A home health nurse visits a stage 4 Alzheimer disease patient who lives at home with a spouse. In order to meet the needs of the spouse, what should the nurse suggest?
1. finding respite care to come into the home several days a week
2. making arrangements for the patient to visit the local senior citizens' center in the afternoon
3. providing the patient a list of daily activities to complete
4. finding placement in a long-term care facility
Correct Answer: 1
Stage 4 patients generally exhibit decreased capacity to perform complex tasks (such as buying groceries or paying bills), a reduced memory for personal history, and are often unable to carry out activities of daily living. The spouse needs opportunities to have breaks from the demands of the patient's care. Since the stage 4 patient does not adapt well to changes in his or her environment, it would be best to have someone come into the home, rather than to have the patient go out. An outing or a list of activities would be better suited for the patient in stage 1. Recommending placement in long-term care might be premature and is not up to the nurse.
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