Maryland Geriatric Nursing Aide (GNA) Practice Exam

Bones become weak and brittle because of osteoporosis, a condition in which bone density and quality decline so bones become porous and more easily fractured. This makes everyday bumps or minor falls a real risk, especially in older adults and after menopause when protective estrogen levels drop. Understanding this helps explain why fractures can happen with relatively little force.

Ostomy refers to a surgically created opening to divert waste and has nothing to do with bone strength. Atrophy means wasting away of tissue, which can involve muscles or other tissues, but it doesn’t specifically describe fragile bones. Hypertension is high blood pressure and is not related to bone fragility.