A 77-year-old recently admitted to a long-term care facility refuses to join in activities or go to the dining room for meals. How should the nurse interpret this behavior?

A. Decision making skills

Decision-making often remains intact with age unless cognitive impairment is present.

B. Cognitive capacity

Normal aging does not significantly impair cognition; changes are usually subtle and not generalized.

C. Creative ability

Creativity often remains strong into older age and may even increase with experience.

D. Short-term memory

This is a common and expected change with normal aging. Older adults may take longer to learn new information or recall recent events.

A. Encourage the patient to talk to the primary care physician about the problem

While involving the PCP is helpful, the nurse can provide direct, effective care and education first.

B. Establishing a medication regimen to control the discomfort

Medication may be necessary in severe cases, but non-pharmacologic measures like moisturizing are safer and often more effective initially.

C. Encourage the patient to take a tepid bath and use moisturizers

Tepid baths prevent skin dryness, and applying moisturizers helps restore the skin barrier, relieving pruritus.

D. Teach the patient that pruritus is an expected consequence of aging

While more common with aging, pruritus should not be dismissed; it is treatable and can significantly affect quality of life.