AAC Person-Centered Dementia Care Models 2 â Questions and Answers
Question 1: The 'Best Friends' approach to dementia care developed by Virginia Bell and David Troxel is grounded in:
- The qualities of true friendship, including respect, empathy, and knowing the person's life story (Correct answer)
- Evidence-based pharmacological management of behavioral symptoms
- Structured reminiscence therapy using standardized protocols
- Caregiver-directed activity programming based on cognitive assessments
Correct answer: The qualities of true friendship, including respect, empathy, and knowing the person's life story
The Best Friends approach emphasizes building genuine friendship-based relationships by honoring the person's history, personality, and remaining abilities as a foundation for quality care.
Question 2: Tom Kitwood's concept of 'malignant social psychology' in dementia care refers to:
- Interactions and care practices that undermine the personhood and well-being of people with dementia (Correct answer)
- The progressive neurological deterioration associated with Alzheimer's disease
- Aggressive behavioral symptoms that pose safety risks to staff and other residents
- The social stigma associated with dementia in the broader community
Correct answer: Interactions and care practices that undermine the personhood and well-being of people with dementia
Kitwood identified malignant social psychology as depersonalizing care practicesâsuch as infantilizing, ignoring, or deceivingâthat erode the personhood and dignity of individuals with dementia.
Question 3: Which theorist is most closely associated with developing the concept of 'personhood' as central to dementia care?
- Tom Kitwood (Correct answer)
- Naomi Feil
- Dr. William Thomas
- Barry Reisberg
Correct answer: Tom Kitwood
Tom Kitwood championed the concept of personhood in dementia care, arguing in 'Dementia Reconsidered' (1997) that maintaining a person's sense of self is the foundation of quality care.
Question 4: In person-centered dementia care, 'life story work' primarily serves to:
- Help caregivers understand individual preferences, values, and history to personalize care (Correct answer)
- Document medical history for legal and insurance purposes
- Create a therapeutic activity that improves memory function
- Provide standardized background information for care team handoffs
Correct answer: Help caregivers understand individual preferences, values, and history to personalize care
Life story work gathers information about a person's past to enable caregivers to deliver individualized, meaningful care that honors who the person truly is beyond their diagnosis.
Question 5: The concept of 'excess disability' in dementia care refers to:
- Functional limitations beyond what the disease itself would cause, due to environmental or interpersonal factors (Correct answer)
- Comorbid medical conditions that accelerate cognitive decline
- The additional burden placed on caregivers by behavioral symptoms
- Physical disabilities that co-occur with dementia in older adults
Correct answer: Functional limitations beyond what the disease itself would cause, due to environmental or interpersonal factors
Excess disability occurs when a person functions below their actual capacity due to inadequate support, poor environment, or unhelpful interactionsâbeyond what the dementia alone would cause.
Question 6: In a strengths-based approach to dementia care, practitioners primarily focus on:
- What the person can still do and building on retained abilities (Correct answer)
- Identifying deficits to guide medical treatment planning
- Documenting cognitive decline for legal competency determinations
- Measuring progression using standardized assessment scales
Correct answer: What the person can still do and building on retained abilities
Strength-based approaches identify and leverage retained abilities to promote independence, dignity, and engagement rather than centering care on deficits and losses.
Question 7: The 'PIECES' framework used in dementia care assessment stands for:
- Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Capabilities, Environment, Social (Correct answer)
- Personal, Institutional, Environmental, Cognitive, Emotional, Social
- Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Communication, Environment, Safety
- Psychological, Interpersonal, Environmental, Cognitive, Emotional, Support
Correct answer: Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Capabilities, Environment, Social
The PIECES framework addresses Physical, Intellectual (cognitive), Emotional, Capabilities (functional), Environment, and Social factors influencing a person's dementia experience and behavior.
AAC Person-Centered Dementia Care Models 2
The 'Best Friends' approach to dementia care developed by Virginia Bell and David Troxel is grounded in: