CDP Safety & Wandering Prevention 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which environmental modification is MOST effective in discouraging a person with dementia from exiting through a door?
- Installing a deadbolt at standard height
- Placing a visual stop sign or camouflaging the door (Correct answer)
- Removing the door handle entirely
- Locking the person in their room
Correct answer: Placing a visual stop sign or camouflaging the door
Visual camouflage or stop signs exploit perceptual deficits in dementia to reduce exit attempts without physical restraint.
Question 2: A resident with dementia repeatedly tries to leave the facility at 4 PM every day. What is the BEST initial intervention?
- Confront the resident and explain they cannot leave
- Identify and address the trigger or unmet need driving the behavior (Correct answer)
- Restrain the resident in a chair during that hour
- Administer a PRN sedative at 3:30 PM
Correct answer: Identify and address the trigger or unmet need driving the behavior
Identifying and addressing the underlying trigger or unmet need is the person-centered approach to managing exit-seeking behavior.
Question 3: Which of the following is a characteristic of 'goal-directed' wandering in dementia?
- Random, purposeless movement with no clear destination
- Repetitive pacing in a fixed pattern
- Purposeful walking toward a perceived destination based on past routine (Correct answer)
- Nighttime roaming without awareness
Correct answer: Purposeful walking toward a perceived destination based on past routine
Goal-directed wandering reflects the person's attempt to fulfill a past routine or perceived need, such as going to work or home.
Question 4: A GPS tracking device is ordered for a community-dwelling person with dementia. What is a KEY consideration before use?
- The device must be visible so caregivers know it is working
- Informed consent or surrogate consent and privacy rights must be addressed (Correct answer)
- GPS devices are only appropriate in memory care facilities
- The device should be hidden in the person's clothing without their knowledge
Correct answer: Informed consent or surrogate consent and privacy rights must be addressed
Ethical use of GPS monitoring requires addressing informed or surrogate consent and the individual's right to privacy.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes 'elopement' in the context of dementia care?
- A planned outing supervised by a caregiver
- An unsupervised departure from a safe environment that places the person at risk (Correct answer)
- A therapeutic walk conducted with staff support
- Movement between rooms within a secured unit
Correct answer: An unsupervised departure from a safe environment that places the person at risk
Elopement refers to an unsupervised, unsafe departure from a care setting, which is a serious safety risk for persons with dementia.
Question 6: What information should be included in a wandering risk profile completed upon admission?
- Insurance provider and billing codes only
- History of wandering, triggers, daily routines, and meaningful activities (Correct answer)
- Medication schedule and physician contact information only
- Family visitation preferences
Correct answer: History of wandering, triggers, daily routines, and meaningful activities
A comprehensive wandering risk profile captures history, triggers, routines, and preferences to personalize prevention strategies.
Question 7: Which sensory strategy can be used at a facility exit to deter wandering attempts?
- Bright overhead lighting near the door
- A tactile floor strip or mat that feels different underfoot (Correct answer)
- Loud alarm sounds activated by motion
- A mirrored surface on the exit door
Correct answer: A tactile floor strip or mat that feels different underfoot
Tactile floor strips create a sensory cue that can cause hesitation and redirect the person away from exits.
CDP Safety & Wandering Prevention 2
Which environmental modification is MOST effective in discouraging a person with dementia from exiting through a door?