“Specific age-related changes include loss of elastic recoil, stiffening of the chest wall, inefficiency in gas exchange, and increased resistance to airflow (Ebersole & Hess, 1998 , p. 72 ).” As individuals age, their gas exchange in the respiratory system decreases. Therefore, natural aging makes them more prone to respiratory problems and infections. It also makes them fatigue much more quickly when performing daily ADLs. The other adult's heart muscle is extended and the contraction of the heart muscles is reduced. Even if this happens, it usually doesn't affect them unless they suffer from some type of physical or mental illness. In the musculoskeletal system of the elderly, bone density is reduced due to the loss of calcium. This leads to poor posture, joint pain and brittle bones which can lead to an increased risk of falls or accidental injuries. Two components to include in the elderly person's health history are their elimination and rest habits. It is important to evaluate the availability of toilets and the time needed to reach the area. All client-prescribed or over-the-counter medications and how they are affecting the elimination process. The physical mobility and capacity of the person's exercise regime. The nutritional status of the elderly person also plays a key role in the elimination habit. The nurse may ask the client how many hours he sleeps. It is also important to find out if they wake up several times during the night to go to the bathroom. Whether they are taking naps during the day or falling asleep in the evening. The Fulmer SPICES assessment tool is used to help evaluate some… central answers of the paper. St. Louis: Mosby. Carolan Doerflinger, CRNP, PhD, Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, Virginia, DM (2007). Mental status assessment of older adults: The Mini-CogTM - Google Search. Retrieved November 24, 2013, from https://www.google.com/search?q=Mental+Status+Assessment+of+Older+Adults%3A+The+Mini-CogTM&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls = org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=fflbFulmer, PhD, APRN, GNP, FAAN, Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University and Meredith Wallace, PhD, APRN, CS, Fairfield University School of Nursing, T ( 2012). Fulmer SPICES: A Comprehensive Assessment Tool for Older Adults - Google Search. Retrieved November 24, 2013, from https://www.google.com/search?q=Fulmer+SPICES%3A+An+Overall+Assessment+Tool+for+Older+Adults&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls = org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=fflb