The client is a 70-year-old female training for a triathlon. She was hit by a car while jogging and has an abrasion that is 25 cm by 12 cm on her right leg and a liver laceration. She underwent an exploratory laparotomy to repair the liver laceration and to search for other internal injuries. The client has no chronic medical conditions and is in good health. She takes a calcium and magnesium supplement daily. She denies smoking or drinking alcohol. What age-related factors may factor into this client's wound healing? Select all that apply.
Explanation & Rationale
The age-related factors that may factor into this client's wound healing are: Decreased epidermal turnover: As people age, the turnover of skin cells decreases, resulting in slower wound healing. This can prolong the healing process and increase the risk of complications. T-cell function decrease: The immune system's function, including T-cell function, tends to decline with age. T-cells play a crucial role in the immune response and wound healing. Decreased T-cell function can impair the body's ability to fight infection and promote efficient healing. Insulin resistance and pigmentation changes are not directly age-related factors that impact wound healing. Insulin resistance is a condition related to impaired glucose metabolism and can affect wound healing in individuals with diabetes or other metabolic disorders, but it is not necessarily an age-related factor. Pigmentation changes are primarily cosmetic and do not directly affect the physiological processes involved in wound healing.