Final answer:
True. Functional decline does have a correlation to the incidence of hospital acquired pressure ulcers in older adults.
Step-by-step explanation:
True or False: Functional decline has a correlation to the incidence of hospital acquired pressure ulcers in older adults in the acute care setting.
The statement is true. Functional decline, which refers to a decrease in a person's ability to perform activities of daily living, has a correlation to the incidence of hospital acquired pressure ulcers in older adults. When older adults experience functional decline and are unable to move or reposition themselves, they are at a higher risk of developing pressure ulcers due to constant, long-term, unrelieved pressure on bony areas of the body.
This correlation is supported by the fact that pressure ulcers are most common in elderly patients who have debilitating conditions that cause them to be immobile. In order to prevent the incidence of pressure ulcers, hospitals and long-term care facilities often have protocols in place to frequently turn and reposition immobile patients.