Which statement is NOT a risk factor for infection in older adults?

Which statement is NOT a risk factor for infection in older adults?

• A. Skin becomes less elastic and oil glands less productive, leading to dryness and thinning skin.
• B. Bones become more brittle.
• C. Improved urinary elimination function.
• D. Older adults are at risk for dehydration and malnutrition.

Answer: (C)

In older adults, infection risk rises when the body's defenses are weakened and protective barriers are impaired. Dry, thinning skin reduces the barrier against pathogens, making it easier for microbes to enter. Dehydration and malnutrition weaken immune responses and slow healing, increasing vulnerability to infections. Urinary problems and related factors can raise the risk of urinary tract infections, which are common in the elderly. Having improved urinary elimination function would not increase infection risk; it would help protect against UTIs, so it is not a risk factor. Bones becoming more brittle is an aging change that doesn’t directly cause infection, though it can contribute to frailty and immobility, which can indirectly raise infection risk.

In older adults, infection risk rises when the body's defenses are weakened and protective barriers are impaired. Dry, thinning skin reduces the barrier against pathogens, making it easier for microbes to enter. Dehydration and malnutrition weaken immune responses and slow healing, increasing vulnerability to infections. Urinary problems and related factors can raise the risk of urinary tract infections, which are common in the elderly.

Having improved urinary elimination function would not increase infection risk; it would help protect against UTIs, so it is not a risk factor. Bones becoming more brittle is an aging change that doesn’t directly cause infection, though it can contribute to frailty and immobility, which can indirectly raise infection risk.