A graduate nurse is nervous about caring for older adult patients because of the personality changes that occur with aging. How should the nurse's preceptor respond to this statement?

Question

1. "Personality tends to stay stable through life, rarely showing signs of change during final years."
2. "The losses many elderly experience understandably will impact their personality."
3. "The personalities of the elderly do undergo some significant changes after the eighth decade of life."
4. "After retirement, feelings of disuse cause many elderly to begin demonstrating personality changes."

Answer 1

1. "Personality tends to stay stable through life, rarely showing signs of change during final years."

Explanation: 1. Personality is stable throughout adult life and rarely do healthy older people show signs of personality change during their final years.
2. Personality usually does not change radically even as a result of major lifestyle changes such as the death of a loved one.
3. Personality is stable throughout adult life and rarely do healthy older people show signs of personality change during their final years.
4. Personality usually does not change radically even as a result of major lifestyle changes such as retirement.