Question

A nurse is teaching an older adult client about nutritional recommendations. Which of the following statements should the nurse make?

A.) you should increase your daily calorie intake

B.) you should increase your daily protein intake

C.) You receive an adequate amount of calcium from your diet, so a supplement is not recommended.

D.) You receive an adequate amount of vitamin D from sun exposure, so it is not necessary to take a supplement.

Answer 1

The nurse should inform the older adult client that they receive an adequate amount of calcium from their diet, so a supplement is not recommended. However, the nurse should also emphasize the importance of vitamin D for calcium absorption and bone health.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer:

The nurse should make the following statement:

B.) You receive an adequate amount of calcium from your diet, so a supplement is not recommended.

Calcium is a critical component of bone health, and the body cannot make calcium, so it must be obtained from the diet. However, intake of vitamin D is also critical to bone health because calcium cannot be absorbed from the small intestine without vitamin D. The action of sunlight on the skin triggers the body to produce its own vitamin D, but many older adults, especially those with darker complexion or living in northern latitudes, may be deficient in vitamin D and may need a supplement prescribed by a doctor. Therefore, option C is the correct statement for the nurse to make.