Behavioral Symptom Management Flashcards

A family member insists that their loved one with dementia is 'acting out on purpose' during personal care. The care team's BEST educational response is to explain:

Answer: That the behavior is a neurological symptom and the person lacks the cognitive capacity to be purposefully manipulative

Educating families that behavioral symptoms result from brain disease — not intentional defiance — reduces caregiver distress, prevents punitive responses, and improves care quality.

Which approach to repetitive questioning in dementia is LEAST therapeutic?

Answer: Repeatedly correcting the person and reminding them they already asked

Repeatedly correcting a person with dementia for asking the same question causes frustration and shame without improving recall, as the deficit is a memory impairment, not inattention.

A resident with dementia refuses to take oral medications. The MOST appropriate initial intervention is to:

Answer: Assess the reason for refusal and explore alternatives such as different formulations or timing

Understanding why a person refuses — taste, swallowing difficulty, fear, or distrust — allows for person-centered solutions such as liquid formulations, different timing, or involving trusted family.

In dementia care, a 'behavioral care plan' should primarily be based on:

Answer: Individualized assessment of the person's history, preferences, triggers, and effective interventions

An effective behavioral care plan is built from knowing the individual — their life history, preferences, past coping strategies, and identified triggers — rather than applying a one-size-fits-all protocol.

Which statement about the use of physical restraints to manage behavioral symptoms in dementia is accurate?

Answer: Restraints are associated with increased agitation, injury, and functional decline and are rarely appropriate

Evidence consistently shows that physical restraints increase agitation, cause musculoskeletal injuries, accelerate functional decline, and do not reliably prevent falls, making them inappropriate as a routine behavioral intervention.

A person with dementia becomes highly distressed during bathing. Which person-centered bathing approach has the strongest evidence for reducing this distress?

Answer: Towel bath or bed bath as an alternative to tub or shower bathing

Towel baths and person-centered bathing techniques that prioritize comfort, warmth, and the person's preferred routine have strong evidence for reducing distress compared to traditional shower or tub baths.

Which of the following is the MOST accurate description of 'shadowing' as a behavioral symptom in dementia?

Answer: Constantly following and imitating the primary caregiver, driven by fear of abandonment or anxiety

Shadowing involves the person with dementia persistently following their caregiver, reflecting heightened anxiety, insecurity, and the need for a reliable attachment figure due to cognitive decline.