Depression in the elderly is often characterized by:

Lack of distress

Improvement in symptoms as the day progresses

Disorientation

Slow progression

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is B

A. Lack of distress: While some older adults may minimize or mask emotional distress, depression in the elderly often presents with noticeable changes in mood, motivation, and behavior rather than complete absence of emotional expression. Distress can still be present but may manifest differently than in younger adults.

B. Improvement in symptoms as the day progresses: Elderly individuals with depression frequently experience diurnal variation, with mood and energy lowest in the morning and improving throughout the day. Early-morning awakening and fatigue are common, reflecting biological and circadian rhythm changes associated with depression.

C. Disorientation: Disorientation is more indicative of delirium or neurocognitive disorders rather than depression alone. Cognitive impairment may occur secondary to depression, but primary disorientation is not a defining feature of depressive episodes.

D. Slow progression: Depressive symptoms in the elderly can develop gradually or appear suddenly depending on life stressors, medical conditions, or medication effects. A slow progression is not a universal characteristic and may vary between individuals.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

A. Moderate stage: During the moderate stage of Alzheimer’s disease, clients typically experience noticeable decline in activities of daily living, disorientation to time and place, and increased social withdrawal. Frustration and behavioral changes become more prominent as cognitive deficits interfere with independence.

B. Severe stage: The severe stage is characterized by profound cognitive impairment, loss of communication, and total dependence for ADLs. Disorientation and frustration are present earlier, and clients may be nonverbal or bedridden in this stage.

C. Mild stage: In the mild stage, cognitive deficits are subtle, with mild memory loss and minor difficulties in complex tasks. Clients are generally able to maintain independence and social engagement, with minimal disorientation.

D. Confabulation stage: Confabulation is a coping mechanism sometimes seen in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease, where clients fill memory gaps with fabricated stories. It is not a distinct stage but rather a symptom that may appear intermittently.

A. the number of episodes of purges, or inappropriate compensatory behaviors, per week B. both the number of binge-eating episodes and purge behaviors per week C. the number of binge-eating episodes per week D. the client's BMI

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A. The number of episodes of purges, or inappropriate compensatory behaviors, per week: Compensatory behaviors like vomiting, laxative use, or excessive exercise are important for clinical assessment but do not determine DSM-5 severity specifiers for bulimia nervosa.

B. Both the number of binge-eating episodes and purge behaviors per week: Severity in bulimia nervosa is based on binge-eating frequency alone; compensatory behaviors are monitored separately and do not factor into DSM-5 severity classification.

C. The number of binge-eating episodes per week: DSM-5 categorizes bulimia nervosa severity (mild, moderate, severe, extreme) according to the average number of binge-eating episodes per week. This standardization helps guide treatment planning and track disorder progression.

D. The client’s BMI: Body mass index is used to assess severity in anorexia nervosa, not bulimia nervosa, because individuals with bulimia may have normal or fluctuating weight despite engaging in binge-purge behaviors.

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Depression in the elderly is often characterized by:

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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A client diagnosed with neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease has a decline in ADL, is disoriented to place and time, displays increasing frustration and social withdrawal. The nurse recognizes these symptoms as indicative of which stage of the illness?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

According to the DSM-5, Bulimia is categorized as mild, moderate, severe or extreme based on:

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

An elderly client diagnosed with a neurocognitive disorder is exhibiting behavioral problems on a daily basis. At change of shift, the client's behavior escalates from pacing to screaming and flailing. Initially, which action should a nurse implement in this situation?

Which psychiatric disorder would a nurse most likely to expect to see newly diagnosed in a geriatric client?

Which clinical features are most characteristic of Lewy Body dementia?

When admitting a child diagnosed with a conduct disorder, which symptom would the nurse expect to assess

Which of the following physical manifestations would you expect to assess in a patient suffering with Anorexia Nervosa?

A parent describes a 3-year-old child in constant motion and is unable to sit still during story time. The parent is concerned about this behavior. Which nursing response indicates an appropriate evaluation of the situation?

Depression in the elderly is often characterized by: