Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC, an Ascend Learning Company Case 1: Arnold, a 62-year-old plumber, had been experiencing a series of symptoms, including increased thirst, frequent urination, and unusual weight loss. After some prodding from his wife, he went to see his family physician, Dr. Lopez. The doctor gave him a physical exam, ordered some blood work, and scheduled a follow-up appointment. On the return visit, Arnold sat down with the doctor to discuss his diagnosis. Dr. Lopez explained, “You have noninsulin-dependent diabetes or type 2 diabetes, which is a chronic condition that affects the way your body metabolizes glucose. Insulin is a pancreatic hormone that transforms dietary glucose into energy for your cells. If you had type 1 diabetes, it would mean that your pancreas produces little or no insulin. However, with type 2 diabetes, your pancreas produc- es sufficient amounts of insulin, but your cells are no longer utilizing it efficiently, which causes fluctuation in your blood glucose levels. To treat your condition, you’ll need to start eating a healthy diet, start exercising regularly, and monitor your blood sugar. I’m writing you a prescription for Metformin and a glucose monitor.” After finishing his explanation, Dr. Lopez asked Arnold if he had any questions. Slightly stunned, Arnold just shook his head and replied, “No.” Dr. Lopez also told him that his practice has a diabetes fact sheet posted on their website and suggested that he look it up and read it. Arnold thanked him and left. He went to the pharmacy to have his prescription filled and also bought a bottle of glucosamine, a dietary supplement used by some people to treat joint pain. When his wife asked what the glucosamine was for, Arnold said, “I think I’m supposed to be taking it. The doctor mentioned it a few times.” 1. What are some reasons why Arnold likely did not understand what Dr. Lopez told him? 2. What could Dr. Lopez have done to better present the information in a way that Arnold would understand? 3. Was it a good idea for Dr. Lopez to refer Arnold to his practice’s website for more information? Why or why not? Case 2: Dr. Falk and Dr. Keller operate a family medical practice. One afternoon, as they ate lunch in the break room, they discussed an article about health literacy that Dr. Falk was reading in a national news magazine. “There’s been a growing trend toward healthcare or- ganizations becoming health literate,” Dr. Keller said. “The statistics are pretty surprising,” Dr. Falk replied. “More than half of the people surveyed had only basic or below basic health literacy skills.” “Do you think it’s something we should look into at our practice?” Dr. Keller asked. “I think we should,” Dr. Falk replied. While they were talking, Amanda, the office manager, and Jean, one of the nurses, came into the break room to get some coffee. They overheard what the doctors were discussing, and Amanda asked Jean, “What.

1. Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC, an
Ascend Learning Company
Case 1: Arnold, a 62-year-old plumber, had been experiencing a
series of symptoms, including increased thirst, frequent
urination, and
unusual weight loss. After some prodding from his wife, he
went to see his family physician, Dr. Lopez. The doctor gave
him a physical
exam, ordered some blood work, and scheduled a follow-up
appointment. On the return visit, Arnold sat down with the
doctor to discuss
his diagnosis. Dr. Lopez explained, “You have noninsulin-
dependent diabetes or type 2 diabetes, which is a chronic
condition that affects
the way your body metabolizes glucose. Insulin is a pancreatic
hormone that transforms dietary glucose into energy for your
cells. If you
had type 1 diabetes, it would mean that your pancreas produces
little or no insulin. However, with type 2 diabetes, your
pancreas produc-
es sufficient amounts of insulin, but your cells are no longer
utilizing it efficiently, which causes fluctuation in your blood
glucose levels. To
treat your condition, you’ll need to start eating a healthy diet,
start exercising regularly, and monitor your blood sugar. I’m
writing you a
prescription for Metformin and a glucose monitor.” After
finishing his explanation, Dr. Lopez asked Arnold if he had any
questions. Slightly
stunned, Arnold just shook his head and replied, “No.” Dr.
Lopez also told him that his practice has a diabetes fact sheet

2. posted on their
website and suggested that he look it up and read it. Arnold
thanked him and left. He went to the pharmacy to have his
prescription filled
and also bought a bottle of glucosamine, a dietary supplement
used by some people to treat joint pain. When his wife asked
what the
glucosamine was for, Arnold said, “I think I’m supposed to be
taking it. The doctor mentioned it a few times.”
1. What are some reasons why Arnold likely did not understand
what Dr. Lopez told him?
2. What could Dr. Lopez have done to better present the
information in a way that Arnold would understand?
3. Was it a good idea for Dr. Lopez to refer Arnold to his
practice’s website for more information? Why or why not?
Case 2: Dr. Falk and Dr. Keller operate a family medical
practice. One afternoon, as they ate lunch in the break room,
they discussed an
article about health literacy that Dr. Falk was reading in a
national news magazine. “There’s been a growing trend toward
healthcare or-
ganizations becoming health literate,” Dr. Keller said. “The
statistics are pretty surprising,” Dr. Falk replied. “More than
half of the people
surveyed had only basic or below basic health literacy skills.”
“Do you think it’s something we should look into at our

3. practice?” Dr. Keller
asked. “I think we should,” Dr. Falk replied. While they were
talking, Amanda, the office manager, and Jean, one of the
nurses, came
into the break room to get some coffee. They overheard what
the doctors were discussing, and Amanda asked Jean, “What
does health
literacy mean?” Jean answered, “I think it refers to
understanding your own health and knowing what you need to
do to stay healthy.”
Gerontology for the Health Care Professional, Fourth Edition
Regula H. Robnett, Nancy Brossoie, and Walter C. Chop
CHAPTER 5
CASE STUDIES
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC, an
Ascend Learning Company
Gerontology for the Health Care Professional, Fourth Edition
Regula H. Robnett, Nancy Brossoie, and Walter C. Chop
1. Is Jean’s explanation of health literacy accurate? Why or why
not?
2. Do you agree that Dr. Falk and Dr. Keller should address the
issue of health literacy in their practice? Why or why not?
3. What are some resources that Dr. Falk and Dr. Keller can use
to improve the level of health literacy at their practice?

4. Case Studies_1: Case Studies_2: Case Studies_3: Case
Studies_4: Case Studies_5: Case Studies_6:
Learn
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
Due Week 9, worth 200 points
Business managers use written communication every day.
Opportunities for
written communication in the business world include everything
from reports,
memos, and documentation to emails, instant messaging, and
social media.
Effective written communication can help build and grow
business relation-
ships, accelerate results, solicit input and feedback, and rally
personnel toward
shared goals. Your ability to write messages that are clear and
concise, while
positioned strategically and presented professionally, will
distinguish you
in your field.
In this assignment, you will develop a written communication
for the challenge
or opportunity scenario you have identified. The written
message needed to
fulfill this assignment will depend on your scenario.
INSTRUCTIONS
Compose a written communication based on your Strategic
Communications Plan.

5. WEEK 1
IT’S A DIGITAL WORLD
ASSIGNMENT 2
PART 1
1. Develop Your Written Communication
a) State your key message clearly
i. Do not “bury the headline” — the main point should be
presented directly
ii. Your key message must be clear and concise
b) Provide the necessary information and build credibility
i. Provide an appropriate amount of background
information for the audience, given the type of
communication
ii. Get to the point without unnecessary verbiage
iii. Build your position as an expert or trusted colleague
c) Support your key message with three or four supporting
points/reasons
i. Supporting points should be appropriate for the context
and needs of the audience
ii. Reasons should be compelling and relevant
d) Employ either the Consult/Join or Tell/Sell techniques
e) Clearly relay to the audience an actionable request
2. Write Professionally
a) Communication should be clear and concise
b) Communication should build logically
c) Sentences should flow smoothly, using appropriate
transitions and varying sentence structure
d) Employ appropriate formatting for ease of reading and
clarity
of message (headers, bullet points, etc.)
3. Demonstrate Professional Presence

6. a) Be authentic and genuine in your communication
b) Use the appropriate tone and vocabulary for your audience
c) Establish rapport to connect with your audience and
grow the relationship
PART 2
4. Channel and Style
a) Explain why you chose the specific channel you used for the
written communication
b) Explain what style you employed in your written
communication
and why (Sell/Tell or Consult/Join)
5. Use Feedback to Refine Your Communication
a) Describe or list the feedback you received on your written
communication from the week 5 Discussion Board
b) Explain how you used the feedback to revise and
improve your message
This course requires use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS).
The format is
different than other Strayer University courses. Please take a
moment to review
the SWS documentation for details.
1. Develop Your
Written
Communication

7. Weight: 25%
The author
does not
include or
does not state
clearly and
concisely, the
key message.
The author
does not offer
or offers
insufficient
support for
the key mes-
sage.
The author
does not
provide all
necessary
information or
fails to build
credibility.
The request
made of the
audience is
unclear, or
action cannot
be taken
based on the
communica-
tion.
The author’s
key message
is reasonably

8. clear and
concise, and
offers one or
two support-
ing reasons. A
minimal
amount of
necessary
information is
provided.
Some attempt
has been
made to build
credibility.
The request
made of the
audience is
fairly clear, but
may not be
actionable.
The author’s
key message
is sufficiently
clear and
concise, and
three or four
supporting
reasons are
sufficiently
compelling,
appropriate,
and relevant.
The author
provides a
moderate

9. amount of
necessary
information
and makes a
reasonable
attempt to
build credibili-
ty.
The request
made of the
audience is
sufficiently
clear and is
actionable.
The author’s
key message
is clear and
concise. Three
or four sup-
porting
reasons are
compelling,
appropriate,
and relevant.
All necessary
information
has been
provided and
successfully
builds
credibility.
The request
made of the
audience is
thoroughly

10. clear and
easily
actionable.
POINTS: 200
Criteria
Unacceptable
Below 70% F
Fair
70-79% C
Proficient
80-89% B
Exemplary
90-100% A
ASSIGNMENT 2: WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
The written
communica-
tion is not
satisfactorily
professional.
It is unclear
and/or not
concise, and is
presented in
an illogical
order. Sen-
tences do not
flow easily

11. throughout the
document.
Insufficient
formatting has
been used to
make the
document
easier to read
and under-
stand and
business
formatting
standards are
not imple-
mented.
The written
communica-
tion is some-
what profes-
sional. It is
fairly clear
and/or con-
cise, and is
presented in a
fairly logical
order. Sen-
tences flow
easily through-
out some of
the document.
Formatting
has been used
to make the
document
easier to read

12. and under-
stand, but the
formatting is
applied incon-
sistently and
does not
consistently
use best prac-
tices for the
type of busi-
ness writing
that it is.
The written
communica-
tion is profes-
sional. It is
mostly clear
and/or con-
cise, and is
presented in a
mostly logical
order. Sen-
tences flow
easily through-
out most of
the document.
Formatting
techniques are
mostly consis-
tent and
aligned with
best practices
for the type of
business
writing and

13. help the
reader quickly
understand
the message.
The written
communica-
tion is highly
professional.
It is complete-
ly clear and/or
concise, and is
presented in a
thoroughly
logical order.
Sentences
flow easily
throughout the
entire docu-
ment.
Formatting
techniques are
consistent
throughout,
utilize best
practices for
the type of
business
writing, and
help the
reader quickly
understand
the message.
2. Write
Professionally

14. Weight: 20%
Does not
demonstrate,
or demon-
strates incom-
pletely, a level
of profession-
al presence.
The written
communica-
tion lacks an
authentic
voice, uses an
inappropriate
tone for the
type of com-
munication,
and contains
inappropriate
vocabulary in
context. Docu-
ment does not
help to build
confidence in
the author
while main-
taining clarity
for the
audience.
Demonstrates
a passable
level of profes-

15. sional pres-
ence.
The written
communica-
tion has a
fairly authen-
tic voice, uses
a somewhat
appropriate
professional
tone for the
type of com-
munication,
and employs
contextually
appropriate
vocabulary
that attempts
to build confi-
dence in the
author while
maintaining
clarity for the
audience.
Demonstrates
a moderate
level of profes-
sional pres-
ence.
The written
communica-
tion has an
adequately
authentic
voice, uses a

16. mostly appro-
priate profes-
sional tone for
the type of
communica-
tion, and
employs con-
textually
appropriate
vocabulary
that helps to
build suffi-
cient confi-
dence in the
author while
maintaining
clarity for the
audience.
Demonstrates
a high level of
professional
presence.
The written
communica-
tion has an
authentic
voice, uses an
appropriate
professional
tone for the
type of com-
munication,
and employs
contextually
appropriate

17. vocabulary
that helps to
build confi-
dence in the
author while
maintaining
clarity for the
audience.
3. Demonstrate
Professional
Presence
Weight: 15%
The student
does not
describe their
channel and
style choice or
does so inef-
fectively.
The student
satisfactorily
describes their
channel and
style choice. It
may lack
some clarity
or sound
reasoning to
support the
decision.
The student
adequately

18. describes their
channel and
style choice
rationale. It is
mostly logical
and sound.
The student
fully describes
and makes a
highly logical
and sound
channel and
style choice
decisions that
are fully
explained and
supported.
4. Channel
and Style
Weight: 15%
The student
does not
describe
feedback
received.
The student
does not
explain how
feedback was
used to revise
and improve

19. the written
communica-
tion.
The student
satisfactorily
describes or
lists feedback
received.
The student
partially
explains how
feedback was
used to revise
and improve
the written
communica-
tion.
The student
adequately
describes or
lists feedback
received.
The student
sufficiently
explains how
feedback was
used to revise
and improve
the written
communica-
tion.
The student
accurately

20. describes or
lists feedback
received.
The student
fully explains
how feedback
was used to
revise and
improve the
written com-
munication.
Writing does
not meet
minimal stan-
dards.
Tone is not
professional.
Communica-
tion is wholly
lacking in
logic, clarity,
and/or consis-
tent format-
ting.
Contains
many spelling,
mechanical,
formatting,
and/or gram-
matical errors.
Writing is
satisfactory.
Professional
tone is devel-

21. oping.
Shows moder-
ate logic,
clarity, and/or
consistent
formatting.
May contain
more than a
few spelling,
grammar,
mechanical, or
formatting
errors.
Writing could
be improved,
but meets
acceptable
standards.
Tone is profes-
sional.
Shows logic,
clarity, and
consistent
formatting.
May contain
few or no
spelling,
mechanical,
and/or gram-
matical errors.
There may be
a small
formatting
error.

22. Writing is
excellent.
Tone is profes-
sional and
sophisticated.
Shows logic,
clarity, and
consistent
formatting.
Contains no
spelling,
mechanical, or
grammatical
errors, and
formatting
meets
standards.
5. Use Feedback
to Refine Your
Communication
Weight: 15%
6. Write in a
professional
manner using
proper
grammar,
mechanics,
spelling, and
formatting.
Weight: 10%