Geriatrics

Geriatrics

1 What age group constitutes the most rapidly growing segment of the population?

Persons older than 85 years of age.

2 True or false: An 80-year-old person needs more calories than a 30-year-old person.

False. An 80-year-old person has half the lean body mass of a 30-year-old person and thus needs fewer calories. The basal metabolic rate is based on lean body mass. Older patients, however, need more sodium, vitamin B₁₂, vitamin D (and/or calcium), folate, and nonheme iron than younger patients.

3 True or false: Hearing and vision changes are a normal part of aging.

True. Presbyopia (hardening of the lens that decreases the ability to accommodate) becomes almost universal after age 50, thus the common need for reading glasses after age 50. Presbyacusis, the loss of ability to discriminate between sounds, also is part of the normal process of aging.

4 True or false: Brain atrophy is a normal part of aging.

True. Decreased brain weight, enlarged ventricles and sulci, and a slightly decreased ability to learn new material are normal parts of aging.

5 Describe the normal changes in male sexual function that occur with aging.

Increased refractory period (after ejaculation, it takes longer to achieve another erection)

Increased time to achieve an erection

Delayed ejaculation (e.g., an older man may ejaculate only once every three times that he has sex)

6 Describe the normal changes in female sexual function that occur with aging.

Decreased vaginal lubrication (women not on hormone replacement therapy may use estrogen cream or water-soluble lubricants)

Dyspareunia caused by atrophy of clitoral, labial, and vaginal tissues (treated with estrogen cream)

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Apr 8, 2017 | Posted by admin in NURSING | Comments Off

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