THE OLDER ADULT EXAM GUIDE
QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
ANSWERS
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. - Answer-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.
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. -
Answer-A) and 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.
A new patient is not satisfied with the conditions of the nursing home, takes a highly
active role in her health care, and, because of her ability to access information, has as
much knowledge as her health care providers on some health issues. This new patient
is most likely:
A) A young-old female baby boomer who just turned age 65
B) An old woman 75 to 85 years of age
C) An old-old woman over age 85
D) An elite old woman older than 100 years - Answer-A)
Feedback:The patient has the predicted characteristics of a baby boomer entering the
senior years.
When compared with elderly populations of the past, persons entering their senior years
between 2015 and 2030 will have:
,A) Fewer chronic diseases but more acute illnesses
B) Greater support from their children and spouses
C) Better education and greater wealth
D) Fewer needs for hospital or nursing home care - Answer-C)
Feedback:The baby boomer cohort attained higher levels of education and economic
status than past generations. They have, however, fewer children and the same (or
greater) burdens of chronic disease and needs for health care as their parents did.
Which of the following projections of future demographics of older Americans is most
accurate?
A) By 2020, more than 50% of older Americans will belong to a non-Hispanic white
group.
B) The percentage of black older adults will decrease slightly due to lower life
expectancies.
C) The number of Hispanic older adults is projected to grow dramatically.
D) Within 40 years, a minority of older Americans will be white related to immigration. -
Answer-C)
Feedback: Whereas in 2000, approximately 84% of older Americans were non-Hispanic
white, it is projected that this population will decrease to 64% by 2050. During this same
period, there will be dramatic growth among Hispanic older adults, who will represent
16% of the older population. Black individuals will grow from 8% to 12% of the older
population during this time. By 2020, one-quarter of America's older population will
belong to a minority racial or ethnic group.
A nurse is providing care for an 81-year-old Hispanic woman in the context of a geriatric
medicine unit of a hospital. Which of the following phenomena should the nurse
anticipate?
A) The client's family is likely to advocate for her placement in a nursing home at an
early stage.
B) The client is likely to prioritize the role of spirituality in the healing process.
C) She is likely to forego medical or traditional treatment due to a fatalistic view of
health and illness.
D) The woman's family will most likely delegate responsibility for her care to the hospital
care team. - Answer-B)
Feedback: Hispanic elders often emphasize the role of spirituality in both the etiology
and treatment of disease. Nursing home admissions are proportionately low and while
health and illness are often seen as the actions of God, this does not translate into a
rejection of treatment. The family is likely to play a central role in care planning and
recovery.
A nurse who works in an inner-city clinic provides care for a large number of the older
black clients. Which of the following health promotion activities best reflects the
particular health needs of this population?
A) A blood sugar and blood pressure monitoring program.
B) An education session on the positive health effects of good nutrition.
C) A screening mammography campaign for older black women.
, D) A program that teaches black men the importance of prostate health screening. -
Answer-A)
Feedback: Diabetes and hypertension are disproportionately prevalent among black
American elders. While teaching on nutrition and breast cancer and prostate screening
may be beneficial, these are not linked to the particular health needs of this population.
Nurse Y works in the emergency department of a large, urban hospital. When assessing
the following older black adults who have recently presented to the department, which
of the following assessments would the nurse want to modify for this population?
A) Assessment of the strength and gait of an 80-year-old male client with a history of
failure to thrive.
B) Assessment of peripheral sensation in a 76-year-old male client with poorly
controlled diabetes mellitus.
C) Assessment of cyanosis in a 78-year-old female with peripheral vascular disease
and Raynaud disease.
D) Assessment of a client's chest pain who has a history of myocardial infarction. -
Answer-C)
Feedback: Assessment of cyanosis can be complicated by the high melanin content of
black adults' skin. Musculoskeletal assessment, assessment of sensation, and
assessment of chest pain would not necessitate modification.
According to statistics, Baby J, born to a black American couple, has a life expectancy
lower than that of Baby K, born to a white American couple. According to current
demographic projections, by the seventh decade of life, Baby J's life expectancy will:
A) Begin to equal that of similarly aged white elders
B) Exceed that of similarly aged Asian elders
C) Drop to less than half that of similarly aged Native American elders
D) Rise above that of white elders until age 75 and then drop - Answer-A)
Feedback:After reaching the seventh decade of life, black Americans can hope to enjoy
a life expectancy equal to that of their white cohorts.
To receive government money, County Hospital is required to provide demographic
statistics on its patient base. In checking off the Ethnic Group boxes on the obligatory
forms, office workers must be able to distinguish terminology. Which of the following
best defines the term Hispanic?
A) Immigrant workers who entered the United States and their descendants
B) Puerto Ricans who emigrated from the United States and their descendants
C) Any Spanish-speaking people living in the United States
D) Illegal immigrants from Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Brazil - Answer-C)
Feedback:The term Hispanic encompasses a variety of Spanish-speaking persons in
America, including Spaniards, Cubans, Mexicans, and Puerto Ricans. Hispanic people
now represent approximately 6% of the older population.
Which of the following statements most accurately conveys an aspect of the error theory
of aging?
A) Perpetuation of DNA mutations results in organ and system malfunction.
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