Question

You are caring for an elderly patient who cannot tell you her name. The patient's son says she is normally alert and fully capable of telling someone who she is. This change in condition is called:

MCQ Options:
a. Dementia
b. Amnesia
c. Aphasia
d. Delirium

Answer 1

The sudden change in the mental status of an elderly patient who is normally alert but now can't recall her name is known as delirium, which necessitates immediate medical attention.

Step-by-step explanation:

You are caring for an elderly patient who cannot tell you her name, and according to her son, this change in condition where she is normally alert and fully capable of telling someone who she is now unable to do so is called delirium. Delirium is an acute confusional state that is characterized by an abrupt change in the brain that causes mental confusion and emotional disruption. It is different from dementia, which is a slow, progressive decline in cognitive function, and aphasia, which is a condition marked by the inability to speak or understand language despite mental clarity, or amnesia which generally involves memory loss. This sudden change in mental status can be caused by a variety of factors, including infections, medications, surgery, or other changes in the physical health of the patient. An elderly patient who experiences a sudden change in mental status such as inability to recall their own name when they are usually capable should receive immediate medical evaluation as it might indicate a serious and potentially reversible condition.