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With the continued rapid growth of the older adult population, there remains an increased demand for health-care providers to deliver age-specific care and direct disease management. Advanced Practice Nursing in the Care of Older Adults will serve as a guide for advanced practice nurses who are privileged to provide care to older adults. Designed as a text for students, as well as a reliable source of evidence-based practice for advanced practice nurses, this book contains information on healthy aging, comprehensive geriatric assessment, and common symptoms and illnesses that present in older adults. Given the complexity of prescribing for older adults taking multiple medications, a new chapter on polypharmacy is included. The book concludes with a chapter on care delivery for patients with chronic illnesses who face end-oflife care.

Throughout the book, case studies are included to provide further practice and review. An important feature of this book is the use of the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) [Ebell, M. H., Siwek, J., Weiss, B. D., Woolf, S. H., Susman, J., Ewigman, B., & Bowman, M. (2004). Strength of recommendation taxonomy (SORT): A patient-centered approach to grading evidence in medical literature American Family Physician, 69(3), 548–556], which provides a direct reference to evidence-based practice recommendations for clinicians to consider in the care of older adults.

In Unit I, “The Healthy Older Adult,” the first chapter, “Changes with Aging,” addresses the normal changes of aging, expected laboratory values in older adults, presentation of illness, atypical disease presentation, bimodal conditions, and the impact of chronic illness on functional capacity. In the second chapter, “Health Promotion,” updated information pertaining to health promotion and disease prevention strategies for older adults from Healthy People 2020 and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is provided, including an immunization schedule and information on the Welcome to Medicare Visit. Also covered is an overview of physical activity, sexual behavior, dental health, and substance use, as well as a section pertaining to the older traveler. Recommendations for exercise and safe physical activity are provided in this unit.

Unit II, “Assessment,” opens with a detailed chapter on comprehensive geriatric assessment. Information on physical, functional, and psychological health is delineated, and information on quality of life measures is included. Next is the fifth chapter, “Symptoms and Syndromes,” which provides the clinician with a concise description of more than 20 symptoms prevalent in older adults. A rapid reference detailing common contributing factors and associated symptoms and clinical signs that should be worked up for each presenting condition is included. Recommendations for diagnostic

tests with accompanying results are used to form a differential diagnosis.

Unit III, “Treating Disorders,” provides 11 chapters of concise, updated information pertaining to disease management of illnesses common in older adults, presented by body systems. Each chapter opens with an assessment section that provides the reader with a focused review of systems and the physical examinations needed to obtain pertinent information for diagnosis and treatment of the older adult. Signal symptoms indicating atypical presentation of illness are highlighted at the beginning of each condition. The discussion of each problem and disorder follows a consistent monograph format:

■ Signal symptoms

■ Description

■ Etiology

■ Occurrence

■ Age

■ Ethnicity

■ Gender

■ Contributing factors

■ Signs and symptoms

■ Diagnostic tests

■ Differential diagnosis

■ Treatment

■ Follow-up

■ Sequelae

■ Prevention/prophylaxis

■ Referral

■ Education

Unit IV, “Complex Illness,” addresses complex management of patients requiring chronic illness management, palliative care, and supportive care at end of life, and includes a new chapter on polypharmacy. The text concludes with two appendices—“Physiological Influences of the Aging Process” and “Laboratory Values in the Older Adult”—both of which are ready references for the busy practitioner.

In addition to the content of the book, a Bonus Chapter, Nutritional Support in the Older Adult, selected References, and other online resources to aid the user in practice and review of the key concepts are available at DavisPlus Case studies are provided to support critical thinking and are available for users to complete on their own or for educators to incorporate into their course requirements. To enhance the delivery of competency-based education, the case studies were mapped to the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Competencies (2016).

For the faculty, there are PowerPoint presentations and a well-developed test bank located on DavisPlus. The

Active Classroom Instructors’ Guide is an online faculty resource that maps the resources available with the text and includes lecture notes and additional case studies. This book is written by and for advanced practice nurses involved in the care of older adults across multiple settings of care. While intended as a guide for the management of care for older adults, clinicians are encouraged to deliver individualized, patient-centered care considering the latest clinical

practice guidelines on prevention and management of conditions common in older adults.

REFERENCE

National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties. (2016). AdultGerontology Acute Care and Primary Care Nurse Practitioner competencies. Retrieved from http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.nonpf.org/ resource/resmgr/competencies/NP_Adult_Geri_competencies_4.pdf.

Sue A. Anderson, PhD, RN, FNP-BC

Associate Professor, Family Nurse Practitioner

Program Coordinator

Saint Mary’s College Notre Dame, Indiana Epistaxis; Rhinitis; Asthma

Louann Bailey, CRNP

Nurse Practitioner

Inpatient Medical Services Akron, Ohio

Chest Pain

Tracy Ballard, MSN, GNP-BC

Nurse Practitioner

Optum

Greensboro, North Carolina

Gastroenteritis

Judith A. Berg, PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN

Clinical Professor

The University of Arizona College of Nursing San Diego, California

Atrophic Vaginitis; Breast Cancer

Sharon Biby, MSN, APRN, ANVP-BC, AGPCNP-BC

Nurse Practitioner, Advanced-Practice Stroke Nurse

Cone Health

Greensboro, North Carolina Stroke

Anna Wentz Boone, PhD, ANP-BC

Adult Nurse Practitioner

Rockingham Gastroenterology, Cone Health Medical Group

Reidsville, North Carolina

C. Difficile; Cholecystitis; Peptic Ulcer Disease; Gastritis

Angela Brown, DNP, FNP-BC, ANP-BC, CDE

Clinical Assistant Professor, Family Nurse Practitioner

University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona

Cellulitis; Hearing Loss

Contributors

Lisa Byrd, PhD, FNP, GNP, FAANP

Practice Administrator

Florida Health Care Plans

Nurse Practitioner, Assistant Professor University of South Alabama Lake Mary, Florida

Bowel Incontinence; Diarrhea; Fatigue; Urinary Incontinence; Wandering

Carol Calianno, RN, MSN, CWOCN, CRNP

Nurse Practitioner – Dermatology and Wound Ostomy Continence Specialist

Philadelphia VA Medical Center Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Skin Cancer

Christina Coletta-Hansen, MSN, ANP-BC, ACHPN

Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner

Einstein Medical Center Montgomery Norristown, Pennsylvania

Palliative and End of Life Care

Kristin R. Curcio, DNP, AGPCNP-BC, AOCNP Nurse Practitioner

Cone Health Cancer Center at Wesley Long Greensboro, North Carolina

Lung Cancer; Bladder Cancer; Liver Cancer; Brain Tumor; Pancreatic Cancer

Nancy Dirubbo, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, Certificate in Travel Health

Director

Travel Health of New Hamsphire, PLLC Laconia, New Hampshire

Travel and Leisure

Brenda L. Douglass, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CDE, CTTS

DNP Program Director, Assistant Clinical Professor, Family Nurse Practitioner

Drexel University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Contributors

Janet DuBois, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP, FNAP

Associate Professor

Loyola University New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana

Pneumonia; Upper Respiratory Tract Infection

Kristen Tomblin Duffy, CRNP

Nurse Practitioner

Lehigh Valley Health Network

Allentown, Pennsylvania

Dysphagia; Hematuria

Renee E. Edkins, DNP, ANP-C, Fellow, American

Society of Lasers in Medicine & Surgery

Director Laser Surgery Program, UNC Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Medical Laser Safety Officer

University of North Carolina, Department of Surgery

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Burns

Vaunette P. Fay, PhD, RNC, FNP, GNP

Director, Continuing Education; Lead Nurse Planner; Professor of Nursing

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Cizik School of Nursing

Houston, Texas

Dehydration; Pruritus

Carrie Fernald, DNP, AGPCNP-BC

Nurse Practitioner

PACE of Triad

Greensboro, North Carolina

Joint Pain; Osteoarthritis

Diana Filipek-Oberg, RN, BSN, MSN, AGACNP-BC

Surgery APN

Cooper University Hospital

Camden, New Jersey

Clinical Adjunct Faculty

Drexel University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Chapter 7 Case Study; Assessment of the Respiratory System; Chapter 8 Case Study

Nancy A. Fisher, RN, MSN, GNP-BC

Nurse Practitioner, Rheumatology

Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs

Cleveland, Ohio

Gout; Rheumatoid Arthritis

Debra A. Friedrich, DNP, FNP-BC, CLS, BC-ADM, FNLA, FAANP

Diplomate, Accreditation Council for Clinical Lipidology

Assistant Professor University of South Florida College of Nursing

Tampa, Florida

Hyperlipidemia

Cynthia Gerstenlauer, ANP-BC, GCNS-BC, CDE, CCD

Nurse Practitioner

Troy Internal Medicine

Troy, Michigan Osteoporosis

Larry Ryan Gibson, MSN, AGNP-C

Nurse Practitioner

Alliance Urology Specialists

Greensboro, North Carolina Cystitis

Eric Gill, DNP, AGNP-C

Nurse Practitioner

Rockingham Gastroenterology Cone Health Medical Group

Reidsville, North Carolina

Cirrohsis; Esophagitis; Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease; Irritable Bowel Syndrome; Acute Pancreatitis; Chronic Pancreatitis

Mary Jane Griffith, RN, MSN, GNP-BC, ACHPN

Nurse Practitioner

LTC Health Solutions

Columbia, South Carolina Palliative and End of Life Care

Mary Guhwe, DNP, FNP-BC, SCRN

Nurse Practitioner

Duke University Hospital

Durham, North Carolina Dizziness

Candace Currie Harrington, PhD, DNP, APRN, AGPCNP-BC, CDP

Clinical Professor

East Carolina University

Greenville, North Carolina Heart Failure

Melodee Harris, PhD, APRN, GNP-BC, AGPCNP-BC

Assistant Professor

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Nursing

Little Rock, Arkansas

Delirium; Dementia

Theresa C. Hollander, CRNP

Nurse Practitioner

Jefferson Health

Abington, Pennsylvania

Ischemic Heart Disease

Shelly Jesberger, MSN

Nurse Practitioner

Veterans Health Administration Cleveland, Ohio

Hemoptysis

Carol G. Kelley, PhD, AGPCNP-BC

Associate Professor

Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, Ohio

Falls

Nanette LaVoie-Vaughan, ANP-C, DNP

Nurse Practitioner

Geriatric Neuropsychiatry Services

Raleigh, North Carolina

Agitation; Constipation; Failure to Thrive

Sheree L. Loftus, PhD, MSN, APRN-BC

Nurse Scientist

Mount Sinai Union Square

New York, New York Investigator

CHEAR Center

Bronx, New York

Parkinson’s Disease; Restless Legs Syndrome

William J. Lorman, JD, PhD, MSN, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP

Vice President & Chief Clinical Officer

Livengrin Foundation

Bensalem, Pennsylvania

Alcohol Abuse; Prescription Drug Abuse

Denise Lucas, PhD, FNP-BC, CRNP, FAANP

Chair, Advance Practice Programs

Duquesne University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia; Drug-Induced Impotence; Prostate Cancer; Prostatitis

Rhonda W. Lucas, MSN, AGNPC

House Calls Provider

Optum

United Healthcare

Reidsville, North Carolina

Herpes Zoster

Donna Behler McArthur, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, FNAP

Adjunct Clinical Professor

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing

University of Arizona College of Nursing & Department of Neurology, College of Medicine

Tuscon, Arizona

Headache; Seizure Disorders

Sincere McMillan, ANP-BC

Nurse Practitioner

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

New York, New York

Colorectal Cancer

Laurie Lovejoy McNichol, MSN, RN, CNS, GNP, CWOCN, CWON-AP, FAAN

Clinical Nurse Specialist, WOC Nurse

Cone Health

Greensboro, North Carolina

Pressure Injuries

Jennifer Mondillo, MSN, MBA, CRNP

Clinical Instructor

Villanova University

Villanova, Pennsylvania

Assessment of the Cardiovascular System

LaTroy Navaroli, DNP, FNP-BC, CWS

Nurse Practitioner Would Specialist

Navaroli Medical

Warren, Pennsylvania

Oral Nutritional Supplementation

D. Che Navey, A-GNP, MSN, RN

Neurohospitalist, Advanced Practice Clinician

Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center

Charlotte, North Carolina

Tremor

Olivia Faith Ogburn, AGPCNP

Nurse Practitioner

Gastroenterology Oncology Clinic

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center

Winston Salem, North Carolina

Gastric Cancer

Loretta Phillips, RN, NP-C, APRN, BC

Nurse Practitioner

Capital Nephrology Associates

Raleigh, North Carolina

Acute Kidney Injury; Chronic Kidney Disease

Sabrina Pickens, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, GNP-BC

Assistant Professor – Tenure Track, Faculty

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Cizik School of Nursing Houston, Texas Elder Abuse

Allen V. Prettyman, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP

Associate Professor – College of Nursing University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Catherine R. Ratliff, PhD, GNP-BC, CWOCN, CFN Nurse Practitioner/Clinical Associate Professor, School of Nursing

University of Virginia Health System Charlottesville, Virgina Peripheral Vascular Disorders

Barbara Reall, MBA, MSN, CRNP

Senior Clinical Services Manager Optum Horsham, Pennsylvania Hypertension

Luann Richardson, PhD, DNP

Associate Professor

Robert Morris University Moon Township, Pennsylvania Anxiety; Bipolar Disorder

Lauren Robbins, DNP, APRN, GNP-BC Nurse Practitioner

Atlanta VA Healthcare System Decatur, Georgia Bowel Obstruction

Mary Ellen E. Roberts, DNP, APN-c, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN

Director – Doctor of Nursing Practice Program

Seton Hall University South Orange, New Jersey

Cardiac Arrhythmias; Myocardial Infarction

Barbara Rogers, CRNP, MN, AOCN, ANP-BC Nurse Practitioner Fox Chase Cancer Center Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Leukemias

Susan D. Ruppert, PhD, RN, FNP-C, ANP-BC, FNAP, FCCM, FAANP, FAAN

Professor, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies

Cizik School of Nursing at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Houston, Texas

Anemia of Chronic Disease; Anemia; Iron Deficiency

Valerie K. Sabol, PhD, ACNP-BC, GNP-BC, ANEF, FAANP

Professor and Division Chair, Healthcare in Adult Populations

Duke University School of Nursing

Adult Acute Care & Gerontology Nurse Practitioner

Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition

Duke University Medical Center

Durham, North Carolina

Obesity

Susan Kate Sandstrom, MSN, APRN-BC, ADCN Nurse Practitioner

University Hospitals, Seidman Cancer Center

Cleveland, Ohio

Oral Cancer

Jennifer Serafin, RN, BSN, MS, GNP-BC Nurse Practitioner

Kaiser Permanente

South San Francisco, California

Endometrial Cancer; Ovarian Cancer

Terri Setzer, NP-C

Nurse Practitioner

Reidsville Clinic for GI Diseases, Cone Health Medical Group

Reidsville, North Carolina

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Kate Sheppard, PhD, RN, FNP, PMHNP-BC, FAAN, FAANP

Clinical Associate Professor, Retired PMHNP Specialty Coordinator

University of Arizona, College of Nursing

Tucson, Arizona

Depression

Tracey Sherrod, MSN, ANP-C, GNP BC

Adult and Gerontological Nurse Practitioner

Vidant Healthplex

Wilson, North Carolina

Nephrolithiasis

Carroll M. Spinks, GNP-BC

Nurse Practitioner

Triad HealthCare Network

Greensboro, North Carolina

Corns and Calluses

David V. Strider, DNP, MSB, APRN, CCRN, ACNP-BC

Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing

University of Virginia School of Nursing Charlottesville, Virginia

Peripheral Vascular Disorders

Ladsine Taylor, MSN, GNP-BC

Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Bill Hefner VA Medical Center Community Living Center

Salisbury, North Carolina

Peripheral Neuropathy

Barbara A. Todd, DNP, CRNP, FAANP, FAAN

Director, Graduate Nurse Education Demonstration

Hospital University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Valvular Heart Disease

Renee Walters, PhD, RN, CCRN, FNP-BC

Clinical Operations Manager, Clinical Associate Professor Boise State University Boise, Idaho

Restrictive Lung Disease; Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Jennifer L. Warren, MSN, NP-C

Nurse Practitioner

Anticoagulation Clinic

Wake Forest Baptist Health

High Point, North Carolina

Pulmonary Embolism

Tomika Williams, PhD, AGPCNP-C

Assistant Professor of Nursing East Carolina University Greenville, North Carolina

Malnutrition

Colleen Wojciechowski, MSN, GNP-BC Nurse Practitioner, Retired Veteran Administration Durham Health Care System Cary, North Carolina

Cough

M. Catherine Wollman, DNP, GNP-BC, CRNP Consultant

Ponte Vedra, Florida

Chronic Illness and the APRN

Wendy Biddle, CFNP

Program Director MSN-FP program South University Savannah, Georgia

Joan Blum, MSN, APRN

Assistant Professor Clarkson College Omaha, Nebraska

Sharon Chalmers, PhD, CNE, APRN, FNP-BC

Professor of Nursing University of North Georgia Dahlonega, Georgia

Claudia M. Chaperon, PhD, RN, APRN, BC

Associate Professor College of Nursing University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, Nebraska

Reviewers

Valerie Flattes, APRN, MS, ANP-BC

Assistant Professor University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah

Stacy Harris, DNP, APRN

Graduate Program Coordinator, Assistant Professor University of Central Arkansas Conway, Arkansas

Ann McDonald, DNP, MSN

Assistant Professor

Western Carolina University Cullowhee, North Carolina

Clarice Wasmuth, MSN, NP Professor

Georgia State University Atlanta, Georgia

The second edition of this book would not be a reality if not for the kind assistance and guidance of some wonderful people whom we would like to thank. To Susan R. Rhyner, our Senior Acquisitions Editor, who believed in the timeliness of updating this edition given the impact that the APRN consensus model for advanced practice registered nurses has on nursing education and practice with the required inclusion of gerontology and geriatrics for all advanced practice nurses taking care of older adults. To Christine M. Abshire, our Senior Content Project Manager, who kept us on track and provided us order. To Teresa Wilson for your quick turnaround editing and to Sharon Y. Lee, Daniel Domzalski, and

crew for carrying us over the finish line, without which we would not have completed the charge. To Ashleigh Lucas, Amy Daniels, and Tyesha Harvey who assisted in information retrieval, thanks for your timely research. We are most appreciative to our dedicated contributors who believe in the importance of creating a reference specific to the care of older adults written by advanced practice registered nurses. We also would like to acknowledge those who have contributed to our previous books. We especially want to thank Kathleen Ryan Fletcher for being a part of the journey over the past 20 years; your expertise and dedication to advanced practice gerontological nursing will not be forgotten.

Unit I

The Healthy Older Adult 1

CHAPTER 1 Changes With Aging 2

Fundamental Considerations 2

Physiological Changes With Aging 2

Laboratory Values in Older Adults 3

Presenting Features of Illness/Disease in the Older Adult 3

Chronic Illness and Functional Capacity 5

Summary 5

CHAPTER 2 Health Promotion 6

Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Prevention 7

Healthy Lifestyle Counseling 7

Screening and Prevention 9

Immunizations 12

Travel and Leisure 12

Summary 17

Case Study 17

CHAPTER 3 Exercise in Older Adults 19

Available Resources 19

Barriers and Facilitators to Exercise for Older Adults 20

Plan for Incorporating Exercise into Patient Encounter 20

Key Guidelines for Safe Physical Activity (Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee, 2008) 21

Summary 22

Case Study 23

Unit II

Assessment 25

CHAPTER 4 Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment 26

Physical Health 26

Functional Health 30

Psychological Health 31

Socioenvironmental Supports 32

Quality of Life Measures 32

Summary 32

CHAPTER 5 Symptoms and Syndromes 34

Assessment 34

Bowel Incontinence 34

Chest Pain 38

Constipation 41

Cough 43

Dehydration 46

Diarrhea 47

Dizziness 51

Dysphagia 53 Falls 55

Fatigue 57

Headache 59

Hematuria 63

Hemoptysis 65

Involuntary Weight Loss 67

Joint Pain 72

Peripheral Edema 74

Pruritus 77

Syncope 78

Tremor 81

Urinary Incontinence 83

Wandering 88 Case Study 90

Unit III

Treating Disorders 95

CHAPTER 6 Skin and Lymphatic Disorders 96 Assessment 96 Burns 97

Cellulitis 103

Corns and Calluses 104

Herpes Zoster 106

Pressure Injuries 109

Psoriasis 113

Skin Cancer 117

Superficial Fungal Infections 120

Case Study 125

CHAPTER 7 Head, Neck, and Face Disorders 127

Assessment 127

Cataract 128

Epistaxis 130

Glaucoma, Acute and Chronic 132

Glaucoma, Acute (Primary Angle-Closure) 132

Glaucoma, Chronic (Primary Open-Angle) 133

Hearing Loss 136

Hordeolum and Chalazion 138

Age-Related Macular Degeneration 139

Oral Cancer 141

Retinopathy 144

Rhinitis 146

Case Study 150

CHAPTER 8 Chest Disorders 152

Assessment of the Cardiovascular System 152

Assessment of Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease 152

Clinical Examination Features 153

Assessment of the Respiratory System 154

Asthma 155

Cardiac Arrhythmias 160

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 164

Heart Failure 170

Hypertension 175

Ischemic Heart Disease 179

Lung Cancer 185

Myocardial Infarction 187

Pneumonia 191

Pulmonary Embolism 196

Pulmonary Tuberculosis 199

Restrictive Lung Disease 203

Upper Respiratory Tract Infection 205

Valvular Heart Disease 207

Case Study 211

CHAPTER 9 Peripheral Vascular Disorders 215

Assessment 215

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm 216

Chronic Lymphedema 218

Peripheral Vascular Disease 219

Venous Disease (Chronic Venous Insufficiency) 221

Case Study 223

CHAPTER 10 Abdominal Disorders 225

Assessment 225

Acute Kidney Injury 226

Bladder Cancer 230

Bowel Obstruction 231

Cholecystitis 233

Chronic Kidney Disease 235

Cirrhosis of the Liver 239

Clostridium difficile 242

Colorectal Cancer 245

Diverticulitis 249

Esophagitis 251

Gastric Cancer 253

Gastritis 256

Gastroenteritis 258

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease 260

Hernia 263

Irritable Bowel Syndrome 265

Liver Cancer 268

Nephrolithiasis 270

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease 272

Peptic Ulcer Disease 274

Case Study 276

CHAPTER 11 Urological and Gynecological Disorders 280

Assessment 280

Atrophic Vaginitis 282

Breast Cancer 284

Cystitis 289

Endometrial Cancer 292

Ovarian Cancer 293

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy) 295

Drug-Induced Erectile Dysfunction 297

Prostate Cancer 299

Prostatitis 301

Case Study 303

CHAPTER 12 Musculoskeletal Disorders 305

Assessment 305

Bursitis, Tendinitis, Soft Tissue Syndromes 307

Fractures 310

Gout 312

Osteoarthritis 315

Polymyalgia Rheumatica 319

Rheumatoid Arthritis 322

Case Study 325

CHAPTER 13 Central and Peripheral Nervous System Disorders 328

Assessment 328

Brain Tumor 331

Parkinson’s Disease 333

Peripheral Neuropathy 336

Restless Legs Syndrome 344

Seizure Disorders 346

Stroke 352

Case Study 359

CHAPTER 14 Endocrine, Metabolic, and Nutritional Disorders 361

Assessment 361

Acute Pancreatitis 362

Chronic Pancreatitis 366

Diabetes Mellitus, Types 1 and 2 369

Failure to Thrive 377

Hyperlipidemia 379

Hyperthyroidism 384

Hypothyroidism 387

Malnutrition 389

Obesity 392

Osteoporosis 396

Pancreatic Cancer 402

Case Study 404

CHAPTER 15 Hematological and Immune System Disorders 407

Assessment 407

Anemia of Chronic Disease 408

Anemia, Iron Deficiency 410

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura) 413

Leukemias 414

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia 414

Acute Myeloid Leukemia 416

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia 419

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia 423

Case Study 426

CHAPTER 16 Psychosocial Disorders 428

Assessment 428

Agitation 429

Alcohol Misuse (Hazardous or Risky Drinkers) 431

Anxiety 434

Bipolar Disorder 436

Delirium 439

Dementia 443

Depression 451

Elder Abuse 456

Grief and Bereavement 459

Insomnia 461

Prescription Drug Misuse (Hazardous or Risky Users) 463

Case Study 466

Unit IV Complex Illness 469

CHAPTER 17 Polypharmacy 470

Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Changes 470

Tools to Assist Providers to Avoid PIMs and Polypharmacy 472

Preventing Polypharmacy, Addressing Polypharmacy 472

CHAPTER 18 Chronic Illness and the APRN 474

Definitions of Chronic Disease and Chronic Illness 474

Demographics of Chronic Illness 474

Multiple Chronic Conditions 475

Economic Burden of Chronic Disease 477

Minorities and Chronic Disease 478

Function and Frailty 478

Evidence-Based Practice and Chronic Disease 479

Chronic Care Model of Quality Improvement 479

Legislation and Chronic Disease 480

Transitions of Care 480

Provider Reimbursement for Chronic Illness Care 482

The Role of APRNs in Chronic Disease 482

Case Study 483

CHAPTER 19 Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care 485

Overview of Palliative Care 485

Symptom Management 486

Delirium 486

Dyspnea 488

Pain 490

The Dying Patient 493

Grief and Bereavement 496

Case Study 497

The Healthy Older Adult

1

Changes With Aging

FUNDAMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

The aged population continues to be incredibly diverse; it includes some individuals who are nearly twice as old as others and is reflective of growing cultural diversity as well. Knowing what is expected in aging, what diseases are prevalent in aging, and what constitutes successful aging is an immense challenge even for the most skillful advanced clinician. When assessing the aged individual, the advanced practice nurse should be familiar with the range of normal and expected changes associated with aging so that older persons falling outside this range may be identified and interventions taken appropriately and expeditiously.

In the past, wellness was considered the mere absence of disease, but with more information from longitudinal studies of aging, we are learning a great deal about the characteristics of successful physiological and psychosocial agers (O’Brien et al., 2009). A profile of what constitutes successful aging is beginning to emerge, and the illness–health continuum continues to expand to include adults living into old age. This chapter focuses on familiarizing the advanced practice nurse with fundamental underpinnings that serve to guide the approach to assessment and management of the older adult. In addition to appreciating the physiological changes that come with aging, the advanced practice nurse needs to understand how aging changes influence reference laboratory values. Recognizing that presenting features of disease/illness may be different and having a greater awareness of the impact of chronic illness on functional capacity and quality of life provide the advanced practice nurse with a perspective in approaching the older adult that is different from that of younger adults.

PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES WITH AGING

The physiological changes associated with the usual aging process have been detailed by system, and the impact of these changes has been described. (These can be found in Appendix

A.) Although Appendix A uses a single-system approach, the clinician must be aware that all the systems interact and, in doing so, can increase the older person’s vulnerability to illness/disease. For example, the risk of respiratory infection in the geriatric population is considerable, and the physiological influences may include limited chest wall expansion, cilia atrophy, and alterations in the immune system. During the clinical decision-making process, the clinician knowledgeable about physiological changes with aging will be less likely to undertreat a treatable condition. For example, the astute clinician will use the diagnostic process to differentiate the more benign seborrheic keratosis from the more serious melanoma in the aged individual. While educating the older patient, the informed professional will be less likely to attribute a finding to the aging process alone. When clinicians associate findings to aging alone, the older person may conclude that there is no point in changing behavior because the process is inevitable. Additionally, the clinician may take a fatalistic approach and undertreat common conditions such as heart failure and diabetes.

The major impact of these physiological changes can be highlighted with four primary points. First, there is a reduced physiological reserve of most body systems, particularly cardiac, respiratory, and renal. Second, there are reduced homeostatic mechanisms that fail to adjust regulatory systems such as temperature control and fluid and electrolyte balance. Third, there are the changes in the sympathetic response, which contribute to orthostasis and falls, as well as lack of hypoglycemic response. Fourth, there is impaired immunological function: infection risk is greater and autoimmune diseases are more prevalent. The clinician is advised not to be complacent in that some processes previously considered normal, age-related changes are now being refuted. Historically, normal aging studies were conducted using a cross-sectional study method. Today, results are becoming increasingly available from longitudinal studies of aged populations, some of which began in the 1930s (Besdine, 2016; O’Brien et al., 2009).

This more reliable methodology provides some challenges to previously held conclusions. The clinician is encouraged to stay informed regarding the research in expected and successful aging so that this information may be carefully

considered, interpreted, and translated quickly into the clinical setting.

LABORATORY VALUES IN OLDER ADULTS

Healthy individuals of all ages often have asymmetrical distribution of test results. Normality in a statistical sense may be extrapolated incorrectly to normality in terms of health. In addition, the standards previously available to the healthcare worker with which to compare normal laboratory values have been based on randomly collected samples of younger healthy adults. Many factors can influence laboratory value interpretation in the older adult, including the physiological changes with aging, the prevalence of chronic disease, changes in nutritional and fluid intake, lifestyle (including activity), and the medications taken (Dharmarajan & Pitchumoni, 2012).

Clinicians may find that reference ranges, therefore, may be preferable. Reference ranges or intervals, such as age, sex, or race, can be defined demographically. For example, the reference range for older adults might be the intervals within which 95% of persons over age 70 fall. These may be further defined physiologically (e.g., fasting or activity status) or pharmacologically (e.g., medication, tobacco or alcohol use). Even this more precise method does not ensure a healthy sampled population as the standard, and using the reference range method may not differentiate normal aging from disease. The reference values presented for the older adult cohort (see Appendix B) are not necessarily desirable ones. Longitudinal chemical studies support the concept of biochemical individuality; that is, each individual’s variation is often much smaller than that of the larger group. Biochemical individuality is of particular importance in detecting asymptomatic abnormalities in older adults. Significant homeostatic disturbances in the same individual may be detected through serial laboratory tests, even though all individual test results may lie within normal limits of the reference interval for the entire group.

The clinician must determine whether a value obtained reflects a normal aging change, a disease, or the potential for disease. Although abnormal laboratory findings are often attributed to old age, rarely are they true aging changes. Misinterpretation of an abnormal laboratory value as an aging change can lead to underdiagnoses and undertreatment in some situations (e.g., anemia or urinary tract infection) and overdiagnosis and overtreatment in others (e.g., hyperglycemia or asymptomatic bacteriuria). At times, the result of a laboratory value may be within the appropriate reference range, yet indicate pathology for the older adult (Dharmarajan & Pitchumoni, 2012). The serum creatinine level may be within the normal range, yet indicate renal impairment in a patient with inadequate protein stores, and different measures might need to be considered. One value of significance to the practitioner with prescriptive privileges is the calculation of creatinine clearance in the estimation of renal function, for instance when dosing enoxaparin (Shaikh & Regal, 2017).

Reduced renal function, particularly the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), affects the clearance of many drugs, and

creatinine clearance provides an index of renal function for use in choosing doses of renally eliminated or nephrotoxic drugs (such as digoxin, H2 blockers, lithium, and watersoluble antibiotics). The Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) and Cockcroft-Gault equations both provide useful estimates of the GFR (Boparai & Korc-Grodzicki, 2011). The performance of these two formulas was compared in an older adult population, and the Cockcroft-Gault formula was found to be inferior to the MDRD equation; however, the MDRD equation is not as practical and is more complex to use (Fliser, 2008). The use of serum drug concentration measurements (where these are available) or timed urine specimens is recommended until more acceptable methods of calculating renal function in this population become available.

Finally, when considering which laboratory tests to order, it is worth remembering the doctrine primum non nocere, to do no harm. Excessive blood sampling may lower the hematocrit; repeated fasting tests may provoke nutritional compromise; and extensive use of tests often requires drugs that may cause adverse reactions. Any risks involved in laboratory testing must be considered with respect to the patient’s clinical condition and weighed against the test’s expected benefits. The clinician should plan in advance the use for each test result value obtained, especially for less specific or less sensitive tests such as sedimentation rate and serum alkaline phosphatase levels. “Ordering a test requires assessing the likelihood that a patient has specific conditions prior to the order, along with the accuracy of test and as to how it will change management” (Dharmarajan & Pitchumoni, 2012, p. 267). Once laboratory tests are available for review, test results should be discussed with the patients, with abnormal test results interpreted for the aging individual and addressed with the patient and/or caregivers. In addition to understanding the fundamental changes that accompany aging and their influence on interpreting laboratory values and medication management, the advanced practice nurse needs to understand the presenting features of illness/disease in older adults (Dharmarajan & Pitchumoni, 2012).

PRESENTING FEATURES OF ILLNESS/DISEASE IN THE OLDER ADULT

The manifestations of illness and disease in the older adult can be very different, even if the underlying pathological process is the same as in younger individuals. The advanced practice nurse should be aware of what can influence the presentation. Underreporting of symptoms by older adults may occur if they attribute the new sign or symptom to age itself (Amella, 2004). By erroneously associating aging with disease, disuse, and disability, older adults perceive this change as inevitable and either fail to present to the health-care provider or, if they do, fail to challenge the assumption that this represents normal aging. At times an acute symptom such as pain or dyspnea is superimposed on a chronic symptom, and the older adult may not recognize that it represents a new or exacerbated pathology (Bell et al., 2016). The advanced practice nurse is well advised to never attribute something to normal aging without doing a careful and methodical search for a treatable condition.

Certain diseases are more common in the older adult and an understanding of the epidemiology is critical in the interpretation. Certain neoplasms and malignancies such as basal cell carcinoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and prostate cancer have a high prevalence beginning in older adulthood. Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, dementias, stroke, and complex partial seizures are more common to have initial onset in older age. Polymyalgia rheumatica along with giant cell arteritis almost exclusively begins in patients over the age of 50 (Besdine, 2016).

Complicating the care of older adults is when patients develop geriatric syndromes that often involve multiple body systems and have more than one underlying cause (Bell et al., 2016). For patients presenting with one or more of new geriatric giants: frailty, anorexia of aging, sarcopenia, and cognitive impairment, the risk escalates for falls, delirium, injuries, and depression, subsequently placing these patients at dangers for iatrogenic events that could lead to hospitalization, institutionalization, and subsequently, death (Morley, 2017).

Altered Presentation of Illness

Advanced practice nurses managing the care of older adults are challenged to recognize altered, atypical, vague, or even nonspecific signs and symptoms of common conditions in older adults (Auerhahn & Kennedy-Malone, 2010). It is well documented that disease progress may be different for the older adult, especially the frail older adult (Bell et al., 2016). The failure to develop an elevated temperature or fever with an underlying infectious process differs greatly from presentation of illness in a younger patient. The patient with depression may not present with a dysphoric mood but rather agitation and psychotic features. The older adult may present with cardiac manifestations of undiagnosed thyroid disease (Amella, 2004). Additional illustrative examples include jaundice, which is suggestive of viral hepatitis in younger individuals but may represent gallbladder disease or a malignancy in the older adult, and delusions or hallucinations, which are suggestive of bipolar disorder in younger individuals but may represent dementia or medication side effects in the older adult (Williams, 2008).

Because the symptoms or signs of illness or disease may be vague and nonspecific, even a modest change in functional level or behavior should alert the clinician to carefully explore the potential for a treatable condition. Family members or caregivers may report that a patient may no longer be cooperating or participating in individual care. Unusual changes such as these become red flags to the beginning of an atypical presentation of illness. In many cases the progression of the condition is insidious, often presenting as a change in cognition or an alteration in functional status. Other significant changes in patients with altered presentation of illness often include new onset of falls, weakness, fatigue, anorexia, and unexplained tachypnea (Auerhahn & Kennedy-Malone, 2010). Table 1-1 depicts common conditions that often have altered presentation of illness in older adults.

Bimodality of Age of Onset of Clinical Conditions

Understanding of the epidemiology of clinical conditions includes having the knowledge of etiology of the disease,

Presentation of Illness in Older Adults

ILLNESSATYPICAL PRESENTATIONS

Acute abdomenAbsence of symptoms or vague symptoms

Acute confusion

Mild discomfort and constipation

Some tachypnea and possibly vague respiratory symptoms

Appendicitis pain may begin in right lower quadrant and become diffuse

DepressionAnorexia, vague abdominal complaints, new onset of constipation, insomnia, hyperactivity, lack of sadness

HyperthyroidismHyperthyroidism presenting as “apathetic thyrotoxicosis,” i.e., fatigue and weakness; weight loss may result instead of weight gain; patients report palpitations, tachycardia, new onset of atrial fibrillation, and heart failure may occur with undiagnosed hyperthyroidism

HypothyroidismHypothyroidism often presents with confusion and agitation; new onset of anorexia, weight loss, and arthralgias may occur

Malignancy

Myocardial infarction (MI)

Overall infectious diseases process

New or worsening back pain secondary to metastases from slow growing breast masses

Silent masses of the bowel

Absence of chest pain

Vague symptoms of fatigue, nausea, and a decrease in functional and cognitive status; classic presentations: dyspnea, epigastric discomfort, weakness, vomiting; history of previous cardiac failure

Higher prevalence in females versus males

Non-Q-wave MI

Absence of fever or low-grade fever

Malaise

Sepsis without usual leukocytosis and fever

Falls, anorexia, new onset of confusion and/or alteration in change in mental status, decrease in usual functional status

Peptic ulcer disease

Absence of abdominal pain, dyspepsia, early satiety

Painless, bloodless

New onset of confusion, unexplained tachycardia, and/or hypotension

PneumoniaAbsence of fever; mild coughing without copious sputum, especially in dehydrated patients; tachycardia and tachypnea; anorexia and malaise are common; alteration in cognition.

Pulmonary edemaLack of paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea or coughing; insidious onset with changes in function, food or fluid intake, or confusion

Tuberculosis (TB)Atypical signs of TB in older adults include hepatosplenomegaly, abnormalities in liver function tests, and anemia

Urinary tract infection

Absence of fever, worsening mental or functional status, dizziness, anorexia, fatigue, weakness

Source: Amella, E. J. (2004); Bell et al., 2016; Besdine (2016); Chmura & Chan (2006); Peters (2010); Rehman & Qazi (2013); Rowe & Juthani-Mehta, M. (2014); Van Duin (2011); Wester, Dunlop, Melby, Dahle, & Wyller (2013); Williams (2008).

TABLE 1-1

Dermatological

Psoriasis

Gastrointestinal

Select Bimodal Presentations of Illness in Younger Adults versus Older Adults

Inflammatory bowel disease

Ulcerative colitis (UC)

Crohn’s disease (CD)

Malignancies

Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Neurodegenerative

Myasthenia gravis (MG)

Late teens to 20s

Irregular course which tends to generalize

Hereditary factors

20–40 years old

Right lower UC

Insidious onset

20–30 years old

Possible infectious etiology

Women 20–40 years old

More thymus abnormalities

50s—males

60s—females

Sporadic onset

>60–75 years old a second peak occurs

More often older women

Proctitis

Left-sided UC

Higher rates of anemia

May present as chronic diarrhea

Fistula development

Increased cases of associated malnutrition

Extraintestinal manifestations including: arthritis spondylitis, uveitis, and erythema nodosum

More comorbid conditions

May be confused with other forms of colitis

>50 years old

Increased mortality

Men—50–70 years old

Women—70 years old

Dysphonia

More frequent ocular form MG

Increased rate of AChR seropositivity

Source: Alkhawajah & Oger (2015); del Val (2011); Henseler & Christophers (1985); Louis & Dogu (2007); Montero-Odasso (2006); Shenoy, Maggioncalda, Malik, & Flowers (2011); Smith (2013); Smith, Kassab, Payne, & Beer (1993); Wester, Dunlop, Melby, Dahle, & Wyller (2013); Woon & Lim (2003); Živković, Clemens, & Lacomis (2012).

prevalence and incidence rates, risk factors, age of onset, and gender distribution. There are a number of conditions that are known or suggested to have a bimodal age of onset. In some conditions the difference is not only the decade(s) in life that the disease more likely presents but the dominance of the gender that the condition presents. Myasthenia gravis is one condition that tends to present initially in younger females, with a preponderance in older males (Alkhawajah & Oger, 2015).

Often the presentation of the same illness is different for older adults as compared to their younger counterparts. The onset of the condition may be acute versus progressive, with different symptomatology and clinical signs. For instance, in patients with late onset rheumatoid arthritis the joint involvement is more often in the larger joints such as the shoulder and they experience constitutional symptoms such as fever, malaise, weight loss, and depression (Evcik, 2013).

Knowledge of the bimodality of age onset of certain disease conditions will aid the advanced practice nurse in avoiding misdiagnosis or delay in diagnosis due to lack of recognition. Table 1-2 describes medical conditions that present differently in younger versus older adults.

CHRONIC ILLNESS AND FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY

Approximately 80% of those 65 or older have one chronic disease, and 50% have two or more. The most common of these are related to heart disease, arthritis, respiratory problems, cancer, diabetes, and stroke (U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services [USDHHS], Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2010). Treating patients with multimorbidities can be very complex and can result in polypharmacy. Patients with multimorbidities are known to have a treatment burden in terms of understanding and self-care management of their conditions. This burden entails not only patients managing the conditions but attending multiple appointments and comprehending and affording complex drug regimens (Wallace et al., 2015).

These conditions often impair functional capacity and limit the person’s ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) such as bathing and dressing, and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) such as managing medications and traveling. More than 25% of community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries report difficulties performing ADLs, and 14% report difficulties performing IADLs (USDHHS, Administration on Aging [AOA], 2010).

SUMMARY

■ Assessment and management of older adults is different from that of younger adults, and it is of critical importance that the advanced practice nurse working with the older adult has the knowledge, skill, and ability to recognize these differences and take them into consideration. This chapter highlighted how the approach of the clinician might be different based on an understanding of the physiological changes of aging and the impact of these changes on medication management and laboratory interpretation; how the presenting features of disease and illness may be different in the older adult; and how the older adult are disproportionately affected with chronic disease and functional impairments.

2

Health Promotion

The concept of health promotion includes activities to which an individual is committed and performs proactively to further his or her health and well-being. This includes not only preventive and health-protective measures but also actualization of one’s health potential. The broadest definition, identified by the World Health Organization (WHO), includes healthy lifestyle promotion, creation of supportive environments for health, community action, redirection of health services, and healthy public policy formulation. According to the WHO, by 2050 the world population of those over 60 years old will be at 22%, nearly double what it was in 2015 (WHO, Aging Facts, 2015). In its Global Strategy and Action Plan for Ageing and Health, the WHO identifies five priorities for member countries: 1) A commitment to healthy ageing; 2) synchronizing the needs of older persons and health systems; 3) designing age-friendly environments, 4) developing long-term care systems; and 5) research (WHO, 2017). Within the United States, there are several resources for healthy aging, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Health Promotion Web site on Healthy Aging (https://www. cdc.gov/aging/aginginfo/index.htm) and the American Geriatrics Society Health in Aging Web site geared to consumers (http://www.americangeriatrics.org/public).

These resources are available and contain measures that are within the scope of practice for the nurse practitioner (NP) to enhance the visibility of the role while advancing the needs of patients. NPs are in a unique and pivotal position to guide and encourage health-promotion programs and individual efforts. From our nursing background, we bring a holistic orientation to health and wellness, as well as knowledge of developmental tasks and the wellness–illness continuum. Our advanced practice education helps us diagnose and treat patients in a way that supports their return to optimal level of function and/or maximizes their coping abilities within the limits of their existing function. This particular blend of NP competencies is especially valuable in working with older patients. Heterogeneity increases with aging, presenting the NP with the challenge of individualizing health-promotion recommendations for each patient. Most of the literature on older adult health is devoted to treatment of frail older adults, those with geriatric syndromes and dementia (Friedman, Shah, & Hall, 2015). There is a need to develop programs and measure outcomes in promoting health in older adults.

Because older adults have only recently begun to participate in studies on health promotion (Bleijenberg et al., 2017) and because single-focused interventions for health promotion often do not “fit” with the interrelatedness of older adult health-promotion challenges, clear age-specific preventive health guidelines for the older population are scarce. Many disorders in older adults encompass multiple risk factors that involve several systems and interventions to achieve outcomes. This presents a challenge when measuring and synthesizing evidence and reporting outcomes (AGS Guide to Multimorbidity, 2012). Medicare will only pay for A and B level recommendations that meet the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) stringent evidence guidelines, leaving other beneficial interventions without coverage. Another confounding factor is the way that outcomes for screening are measured in terms of years of life saved. For older adults, quality of life or functional life is a more realistic goal (Friedman, Shah, & Hall, 2015).

The Healthy People 2020 program has also set specific objectives for prevention in older adults. These include increased use of the Welcome to Medicare visit, an increased percentage of older adults who are up to date on all preventive services, and decreased use of the emergency department for falls by older adults, among others. Because of the focus on chronic disease management and the complexities of multiple comorbidities in older adults, many primary health-care providers are not oriented toward the potential of healthy aging and discount the importance of health promotion in this age group (Friedman et al., 2015).

Current life expectancy is 78.8 years (CDC, National Center for Health Statistics [NCHS], 2017), with many people living to 100 years and beyond. It behooves us to focus on prevention and health promotion in our older patients to maximize the quality of these years. A collaborative plan should include consideration of the patient’s health beliefs and goals, present and anticipated levels of function, risks and benefits of proposed interventions, and effectiveness of specific preventive interventions for older adults. The Welcome to Medicare visit provides a good opportunity to focus solely on preventive services and health promotion; this is followed by the Medicare-supported annual prevention visit. Health-promotion activities should be incorporated into every patient encounter, as opposed to being addressed selectively, and should be

individualized to the patient. Recent efforts are being focused on partnering population-based, community-centered programs with personal health initiatives in older adults to make interventions more available and more economical, and to increase socialization opportunities and harness the power of group support.

PRIMARY, SECONDARY, AND TERTIARY PREVENTION

Preventive services are typically divided into the categories of primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary prevention refers to those activities undertaken to prevent the occurrence of a disease or adverse health condition, including mental health. Health counseling and immunization are examples of primary prevention.

Secondary prevention refers to those tasks directed toward detection of a disease or adverse health condition in an asymptomatic individual who has risk factors but no detectable disease. Screening tests are examples of secondary prevention. The screening test must detect the condition at a stage where it is treatable and a positive outcome is expected after treatment. Mammography for breast cancer screening is an example of secondary prevention.

Tertiary prevention refers to management of existing conditions to prevent disability and minimize complications, striving for optimal level of function and quality of life. Pulmonary rehabilitation for a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patient is an example of tertiary prevention.

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE COUNSELING

The Welcome to Medicare visit (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, 2011) provides an ideal opportunity for healthy lifestyle counseling. In addition to a thorough history (including some risk assessment, physical activity, diet, and tobacco and alcohol use), home safety and depression assessment are included. The Medicare MedLearn network has a link to guide providers covering all areas (www.cms.gov/ Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/ MLNProducts/downloads//MPS_QRI_IPPE001a.pdf ). Healthy lifestyle counseling should be addressed at each visit, using brief motivational interviewing (Lee, Choi, Royce, Yum, & Chair, 2016; Moral et al., 2015; Purath, Keck, & Fitzgerald, 2014).

Physical Activity

Older adults are the least active age group, although recent trends show an increase in physical activity in older adults. The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association issued updated recommendations for physical activity in all adults, with additional recommendations tailored to adults over age 65 and adults aged 50 to 64 with chronic conditions that are clinically significant or result in functional limitations (Nelson et al., 2007). Counseling on physical activity should include any type of activity that the patient is able and willing to do. The health benefits of regular physical activity are well documented and include

flexibility, increased muscle mass, maintenance of desirable weight, decreased insulin resistance, decreased peripheral vascular resistance, lower blood pressure, and a sense of well-being. Whenever possible, the components of aerobic activity (low to moderate), flexibility, balance, and strengthening (weight training) should be included, and the physical activity prescription should be individualized to the patient. Active hobbies, such as gardening, golfing, tennis, dancing, bowling, hiking, and swimming, are beneficial. Tai chi and yoga are helpful for stretching and balance. Frail older adults or older adults with impaired mobility can benefit from armchair exercises and modified ambulation.

A recent study showed a decrease in risk of death in older adults with multiple morbidities who engaged in regular physical activity (Martinez-Gomez, Guallar-Castillon, Garcia-Esquinas, Bandinelli, & Rodriguez-Artalejo, 2017). Patients need to be reassured that expensive equipment or fitness memberships are not necessary to increase physical activity; motivation is the key. There are also many community exercise programs targeted to older adults, as well as Web sites that can be shared if the patient has access to the Internet; these include Exercise is Medicine, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the National Council on Aging (NCOA), and the National Institute on Aging (NIA). Many programs are now targeting exercise and brain health to prevent cognitive decline. Several government and community group programs have handouts for patients.

Before embarking on an exercise program, all patients should have an evaluation of health history, including medications, present physical activity and functional level, potential barriers to exercise, and a physical examination. Older adults with known or suspected cardiac risk factors should have a stress test before engaging in vigorous exercise. All participants should be reminded of the need for adequate hydration and use of caution during extreme weather conditions.

Nutrition

The heterogeneity of older adults is evident in the wide range of nutritional issues affecting them. Before initiating counseling on diet, obtain baseline information on current dietary intake and activity pattern, and combine this with height and weight data and other health status information. For patients in the long-term care setting, this information is obtained easily from chart documentation. For community-dwelling older adults, a brief nutrition screening tool such as the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) can be helpful. The abbreviated MNA consists of six questions, and there is a patient self-questionnaire that can be downloaded or mailed in advance of the visit. The MNA Web site contains a section on tools for clinicians, including a user guide and streaming video (www.mna-elderly.com/tools_for_clinicians.html). It is available in multiple languages as well.

The importance of a healthy, balanced diet to the overall health of older adults cannot be overemphasized. Chronic illness and disability can interfere with the activities of daily living such as shopping or preparing meals. Financial hardship can limit food choices. Prescribed medications can affect absorption of nutrients, sense of taste, or appetite. Depression or social isolation can contribute to poor nutrition. Another problem commonly seen in community-dwelling older adults is obesity. Close to one-half of U.S. older adults are overweight

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