The daughter of an elderly man notices that her father has stopped seeing his friends for their daily walk and acts in an aggressive manner when anyone comes to his house

She states that he normally looks forward to interacting with his friends on a daily basis, and his general demeanor is friendly and caring. What does the nurse advise? a. This is a normal part of aging and there should be no reason for concern.
b. The change in personality and behavior should be ignored as it is manipulative.
c. The change in personality and behavior should be evaluated.
d. The change in personality and behavior indicates it is time for nursing home placement.


C
A sudden change in personality is not a normal sign of aging. By older adulthood, the personality is deeply entrenched. Patterns of thinking and behaving remain intact until death. Do not assume that a personality change in an older adult is normal. Changes in emotional control, responses, and levels of interest must be investigated. Many physical and biochemical problems first appear as subtle changes in personality.

Nursing

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