Needing assistance with daily living activities, an older adult with t

Needing assistance with daily living activities, an older adult with two grown children is being discharged home. Although both children live nearby, the daughter is expressing concern about handling her parent’s physical needs.

The nurse’s initial response is to:
1. Work with the family on delegating responsibility
2. Suggest short-term nursing home placement to the client
3. Arrange for the client to remain hospitalized in the medical center
4. Make decisions for the family on how to manage the care at home

ANSWER

ANS: 1
The nurse must consider caregiver strain and work with the family on delegating responsibility. Nursing home placement should not be the nurse’s initial response to caregiver strain. Arranging for the client to remain in the medical center is not always feasible and does not address the problem of caregiver strain. It should not be the nurse’s initial response in this situation. The nurse should not make decisions for the family, but rather work with the family to problem solve.