AAC AAC Nutrition & Hydration Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the recommended approach when a person with advanced Alzheimer's disease consistently refuses oral feeding?
- Immediately insert a feeding tube
- Honor the refusal and pursue comfort-focused care discussions (Correct answer)
- Force small amounts of food
- Withhold all nutrition
Correct answer: Honor the refusal and pursue comfort-focused care discussions
Consistent refusal of oral feeding in advanced dementia warrants a goals-of-care discussion focused on comfort measures, respecting the person's dignity.
Question 2: Which nutrient deficiency is particularly associated with accelerated cognitive decline and should be monitored in people with Alzheimer's disease?
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B12 (Correct answer)
- Vitamin K
- Iron
Correct answer: Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 deficiency is linked to neurological damage and cognitive decline and is frequently assessed in older adults with dementia.
Question 3: Which environmental modification at mealtimes has been shown to improve food intake in people with Alzheimer's disease?
- Serving meals in large, busy dining halls
- Using high-contrast colored plates against tablecloths (Correct answer)
- Playing fast-paced music
- Serving meals in the dark
Correct answer: Using high-contrast colored plates against tablecloths
High-contrast tableware helps individuals with Alzheimer's visually distinguish food from the plate and plate from the table, improving self-feeding.
Question 4: A care professional notices that a resident with Alzheimer's is drinking very little water. The BEST initial strategy is to:
- Restrict all other beverages
- Offer preferred fluids frequently in small amounts throughout the day (Correct answer)
- Document and do nothing until a physician orders action
- Add salt to all meals to trigger thirst
Correct answer: Offer preferred fluids frequently in small amounts throughout the day
Offering preferred fluids frequently in small, manageable amounts throughout the day is an effective, person-centered approach to prevent dehydration.
Question 5: Which standardized tool is commonly used in long-term care settings to screen for malnutrition risk in older adults with dementia?
- MMSE
- Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) (Correct answer)
- GDS
- CDR
Correct answer: Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)
The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) is a validated screening tool widely used to identify malnutrition or nutritional risk in geriatric populations.
Question 6: Pureed diets for individuals with severe dysphagia should be prepared according to which standardized framework to ensure consistency?
- NLEA Standards
- IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative) (Correct answer)
- ADA Plate Method
- USDA MyPlate
Correct answer: IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative)
The IDDSI framework provides standardized levels and testing methods for texture-modified foods and thickened liquids to ensure safe swallowing.
AAC AAC Nutrition & Hydration Management 2
What is the recommended approach when a person with advanced Alzheimer's disease consistently refuses oral feeding?