

Client Needs:  D4

Cognitive Level:  Knowledge

Difficulty:  Easy

Integrated Process:  Nursing process

Objective:  2

Page and Header:  8, Health Status

7.

Which of following statements most accurately captures the role of chronic illness in the lives of older adults?

A)

Chronic illnesses constitute the leading cause of death for older adults.

B)

More older adults die from acute illnesses than from chronic diseases.

C)

While chronic diseases used to be the leading cause of death, this is no longer the case.

D)

While cancer rates have fallen, other chronic diseases remain a common cause of death.

Ans:

A

Feedback:

Chronic illnesses constitute the leading cause of death for older adults, exceeding those attributed to acute illnesses. The presence of heart disease as a cause of death has decreased in recent years, while at the same time cancer has become more prevalent.

Origin:  Chapter 1- The Aging Population, 8

Chapter:  1

Client Needs:  A1

Cognitive Level:  Analysis

Difficulty:  Moderate

Integrated Process:  Nursing process

Objective:  3

Page and Header:  9, Impact of the Baby Boomers

8.

The board of a large chain of hospitals has commissioned a strategic plan in order to meet the care needs of baby boomers in coming years. Which of the following trends constitute a sound basis for understanding the baby boomer generation and conducting future planning? Select all that apply.

A)

Baby boomers tend to have fewer children than members of earlier generations.

B)

Adjusted for inflation, baby boomers have lower incomes than their parents had.

C)

Due to technology, baby boomers have more leisure time than other adults.

D)

Baby boomers perform physical exercise more frequently than other adults.

Ans:

A, D

Feedback:

Baby boomers have had fewer children than generations that preceded them and they tend to exercise more often. Their incomes tend to be higher while they enjoy less leisure time.

Origin:  Chapter 1- The Aging Population, 9

Chapter:  1

Client Needs:  A1

Cognitive Level:  Knowledge

Difficulty:  Moderate

Integrated Process:  Nursing process

Objective:  3

Page and Header:  9, Provision of and Payment for Services

9.

The family of an 85-year-old man who has been admitted to hospital with exacerbation of his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has expressed concern about their ability to pay for his present and future care. Which of the following statements most accurately conveys the reality of payment for care services by older adults?

A)

The high value of assets owned by older adults makes the financial burden of care minimal for most older adults.

B)

Payment for long-term care of adults is most often covered by private insurers.

C)

Most older adults have their basic care needs provided in a long-term facility.

D)

Overall, federal money pays for more care than do older adults themselves or private insurers.

Ans:

D

Feedback:

Most money for the care of older adults comes from federally funded programs. The burden of payment is still significant for most older adults and a minority of older adults receive care in an institutional living environment.

Origin:  Chapter 1- The Aging Population, 10

Chapter:  1

Client Needs:  A1

Cognitive Level:  Analysis

Difficulty:  Easy

Integrated Process:  Teaching/learning

Objective:  3

Page and Header:  8, Health Status

10.

Which of the following statements by the daughter of an 87-year-old resident of a nursing home would the nurse most likely want to correct or clarify?

A)

“It seems like more and more people are living well into their 80s like my mom.”

B)

“My mom has a house worth loads of money but little cash flow, like many older adults.”

C)

“It seems like heart disease is getting more common even though people live longer than they used to.”

D)

“There are more women living to my mother’s age than there are men.”

Ans:

C

Feedback:

The incidence of heart disease as a cause of death is on the decline. More Americans are indeed achieving old age and many older adults have valuable assets but little cash flow. Female longevity continues to exceed that of males.

Origin:  Chapter 1- The Aging Population, 11

Chapter:  1

Client Needs:  A1

Cognitive Level:  Comprehension

Difficulty:  Easy

Integrated Process:  Nursing process

Objective:  1

Page and Header:  3, Views of Older Adults Through History

11.

In ancient times, the relationship between age and the value afforded to individuals was generally:

A)

Positive: with advanced age came increased value

B)

Negative: respect declined as age increased

C)

Variable: respect was different in different cultures

D)

Cyclic: respect moved back and forth between positive and negative

Ans:

C

Feedback:

Attitudes toward the aging varied among cultures. The ancient Chinese, for example, believed that the elderly deserved honor and respect, whereas the ancient Romans had little respect for the elderly, customarily killing them first in the nations Rome conquered.