Nursing 5 Assignment: Health Issues and Interventions in Older Adults

This nursing assignment addresses various health aspects of older adults, including sensory health (presbycusis and vision changes), nutritional needs (calorie intake, protein deficiency, and age-related gastrointestinal changes), and continence issues (incontinence strategies, bladder changes, and UTIs). It also covers musculoskeletal health (fall prevention, muscle mass, and Parkinson's disease), cardiovascular and respiratory health (pulse rate, oxygen saturation, and chest infections), and skin, sleep, and medication considerations (skin fragility, sleep patterns, and drug metabolism). The assignment references key research articles and provides insights into age-related health challenges and appropriate interventions. It emphasizes the importance of tailored care for older adults, considering their unique physiological changes and health risks. This assignment is a valuable resource for nursing students studying geriatric care.

Running head: NURSING 1
Nursing Questions
Name
Institution

NURSING 2
Sensory Health (Hutchison, Covan & Bogus, 2012), (Wright, Tawfik, Waisbourd &
Katz, 2016)
1. Presbycusis initially starts with the loss of high frequency sounds accompanied
with an inability to distinguish some sounds.
2. Ms. Gudski could be experiencing blurred vision in both her eyes.
3. Glaucoma is characterized by vision disturbances and damage of the optic
nerve.
Nutrition, Hydration, and Oral Health (Chernoff, 2016)
4. Overall, older people do not need to consume as many calories as when they
were younger.
5. Under-nutrition in older people is mainly due to eating food that does not contain
enough proteins.
6. Adverse effects from medication and less effective hepatic cells accompanied
with a reduced taste and alteration in the absorption of some nutrients are some
of the age-related gastrointestinal tract changes.
7. Thirst sensation reduces with age implying that older people experience thirst
differently to younger adults thus putting them at an increased risk of
dehydration.
8. BMI of 22 is not a clinical indication of malnutrition in older people.
9. Cognitive impairment is not an adverse outcome of poor oral health.
10. Normal BMI for an older person is between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2.
11. Decreased insulin sensitivity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes in older people.

NURSING 3
Continence, Bowel, and Bladder (Arnold, McLeod, Thani-Gasalam & Rashid, 2012)
12. For a moderately declining cognition, incontinence pads and prompted voiding
are the most effective strategies.
13. The woman must be suffering from urge incontinence.
14. Number of glomeruli decreases and residual urine increases as one becomes
older.
15. Low dose estrogen is used to treat chronic UTI but not acute UTI.
16. An elevated amount white blood cells in urine is an indication of acute UTI.
17. The patient’s daily intake of water and blood should be increased.
Musculoskeletal Health (Milte & Crotty, 2014)
18. Exercise programs that focus on improving muscle strength and balance can
help in preventing falls in older people.
19. Reduced muscle mass is a factor that affects exercise endurance.
20. Parkinson’s disease can be characterized by tremor in hands when resting the
hands on one’s laps.
21. One should not regularly weed the garden to avoid making their osteoarthritis
worse.
22. A person with Parkinson’s disease should take their medication when it is due.
CV and Respiratory Health
23. Pulse rate is one of the vital signs that changes with ageing.
24. Oxygen saturation is slightly altered with ageing.

NURSING 4
25. The cardiac performance of an older person as a result of the age-related arterial
hardening.
26. Reduction in air entry and oxygen exchange in the lungs increase the risk of
chest infection in older people.
Skin, Sleep, and Medications (Murphree, 2017)
27. Loss of subcutaneous fat and collagen tissue contribute to skin fragility and an
increased risk of screen tears.
28. Encouraging a person to moisturize their skin daily by applying a moisturizer
helps in promoting the health of their skin.
29. Obtaining medical reviews for medication to assist with sleep helps in addressing
problems associated with interrupted sleep patterns.
30. Hepatic cells are less effective with ageing thus causing reduced drug
metabolism.
31. Sliding scale insulin should not be prescribed for older people.
32. Continuous use of aspirin is recommended for older people with creatinine
clearance <30 mL/min.

NURSING 5
References
Arnold, J., McLeod, N., Thani-Gasalam, R., & Rashid, P. (2012). Overactive bladder
syndrome: management and treatment options. Australian family
physician, 41(11), 878.
Chernoff, R. (2016). The Symbiotic Relationship Between Oral Health, Nutrition, and
Aging. Generations, 40(3), 32-38.
Hutchison, B., Covan, E. K., & Bogus, J. C. (2012). Presbycusis, Part 1: can you hear
the music of life?. Care Management Journals, 13(3), 148-172.
Milte, R., & Crotty, M. (2014). Musculoskeletal health, frailty and functional decline. Best
Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 28(3), 395-410.
Murphree, R. W. (2017). Impairments in skin integrity. Nursing Clinics, 52(3), 405-417.
Wright, C., Tawfik, M. A., Waisbourd, M., & Katz, L. J. (2016). Primary angle‐closure
glaucoma: an update. Acta ophthalmologica, 94(3), 217-225.