AAC Environmental Design & Safety 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Why is it important to avoid using glossy floors in memory care environments?
- They are harder to clean
- They can appear wet or slippery, causing fear or fall risk (Correct answer)
- They reflect sound and increase noise
- They fade quickly under fluorescent lighting
Correct answer: They can appear wet or slippery, causing fear or fall risk
Glossy floors can appear wet or create confusing reflections, causing residents with dementia to perceive them as unsafe and triggering fear or avoidance behaviors.
Question 2: Which outdoor environment feature best supports safe independent wandering for individuals with Alzheimer's disease?
- A locked gate with a keypad
- An enclosed looping garden path with no dead ends (Correct answer)
- A straight pathway leading to an exit
- A garden with clearly marked benches every 10 feet
Correct answer: An enclosed looping garden path with no dead ends
Enclosed looping paths allow safe, purposeful walking without the risk of elopement or reaching a frustrating dead end.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of using contrasting colors for toilet seats in dementia care settings?
- To meet ADA color requirements
- To help residents visually identify the toilet against the floor and wall (Correct answer)
- To reduce the appearance of staining
- To signal staff which bathrooms are occupied
Correct answer: To help residents visually identify the toilet against the floor and wall
High color contrast between the toilet seat and surrounding surfaces helps people with dementia locate and recognize the toilet, reducing incontinence accidents.
Question 4: A resident repeatedly tries to exit through a door painted to match the surrounding wall. This is an example of which safety strategy?
- Distraction therapy
- Camouflage design (Correct answer)
- Elopement monitoring
- Wayfinding signage
Correct answer: Camouflage design
Camouflage design blends exit doors into the surrounding environment so they are less noticeable to residents with dementia, reducing elopement risk.
Question 5: Which type of lighting is most recommended in corridors of memory care units to reduce fall risk at night?
- Bright overhead fluorescent lighting
- No lighting to avoid disturbing sleep
- Low-level continuous night lighting near the floor (Correct answer)
- Strobe-activated motion sensor lights
Correct answer: Low-level continuous night lighting near the floor
Continuous low-level night lighting near the floor guides safe navigation without causing glare, disorientation, or disrupting sleep-wake cycles.
Question 6: Why should mirrors in bathrooms sometimes be covered or removed in dementia care facilities?
- Mirrors increase the risk of glass-related injuries
- Residents may not recognize their reflection and become frightened or agitated (Correct answer)
- Mirrors make bathrooms appear smaller
- Regulations prohibit mirrors in clinical settings
Correct answer: Residents may not recognize their reflection and become frightened or agitated
People with advanced dementia may not recognize their own reflection, interpreting it as a stranger and becoming fearful or combative.
Question 7: What environmental modification helps a person with dementia independently find their own room?
- A room number posted at eye level in small font
- A personalized memory box or shadow box outside the door with familiar objects (Correct answer)
- A color-coded floor number system
- Staff escort at all times
Correct answer: A personalized memory box or shadow box outside the door with familiar objects
A personalized memory box with meaningful objects or photographs acts as a visual cue that helps residents with dementia identify their own room.
AAC Environmental Design & Safety 2
Why is it important to avoid using glossy floors in memory care environments?