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Question

Difficulty: EasyAging Process

A nurse is performing a health screening for a 72-year-old client at a local community center. Which assessment finding should the nurse identify as an expected physiological change of the aging process?

  1. Decreased subcutaneous tissue and thinning of the skinAnswer
  2. B
    New onset of urinary incontinence
  3. C
    Sudden confusion and disorientation to surroundings
  4. D
    A sustained resting heart rate of 115 beats per minute

Answer

Decreased subcutaneous tissue and thinning of the skin
As the body ages, there is a natural loss of subcutaneous fat and the epidermis thins. These structural changes can lead to increased sensitivity to cold and skin fragility. This is an expected, normal physiological adaptation associated with the aging process.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the client's age and the clinical setting.
The client is a 72-year-old older adult presenting for a routine health screening.
Establishes the baseline expectation that the nurse is looking for normal, age-related physiological changes rather than signs of an acute emergency.
2
Evaluate each option to differentiate between expected aging adaptations and pathological findings.
Loss of subcutaneous fat is a normal aging change. Incontinence, sudden confusion, and tachycardia are pathological findings.
Accurate clinical judgment requires the nurse to recognize when a symptom indicates an acute illness versus a normal developmental change.

Key Concept

Normal Physiological Changes of Aging
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Topics

Aging Process

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