A community health nurse visits an elderly person whose spouse died 6 months ago. Two vodka bottles are in the trash. When the nurse asks about alcohol use, this person says, "I get lonely and drink a little to help me forget."
Select the nurse's most therapeutic intervention.
a. Assess whether this patient is drinking and driving.
b. Advise the person not to drink alone because the risks for injury increase.
c. Teach the person about risks for alcoholism and suggest other coping strategies.
d. Arrange for the person to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting for older adults.
ANS: D
This person needs help with alcohol abuse as well as social involvement. An AA meeting for older adults will provide an opportunity for peer bonding as well as strategies for coping with stress without abusing alcohol. The distracters will not be therapeutic in this instance.
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