A 65-year-old female is brought to the clinic by her son. He reports that his mother has had a gradual but progressive worsening in behavior over the...

A 65-year-old female is brought to the clinic by her son. He reports that his mother has had a gradual but progressive worsening in behavior over the last 6 months. She has a past medical history of congestive heart failure, but she has been socially active and able to maintain her home without much help from family. She is taking digoxin daily; her digoxin level is normal. Her son states that lately, "she doesn't keep the house clean and most days she isn't dressing herself." When he mentions bathing, she protests that she does not need a bath. She has had some weight loss and her clothes are becoming too large. She has not been cooking or attending her weekly bridge game as before. 

1.    What questions could the nurse ask the patient to clarify symptoms? 

3. What tool could the nurse use to evaluate her mental status, include rationale?

4. Develop a problem list with a priority differential/working diagnosis for this patient.