Reference no: EM131686880

A 76-year-old female client visits the clinic and tells the nurse about not feeling well for the last 2 weeks. The nurse observes that the client's speech is low; she has an unkempt appearance and maintains poor eye contact with the nurse. The nurse asks her to clarify what she means by not feeling well. The client states "I feel like I am losing my mind. Since my husband died a year ago, I can't seem to remember anything. I lose my keys and wallet all of the time. The other day, I even forgot how to get home from the supermarket. My neighbor saw me walking around aimlessly and came over to me. I was a block from home. I am getting worried that something may be wrong." The nurse questions her further regarding her daily activities and learns that she lives alone and hardly goes out. Her son and daughter live out of state, and she doesn't see them often, although they talk on the phone every week. The client's medical and surgical history is negative for medical conditions or surgeries. She appears thin and frail. Her last visit for a medical exam was 3 years ago.

Questions:

a. Based on the information provided by the client and the nurse's assessment, what further assessment should the nurse conduct?

b. Based on the data from the interview and the physical and mental assessment, formulate a plan of care for this client.