A nurse is caring for an older-adult patient who was in a motor vehicle accident because the patient thought the stoplight was green. The patient asks the nurse "Should Istop driving?" Which response by the nurse is most therapeutic?
a. "Yes, you should stop driving. As you age, your cognitive function declines, and becoming confused puts everyone else on the road at risk."
b. "Yes, you should ask family members to drive you around from now on. Your reflex skills have declined so much you can't avoid an accident."
c. "No, as you age, you lose the ability to see colors. You need to think about stoplights in a new way. If the top is lit up, it means stop, and if the bottom is lit up, it means go."
d. "No, instead you should see your ophthalmologist and get some glasses to help you see better."
ANS: C
Part of the normal aging process is reduced ability to see colors. The nurse should teach the patient new ways to adapt to this deficit. This patient's accident was not due to impaired cognitive function or reflexes. Glasses will not assist the patient in color discrimination.
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