Consider a 92-year-old patient who has been diagnosed with several disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, mild chronic anemia, restless leg syndrome, and osteoporosis. However, he did report that he fell a few times and had lost his way while driving to a familiar location. As an advanced practice nurse caring for geriatric patients, you will likely encounter patients like this. While he can pass the basic assessments, the report of falls and confusion might indicate underlying issues of immobility, sensory deprivation, and/or cognitive dysfunction that require further attention. To identify these potential underlying issues and distinguish between normal and abnormal changes due to aging, healthcare providers use a variety of assessments.
You will examine assessment tools and evaluation plans used to assess geriatric patients presenting with potential issues of immobility, sensory deprivation, and cognitive dysfunction.
Post an explanation of your evaluation plan for the patient in the case study provided, and explain which type of assessment tool you might use for the patient. Explain whether the assessment tool was validated for use with this patient’s specific patient population and whether this poses issues. Include additional factors that might present issues when performing assessments, such as language, education, prosthetics, etc. Also, explain the immunization requirements related to health promotion and disease prevention for the patient