A patient is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease looks confused when the phone rings and cannot recall many common household objects by name, such as a pencil or glass. The nurse can document this loss of function as which of the following?

Reasoning: Choice A reason: Aphasia refers specifically to a disturbance in the formulation and comprehension of language. While the patient in the stem cannot name the objects, the primary deficit described is a failure of recognition and identification of sensory stimuli, which is a broader cognitive impairment than just language. Choice B reason: Apraxia is the inability to perform purposeful, learned motor movements despite having the physical ability and desire to do so. An example would be a patient who knows what a toothbrush is but can no longer coordinate the physical motions required to brush their own teeth. Choice C reason: Anhedonia is a psychological symptom commonly seen in depression, characterized by a loss of interest or pleasure in previously enjoyable activities. It is an emotional and affective deficit rather than a cognitive or sensory-perceptual impairment involving the identification of physical household objects in the environment. Choice D reason: Agnosia is the clinical term for the inability to recognize or identify familiar objects, people, or sounds despite intact sensory functions. Failing to recognize the sound of a ringing phone or the identity of a pencil is a classic manifestation of cortical sensory processing failure in dementia.