Final answer:
An older adult is most likely to require a longer period of care postoperatively due to slower recovery rates and potential underlying health issues.
Step-by-step explanation:
The home health nurse assessing a caseload of postoperative clients will most likely find that D) An older adult would require a longer period of care. This is because older adults generally have a slower recovery rate due to age-related physiological changes. They may have reduced skin elasticity, decreased bone density, impaired immune function, and possibly underlying chronic conditions that can complicate healing and require more time for rehabilitation. In contrast, an infant, young adult, and middle adult are likely to have more robust healing responses and may recover at a quicker rate from surgery.