Behavioral Management Flashcards

A person with frontotemporal dementia exhibits disinhibited sexual behavior in public. The FIRST intervention should be to:

Answer: Calmly redirect to a private space without shaming or punishing

Disinhibited behavior in FTD is neurologically driven; calm, non-punitive redirection protects dignity while managing the immediate situation.

Which approach best supports a person with dementia who is experiencing delusions about being robbed?

Answer: Acknowledge their distress and help them search together for 'missing' items

Joining the person in a calm search acknowledges their reality, reduces distress, and can naturally resolve the delusion without confrontation.

What does the term 'responsive behavior' emphasize that the term 'challenging behavior' does not?

Answer: That behaviors are responses to unmet needs, pain, or environmental stressors

The term 'responsive behavior' reframes difficult behaviors as meaningful communications of unmet needs rather than problems to be controlled.

A care team notices a resident's aggressive behavior correlates with urinary tract infections (UTIs). This observation highlights the importance of:

Answer: Assessing medical causes before attributing behaviors solely to dementia

Behavioral changes in dementia can signal underlying medical conditions; ruling out treatable causes is a fundamental step in behavioral assessment.

Which principle underpins the Progressively Lowered Stress Threshold (PLST) model developed by Hall and Buckwalter?

Answer: As dementia advances, the threshold for experiencing stress lowers, requiring reduced environmental demands

The PLST model posits that as cognition declines, the amount of stress a person can tolerate before exhibiting behavioral symptoms progressively decreases.

When documenting a behavioral incident in a person with dementia, which information is MOST critical to include?

Answer: Objective description of antecedents, behavior, and consequences with time and location

Objective ABC documentation with contextual details provides the evidence base needed to identify patterns and design effective individualized interventions.

A new staff member asks why the team uses the phrase 'a person living with dementia' rather than 'a demented patient.' The best explanation is:

Answer: Person-first language preserves dignity by identifying the individual before the condition

Person-first language centers the individual's humanity and identity, reflecting the ethical foundation of person-centered dementia care.