WGU study guide for care of the older
adult OA UPDATED ACTUAL Exam
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Baby Boomers - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔large group of people born between 1946-1964.
Considered more affluent, better educated and healthier. Baby boomers have entered the older
age group as of 2011
Baby Boomers unique characteristics that make them a challenge for healthcare professionals
- CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔They expect and demand excellence in geriatric care. Health
disparities exist among minority elder group. Other vulnerable older adults are veterans, those
with disabilities, and prisoners.
Top five racial groups in United States - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔European Americans,
African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans
European Americans - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔individualistic, stoic (don't want to be a
burden to others), elder Europeans lose their sense of self worth.
Trust authority (will tend to follow health care advice)
European Americans - top five health disparities - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔smoking by
pregnant women, drug induced deaths, deaths from poisoning, deaths from melanoma, and
deaths from COPD before age 45.
African Americans - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔second larges minority populations.
Role of religion and spirituality plays important role in health and wellness.
Equate good luck, good fortune, and good health with being right with God.
Disease and illness can be thought of as being in disfavor with God.
Believe they have less control over their health and well being than God. Illness/disease is
part of God's plan.
Closer ties with extended families and rely on their close family ties for support.
Distrustful of health care personnel because of discrimination in medical care and because
most authority figures in health care are not African Americans.
,African Americans - top five health disparities - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔new cases of
gonorrhea, congenital syphilis, new cases of AIDS, and deaths due to HIV infection.
The impact of racism has long been considered one of the factors that contribute to decreased
longevity and increases of chronic illnesses
Hispanic Americans - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔high values on family, religion, and
community.
Emphasize family interdependence over independence.
They turn to family first before seeking outside health care.
Seek the use of homeopathic remedies in conjunction with religious artifacts before engaging
the health care professional.
They disagree with is silence and noncompliance.
May not seek health care because they feel that their illness/disease is a punishment of sins.
Many do not seek health care because they do not have access to it (lack of insurance,
communication difficulties, or fear of ramifications due to being in country illegally.
Religion varies.
Strive to achieve balance between "hot" or "cold" within the body. Illnesses are categorized
as either hot or cold, and treated with reciprocal type of substance, found in either food or
medicine.
Diabetes and heart disease are two health problems that have increased within this cultural
group
Hispanic Americans - top 5 health disparities - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔congenital
syphilis, new case of TB, new cases of AIDS, exposure to particulate matter, and cirrhosis
deaths
Asian Americans - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔most still practice holistic (naturalistic)
medicine and may incorporate this as an adjunct to Western medicine.
Use herbal supplements
Majority of influence comes from Confucianism (stresses accommodation and avoids
confrontation). Follows a naturalistic perspective, defining health and illness as a balance
between the individual and the world around the individual. (Strives to be in harmony with
the universe in which he or she lives)
,Basic concept of Chinese medicine is that all things, including the body, are composed of
opposing forces called yin and yang. (Health is said to depend on balance of these forces).
Chinese medicine focuses on maintaining the yin-yang balance to maintain health and
prevent illness.
If the balance of yin and yang is broken, it is essential to restore the balance. To regain
balance, the belief is that the balance between the internal body organs and the external
elements of earth, fire, water, wood, and metal must be adjusted.
Treatments may involve - acupuncture, moxibustion (burning of herbal leaves on or near the
body), cupping (the use of warmed glass jars to create suction on certain parts of the body),
massage, herbal remedies, movement and concentration exercises (tai chi)
Some elders may forgo life sustaining treatment because of the principles of ren. Ren is the
golden rule of Chines decision making "Do not do to others what you do not want done to
yourself".
Asian Americans - top 5 disparities - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔new cases of TB, congenital
syphilis, no pap test among females > 18, exposure to particulate matter, and carbon
monoxide exposure
Native Americans - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Insulated from the rest of the country, either
literally (by way of land reservation) or in other ways such as linguistically.
Follow naturalistic approach, believing that health is a balance of the mind, body, and spirit,
and illness occurs when there is an imbalance or disharmony with nature.
Health beliefs are blended with religion, carrying a magic facet as well as holistic and
naturalistic approaches
Native Americans - top 5 health disparities - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔fetal alcohol
syndrome, smoking by pregnant women, alcohol related motor vehicle deaths, cirrhosis
deaths, and new cases of gonorrhea
Age related changes which may affect therapeutic communication - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔Visual acuity
Hearing loss
Speech and language difficulties
ways to communicate or assist patient with disabilities such as hearing deficits, vision
impairments, or aphasia and dysarthria. - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Hearing deficits -
, Do not shout. Project voice from diaphragm (deepens voice).
Make use of other unimpaired senses. (examples - 1)use touch or by using a visual cue and
wait for patient to visually orient to you before speaking, 2)stand in front of person in a well
lit room (helps the patient lip read), 3) speak to side that has better hearing, 4) make sure
hearing aid is in and turned on, 5) use gestures or objects for communication.
Limit background noise.
Allow adequate time for response.
Use short sentences and speak clearly
May need to write or use a pictogram grid
Vision impairments -
Position yourself within their vision field.
Give verbal indication of the actions you are about to do (avoid startling or scaring them).
Label objects or simplify what is in their visual field.
Aphasia/Dysarthria (speech impairments) -
May be more anxious or self aware.
Limit distractions
Face patient and maintain eye contact
May need to use multiple forms of communication (body language, written or pictorial
information)
Use short uncomplicated sentences with simple choices.
Summarize message for accuracy.
Take time and do not correct every error and respect the elder's limitations.
Be patient!!
Communication with a delirious elder - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Keep discussions simple
and questions concise.
Use large print calendars and clocks to assist with orientation.
Pictures of family may assist in reorienting.
Well lit room.
Offer frequent reassurance.
