Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Anticipatory grieving involves preparing emotionally for the upcoming loss. The patient may begin to focus on caregiving and emotional preparation. Agreeing to care for the spouse with assistance reflects an adaptive coping mechanism during this period.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The rationale for using atropine 5 mg IM prior to ECT is to protect against vagal bradycardia, not to improve the scope of convulsive activity, reduce the need for recovery room staff, or prevent incontinence of bladder and bowel. Atropine is a muscarinic antagonist that blocks the effects of acetylcholine on muscarinic receptors, leading to an increase in heart rate and protection against bradycardia that can occur during ECT.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Aging causes decreased renal and hepatic function, leading to slower metabolism and clearance of drugs, making older adults more vulnerable to drug toxicity and side effects. Other options, such as accelerated gastrointestinal function, are incorrect as GI motility often slows with age.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The patient's behavior of smiling and remaining in control while refusing support from friends, despite attending a service memorializing his wife's death, is indicative of distorted grief. In distorted grief, individuals may show seemingly inappropriate reactions or behaviors that do not align with the typical grieving process. The patient's avoidance of accepting support and expression of excessive self-reliance in the face of a significant loss suggest a distorted way of coping with grief. In normal grief, individuals may experience a range of emotions and accept support from others as they navigate through the grieving process.

Correct Answer: B, C

Rationale: he immunologic theory of aging suggests that aging is associated with increased autoimmunity. Conditions like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Graves’ disease reflect immune dysfunction.