Dementia Training Certification Dementia Training Nutrition, Hydration & Physical Health 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A texture-modified diet is recommended for which of the following conditions in dementia care?
- Constipation and bowel irregularity
- Dysphagia and swallowing difficulties (Correct answer)
- Poor appetite and anorexia
- Hyperglycemia and diabetes management
Correct answer: Dysphagia and swallowing difficulties
Texture-modified diets (minced, pureed, or thickened) are specifically designed to reduce aspiration risk in persons with swallowing difficulties.
Question 2: Which strategy can help maintain adequate nutrition in a person with late-stage dementia who has difficulty self-feeding?
- Skipping solid foods and providing only liquids
- Providing hand-over-hand guidance and offering finger foods (Correct answer)
- Implementing strict scheduled mealtimes only
- Requiring the person to feed themselves to maintain independence
Correct answer: Providing hand-over-hand guidance and offering finger foods
Hand-over-hand guidance helps preserve remaining motor skills, while finger foods allow independent eating without utensils.
Question 3: Unintentional weight loss in a person with dementia is concerning because it:
- Is a normal, expected part of aging and should not be addressed
- Can indicate disease progression and increase risk of falls and infections (Correct answer)
- Only becomes problematic when body weight drops more than 20%
- Is primarily caused by increased physical activity in dementia patients
Correct answer: Can indicate disease progression and increase risk of falls and infections
Unintentional weight loss in dementia signals potential disease progression and is associated with increased vulnerability to falls, pressure injuries, and infections.
Question 4: What is the BEST approach when a person with dementia consistently refuses a food they once enjoyed?
- Insist they eat it because it is nutritious
- Document the change and explore alternative nutritious options (Correct answer)
- Assume the food is making them ill and remove it from all menus
- Ask family to bring the food from home instead
Correct answer: Document the change and explore alternative nutritious options
Changed food preferences are common in dementia; documenting the change and finding acceptable alternatives ensures continued nutritional adequacy.
Question 5: What is the PRIMARY goal of a swallowing assessment conducted by a speech-language pathologist for a person with dementia?
- Determining whether the person is competent to make food choices
- Identifying safe food textures and liquid consistencies to prevent aspiration (Correct answer)
- Evaluating the person's ability to communicate hunger and thirst
- Assessing cognitive function related to mealtime behavior
Correct answer: Identifying safe food textures and liquid consistencies to prevent aspiration
A swallowing assessment focuses on identifying which textures and liquid consistencies can be swallowed safely to minimize aspiration risk.
Question 6: What does the IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative) framework primarily provide?
- Guidelines for calculating caloric needs in dementia patients
- A standardized classification system for food textures and drink thicknesses (Correct answer)
- Protocols for tube feeding in advanced dementia
- Recommendations for vitamin supplementation in dementia care
Correct answer: A standardized classification system for food textures and drink thicknesses
IDDSI provides a globally standardized framework for describing food textures and drink thicknesses to ensure consistent and safe nutrition for those with dysphagia.
Question 7: A dementia patient eats very little at meals but shows interest in food between meals. The most appropriate strategy is:
- Restrict between-meal snacks to improve appetite at mealtimes
- Offer small, frequent snacks and meals throughout the day (Correct answer)
- Increase medication to stimulate appetite at scheduled mealtimes
- Provide liquid nutritional supplements only and discontinue solid foods
Correct answer: Offer small, frequent snacks and meals throughout the day
Offering small, frequent meals and snacks accommodates persons with dementia who may not tolerate large meals but benefit from regular small amounts of food.
Dementia Training Certification Dementia Training Nutrition, Hydration & Physical Health 2
A texture-modified diet is recommended for which of the following conditions in dementia care?