A community health nurse is providing teaching to the family of a client who has dementia. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse tell the family to expect?

A. "Why are you feeling so down?"

This response could come across as confrontational or invasive, potentially making the client feel uncomfortable. The client has already expressed their desire not to talk at the moment, so pushing for an explanation may not be well-received.

B. "I’ll just sit here with you for a few minutes then."

Explanation:

This response shows empathy and support without pushing the client to talk or sharing personal experiences. It respects the client's desire for space and acknowledges their emotions without being intrusive. It provides a calming and non-intrusive presence, giving the client the option to open up if and when they are ready.

C. "I understand. I've felt like that before, too."

While sharing personal experiences can sometimes be helpful, in this context, it might inadvertently shift the focus from the client's emotions to the nurse's experiences. It's important to keep the focus on the client and their feelings.

D. "It might help you feel better if you talk about it."

Suggesting that talking might help is well-intentioned, but it might pressure the client into discussing their feelings when they have clearly stated their preference not to at that moment. The client's autonomy and comfort should be respected.

A) Decreased display of emotions:

While changes in emotional expression can occur in individuals with dementia, it's not a primary manifestation that is typically emphasized when educating families. Behavioral and psychological symptoms, including changes in emotion and personality, can be seen in dementia, but forgetfulness progressing to disorientation is a more direct and characteristic symptom of the condition.

B) Forgetfulness gradually progressing to disorientation

Explanation:

When educating the family of a client with dementia, the nurse should inform them to expect forgetfulness that gradually progresses to disorientation. Dementia is a progressive cognitive decline that affects memory, thinking, and reasoning. Forgetfulness is often one of the initial symptoms of dementia, and as the condition advances, individuals can become disoriented to time, place, and even people. This progression occurs due to the degeneration of brain cells and the accumulation of abnormal proteins.

C) Personality traits that are opposite of original traits:

Changes in personality traits can indeed occur as a result of dementia, but this may not be the most prominent or early manifestation that the nurse would want to highlight when educating the family. The gradual progression of forgetfulness leading to disorientation is a more specific and foundational aspect of dementia.

D) Decreased auditory and visual acuity:

Decreased sensory acuity, such as auditory and visual acuity, can happen with age and various health conditions, but they are not primary manifestations of dementia. Dementia primarily affects cognitive functions like memory, thinking, and reasoning.