A 64-year-old patient is worried about having dementia. The patient tells the nurse that it is taking her longer to solve problems, multi-tasking is becoming more difficult, and she sometimes has difficulty remembering what to get at the grocery store
Which is the appropriate response by the nurse? Select all that apply.
1. "The ability to multitask might decline with age, but this is not an indication of dementia."
2. "Many people have episodic memory problems as they age. These do not indicate serious cognitive dysfunction."
3. "If it is taking you longer to solve problems than it used to, you may need to be assessed for other signs of dementia."
4. "Forgetting what you wanted to get at the store is a matter of concern. I think you should have a cognitive evaluation."
5. "A decline in mental processing speed is a normal part of aging, so taking longer with problem solving is not unusual as we get older."
Answer: 1, 2, 5
Explanation: Structural changes likely are responsible for reductions in certain cognitive abilities such as processing speed, executive function, and episodic memory. These changes are experienced by many older adults. Dementia is indicated by symptoms such as significant short-term memory problems, increasingly poor judgment, and difficulty communicating.
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