An older adult client who cares for her husband at home has just learned that she needs to have knee replacement surgery. She tells the nurse she is concerned about her inability to provide care to her husband while she recovers from surgery and attends physical therapy. She has a friend who can drive her to and from her appointments once she is discharged, but cannot provide the care her husband needs. How should the nurse respond to the client?

Choice A reason: Recommending that the client's family return to the area to help provide assistance is not always feasible and may place undue stress on the family. It is also not a sustainable long-term solution. Choice B reason: A case management evaluation of the client's home environment focuses on the client's physical safety (e.g., rugs, stairs). While important, it does not solve the immediate problem of who will provide the labor-intensive care for her husband. Choice C reason: Respite care is a specific service designed to provide short-term relief for primary caregivers. It allows the husband to be cared for in a safe environment while the wife undergoes surgery and initial rehabilitation. Social workers and social service departments are specialized in identifying community resources, verifying insurance coverage for temporary placements, and coordinating the logistics of short-term care. If the husband's care is not secured, the client may delay her own surgery or overexert herself during recovery, leading to surgical complications or a failed knee replacement. Choice D reason: Telling her to consider hiring a private nurse during the postoperative convalescence may be helpful, but it can be costly and may not be necessary if other support systems are in place. It should be discussed as part of the case management evaluation.