Senior Care Nutrition and Hydration 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is a sign of malnutrition in a senior resident?
- Weight gain over the past month
- Unintended weight loss, muscle wasting, and poor wound healing (Correct answer)
- Increased energy and appetite
- Improved skin turgor and hair quality
Correct answer: Unintended weight loss, muscle wasting, and poor wound healing
Unintended weight loss, muscle wasting, and poor wound healing are classic clinical signs of malnutrition.
Question 2: A resident on a low-sodium diet asks for extra salt on their food. How should the caregiver respond?
- Provide the salt since it is the resident's preference
- Explain the dietary restriction and notify the nurse or dietitian if the resident is dissatisfied (Correct answer)
- Ignore the request without explanation
- Add a small amount and do not document it
Correct answer: Explain the dietary restriction and notify the nurse or dietitian if the resident is dissatisfied
The resident should be informed of the dietary restriction, and persistent dissatisfaction should be reported to the clinical team.
Question 3: What does BMI (Body Mass Index) measure, and what is considered overweight for adults?
- Muscle mass; overweight is BMI above 20
- A weight-to-height ratio; overweight is BMI 25–29.9 (Correct answer)
- Total body water; overweight is BMI above 30
- Bone density; overweight is not measured by BMI
Correct answer: A weight-to-height ratio; overweight is BMI 25–29.9
BMI is a weight-to-height ratio; a BMI of 25–29.9 is classified as overweight in adults.
Question 4: Which condition makes it especially important to monitor a senior's fluid intake carefully?
- Mild arthritis
- Congestive heart failure (CHF) (Correct answer)
- Seasonal allergies
- Mild anemia
Correct answer: Congestive heart failure (CHF)
In CHF, the heart cannot pump efficiently, so excess fluid leads to dangerous fluid retention and must be carefully limited.
Question 5: What is dysphagia?
- A condition causing excessive hunger
- Difficulty or discomfort in swallowing (Correct answer)
- A type of nutritional deficiency
- An inability to digest fats
Correct answer: Difficulty or discomfort in swallowing
Dysphagia is a medical term for difficulty swallowing, which increases the risk of aspiration and malnutrition in seniors.
Question 6: Which is a warning sign of aspiration during a meal that should be reported immediately?
- Resident eats slowly
- Resident coughs repeatedly, chokes, or has a wet/gurgly voice during or after eating (Correct answer)
- Resident prefers soft foods
- Resident drinks water between bites
Correct answer: Resident coughs repeatedly, chokes, or has a wet/gurgly voice during or after eating
Coughing, choking, or a gurgly voice during eating are signs of aspiration and require immediate intervention.
Senior Care Nutrition and Hydration 2
Which of the following is a sign of malnutrition in a senior resident?