Geriatric Care and Elder Medicine Flashcards

Which feature best distinguishes Lewy body dementia from Alzheimer's disease?

Answer: Visual hallucinations and fluctuating cognition

Lewy body dementia is distinguished by recurrent visual hallucinations, fluctuating cognition, and Parkinsonism, which are atypical in Alzheimer's.

What is the most appropriate pain management strategy for a cognitively impaired elderly patient who cannot self-report pain?

Answer: Use behavioral observation scales like PAINAD

Validated behavioral pain scales like PAINAD assess facial expressions, vocalizations, and body language to detect pain in non-verbal patients.

Which intervention is most effective in preventing pressure ulcers in bedridden elderly patients?

Answer: Regular repositioning every 2 hours

Repositioning every 2 hours relieves sustained pressure and is the most evidence-based intervention for pressure ulcer prevention.

A 75-year-old patient is found to have an ABI (ankle-brachial index) of 0.65. What does this indicate?

Answer: Moderate-to-severe peripheral arterial disease

An ABI of 0.4–0.69 indicates moderate-to-severe peripheral arterial disease with significant arterial occlusion.

Which type of depression screening tool is validated specifically for use in elderly patients?

Answer: Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)

The Geriatric Depression Scale was developed and validated specifically for older adults and avoids somatic items that confound depression assessment in the elderly.

What is the recommended calcium intake per day for adults over 70 to support bone health?

Answer: 1200 mg

Adults over 70 require 1200 mg of calcium daily to help offset age-related decreases in calcium absorption and bone density.