A nurse is caring for a client who has Alzheimer's disease and is having difficulty with multitasking. Which of the following cognitive deficits is the client experiencing?

Choice A reason: Perceptual-motor deficits involve difficulties with visual perception and motor coordination, such as recognizing objects or performing coordinated movements. While these deficits can occur in later stages of Alzheimer’s disease, they do not primarily affect the ability to multitask or manage multiple goals simultaneously. Choice B reason: Learning and memory deficits are a core feature of Alzheimer’s disease and involve difficulty acquiring new information or recalling previously learned information. Although memory impairment is prominent, difficulty with multitasking specifically reflects impaired planning and organization rather than memory alone. Choice C reason: Executive function involves higher-order cognitive processes such as planning, organizing, problem-solving, decision-making, and multitasking. Difficulty managing more than one task at a time is a classic manifestation of impaired executive function, making this the most accurate answer. Choice D reason: Complex attention refers to the ability to sustain attention, divide attention, and process information quickly. While attention deficits may occur, multitasking difficulties in Alzheimer’s disease are more directly linked to impaired executive functioning rather than attention alone.