Geriatric Nutrition Care plan Plz Help

[Noni07]

hello everyone!!!

i am new to this site and amazed by it!! i am in awe with everything and i am sooo glad i found this site!!! i am currently taking my first semester in the nursing program. i have always wanted to be a nurse and can't wait to further on the process!! i have never experienced an overwhelming semester such as this! at times the negative stressors kick in :) but 6 weeks left and all the stress is worth is i was needing help with my care plan if anyone can help me it would be much appreciated!!!

the scenario: 81 yr old widower who lives alone and is increasingly confused and self-neglected. since his wife dies 5 yrs ago he has continued to care for himself, driving out to local shops and maintaining himself with some supplies delivered. the house is neglected and dirty; he has had a weight loss of 10 lbs over 3 mo.; he is somewhat sob and he smells of urine. his only complaint is continuous back pain. he does not wish to see a doctor.

i have figured out the correct diagnosis that the instructor want which is imbalanced nutrition: less than body requirements but can the r/t be psycholoial factors as evidence of weigh loss of 10 lbs in a over 3mo. period.

i don't really like this dx because the scenario she gives us only has one major data on his weight loss. i do not know if the client is underweight or is overweight so the weight loss can be good. and if it is ok i would want to go with health maintenance instead...but she wants the imbalanced nutrition...i am having a lot of trouble w/ the r/t as well as a measureable outcome...

can the outcome criteria be patient will gain balanced nutrition by weighing body weight at the same time and with same cloths every day

anticipating your feedback!! thank-you all

confused nursing student :):nurse:i:coollook:

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

r/t impaired mental status.

And do you have labs to look at? Increasing confusion in the elderly is often a sign of a urinary tract infection (UTI), as is back pain.

[Noni07]

thnks for your help!! this instructor is very particular...i love my instructors buut this one really holds us back a lot...she wants us to diagnose the pt with imbalanced nutrition: less than body requirements but looking @ the r/t factos in the book such as: Biological factors; economic factos; inability to abosorb nutrients; inablity to digest food; inabilty to ingest food; and psychological factors I feel we do not have enough information in that little scenario she gave us.

No lab values were given..I was thinking Health Maintenence for the UTI for that reason as well..So being that we hve to pick that Dx to get full credit from the Dx section what r/t factor would be the best? The defining characteristics in the book do not truely relate to the scenario as well:uhoh3: