Dementia Training Certification Dementia Training Person-Centered Care Approaches 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In DICE (Describe, Investigate, Create, Evaluate), what does the 'Investigate' step focus on?
- Writing up a formal incident report for behavioral events
- Exploring potential medical, environmental, and personal factors contributing to the behavior (Correct answer)
- Asking other residents to describe what they observed
- Evaluating whether the behavior requires medication
Correct answer: Exploring potential medical, environmental, and personal factors contributing to the behavior
The Investigate step involves examining all possible causes — physical, psychological, environmental, and caregiver-related — behind a behavioral symptom.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of an 'enabling environment' in person-centered dementia care?
- A locked unit with minimal sensory input to reduce confusion
- Clear signage, familiar objects, safe wandering paths, and access to outdoor spaces (Correct answer)
- Strict activity schedules posted on all doors
- Shared bedrooms to promote social interaction
Correct answer: Clear signage, familiar objects, safe wandering paths, and access to outdoor spaces
An enabling environment supports independence, orientation, and well-being through design features that accommodate the needs of people with dementia.
Question 3: A staff member refers to a resident as 'the dementia patient in Room 4' rather than by their name. This practice most directly undermines which aspect of person-centered care?
- Documentation accuracy
- The recognition of individual identity and personhood (Correct answer)
- Infection control protocols
- Medication administration safety
Correct answer: The recognition of individual identity and personhood
Reducing a person to their diagnosis or room number depersonalizes them and erodes the foundation of person-centered care — recognizing each individual's unique identity.
Question 4: Which of the following BEST describes 'reminiscence therapy' as used in person-centered dementia care?
- A technique to test long-term memory retention for diagnostic purposes
- Using photos, music, and objects from a person's past to stimulate positive memories and support identity (Correct answer)
- A formal psychotherapy requiring a licensed therapist
- Encouraging people to forget painful memories by focusing on the present
Correct answer: Using photos, music, and objects from a person's past to stimulate positive memories and support identity
Reminiscence therapy uses life history materials to promote engagement, self-esteem, and connection for people with dementia.
Question 5: A care team notices that a resident becomes aggressive during morning care. The MOST person-centered initial intervention is to:
- Use two staff members to complete care quickly and minimize exposure time
- Review the resident's life history and try adjusting the approach, timing, or caregiver (Correct answer)
- Place a behavioral alert in the chart and proceed with standard care
- Refer immediately to a psychiatrist for medication evaluation
Correct answer: Review the resident's life history and try adjusting the approach, timing, or caregiver
Person-centered care prioritizes understanding individual preferences and adapting the care approach before escalating to pharmacological or restrictive interventions.
Question 6: Which term describes the practice of entering into a person with dementia's subjective reality rather than correcting it?
- Reality orientation
- Therapeutic fibbing / meeting in their reality (Correct answer)
- Cognitive reframing
- Behavioral redirection protocol
Correct answer: Therapeutic fibbing / meeting in their reality
Meeting a person in their reality — sometimes called therapeutic fibbing — prioritizes emotional comfort and connection over factual correction.
Question 7: Which of the following describes 'life story work' in the context of person-centered dementia care?
- A legal document outlining end-of-life care preferences
- The process of gathering and using personal history to inform care and maintain identity (Correct answer)
- A grief counseling technique for family members
- A structured reminiscence activity only appropriate for early-stage dementia
Correct answer: The process of gathering and using personal history to inform care and maintain identity
Life story work collects information about a person's background, relationships, and experiences to personalize care and preserve their sense of self.
Dementia Training Certification Dementia Training Person-Centered Care Approaches 3
In DICE (Describe, Investigate, Create, Evaluate), what does the 'Investigate' step focus on?