NCCAP Cognitive Stimulation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of memory is BEST targeted by asking a resident to recall what they had for breakfast?
- Procedural memory
- Short-term/recent memory (Correct answer)
- Long-term remote memory
- Semantic memory
Correct answer: Short-term/recent memory
Asking about recent meals targets short-term or recent memory, which is often among the first affected in dementia.
Question 2: A resident with moderate dementia becomes agitated during a word-recall game. The BEST response from the activity professional is to:
- Continue the game to maintain cognitive challenge
- Redirect to a simpler, less frustrating activity (Correct answer)
- Remove the resident from the group
- Increase staff supervision and document the behavior
Correct answer: Redirect to a simpler, less frustrating activity
Redirecting to a simpler activity reduces frustration while preserving engagement and dignity.
Question 3: Montessori-based activities for persons with dementia are characterized by:
- High-complexity puzzles to maximize neural plasticity
- Errorless learning using familiar, purposeful tasks (Correct answer)
- Competitive games to motivate participation
- Structured lecture-style cognitive training
Correct answer: Errorless learning using familiar, purposeful tasks
Montessori methods emphasize errorless learning through familiar, hands-on, purposeful tasks matched to current abilities.
Question 4: Which intervention best supports executive function in early-stage cognitive decline?
- Passive music listening
- Watching familiar TV programs
- Planning a simple group event step by step (Correct answer)
- Reminiscence storytelling
Correct answer: Planning a simple group event step by step
Step-by-step event planning engages executive functions such as sequencing, decision-making, and organization.
Question 5: When evaluating cognitive stimulation program outcomes, which tool is commonly used by activity professionals to track functional cognition?
- Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale
- Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) (Correct answer)
- Braden Scale
- Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
Correct answer: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
The MoCA is a widely used brief cognitive screening tool that tracks domains relevant to activity programming.
Question 6: Spaced retrieval training helps individuals with dementia by:
- Teaching new motor skills through repetition
- Strengthening recall of specific information through progressively longer intervals (Correct answer)
- Reducing anxiety through rhythmic repetition of words
- Improving attention through timed visual tasks
Correct answer: Strengthening recall of specific information through progressively longer intervals
Spaced retrieval uses progressively increasing time intervals between recall attempts to strengthen memory retention.
Question 7: Which sensory modality is MOST commonly used in multisensory environments (Snoezelen) for cognitive and emotional stimulation?
- Gustatory only
- A combination of visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory stimuli (Correct answer)
- Proprioceptive and vestibular stimuli exclusively
- Auditory stimuli delivered through bone conduction
Correct answer: A combination of visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory stimuli
Snoezelen environments combine multiple sensory inputs—lights, sounds, textures, and scents—to promote relaxation and stimulation.
NCCAP Cognitive Stimulation 2
Which type of memory is BEST targeted by asking a resident to recall what they had for breakfast?