CDP Behavioral Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which communication technique is most effective when a person with dementia insists they need to 'go home' while already at home?
- Firmly explain they are already home and show them around
- Enter their reality and explore the emotional need behind the statement (Correct answer)
- Distract immediately with a loud activity
- Call a family member to correct their perception
Correct answer: Enter their reality and explore the emotional need behind the statement
Entering the person's reality and addressing the underlying emotion (longing for safety, familiarity) is more effective than correcting factual inaccuracies.
Question 2: Validation therapy, developed by Naomi Feil, is based on the principle that:
- Correcting factual errors prevents further cognitive decline
- Acknowledging and respecting a person's feelings reduces distress (Correct answer)
- Structured reality orientation improves long-term memory
- Medication compliance is the foundation of behavioral management
Correct answer: Acknowledging and respecting a person's feelings reduces distress
Validation therapy holds that accepting and validating a person's emotional reality—even if factually incorrect—reduces anxiety and improves well-being.
Question 3: A caregiver notices a resident becomes aggressive only during mealtime. The FIRST step in assessment should be to:
- Restrict the resident's diet to finger foods only
- Identify specific triggers occurring during or before meals (Correct answer)
- Request a psychiatric evaluation immediately
- Move the resident to a separate dining area permanently
Correct answer: Identify specific triggers occurring during or before meals
A systematic antecedent-behavior-consequence (ABC) analysis starts with identifying what specifically triggers the aggression before any intervention.
Question 4: Which sensory intervention has evidence supporting its use for agitation reduction in persons with dementia?
- Aromatherapy using lavender or lemon balm (Correct answer)
- High-intensity strobe lighting in common areas
- Loud background music played continuously
- Cold water immersion therapy
Correct answer: Aromatherapy using lavender or lemon balm
Aromatherapy with lavender and lemon balm has demonstrated calming effects in clinical studies of agitation in dementia.
Question 5: When using the ABC (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence) model for behavioral analysis, the 'antecedent' refers to:
- The staff member's response after the behavior occurs
- What happens immediately before the behavior is displayed (Correct answer)
- The medical diagnosis underlying the behavior
- The environmental design of the care setting
Correct answer: What happens immediately before the behavior is displayed
The antecedent is the trigger or event that precedes the behavior, which is essential for identifying causes and preventing recurrence.
Question 6: Meaningful activity programming for persons with dementia should primarily be based on:
- Activities that keep the group quiet and seated
- The individual's lifelong interests, roles, and abilities (Correct answer)
- Activities that require no supervision from staff
- Programming schedules used at similar facilities
Correct answer: The individual's lifelong interests, roles, and abilities
Person-centered activity programming rooted in individual history provides purpose and reduces behavioral symptoms more effectively than generic group activities.
Question 7: A resident with moderate dementia begins hoarding food in their room. The most appropriate response is to:
- Lock the dining room to prevent unauthorized food access
- Explore the underlying anxiety and offer reassurance and small snacks (Correct answer)
- Document as noncompliance and restrict dessert privileges
- Administer anti-anxiety medication before each meal
Correct answer: Explore the underlying anxiety and offer reassurance and small snacks
Hoarding often stems from fear of food scarcity or lack of control; addressing the emotional need with reassurance and safe snack access is most effective.
CDP Behavioral Management 3
Which communication technique is most effective when a person with dementia insists they need to 'go home' while already at home?