NCCAP Sensory Stimulation & Multi-Sensory Environments 2

Question 1

Which sense is most strongly associated with triggering autobiographical memory and emotional responses in older adults?

Accepted Answer

Smell (olfaction)

Answer

Vision

Answer

Hearing

Answer

Touch (tactile)

Question 2

What is 'tactile defensiveness' in the context of sensory stimulation programming?

Accepted Answer

A heightened negative sensitivity or aversion to touch stimuli

Answer

A resident's refusal to participate in any group activities

Answer

A technique used to desensitize residents to loud environments

Answer

The protective use of gloves during craft activities

Question 3

Which resident population is considered a primary beneficiary of structured multi-sensory environments?

Accepted Answer

Residents with advanced dementia or significant cognitive impairment

Answer

Residents in short-term rehabilitation following joint replacement

Answer

Residents in independent living pursuing leisure interests

Answer

Residents recovering from acute respiratory illness

Question 4

How should an activity professional adapt sensory stimulation activities for a resident with significant visual impairment?

Accepted Answer

Emphasize auditory, tactile, olfactory, and gustatory stimulation instead

Answer

Exclude the resident from sensory groups since visual input is essential

Answer

Use only high-contrast black and white materials to maximize remaining vision

Answer

Limit sessions to reminiscence using verbal descriptions of visual scenes

Question 5

What type of music is generally most effective for sensory stimulation with older adults who have dementia?

Accepted Answer

Personally meaningful music from the resident's young adulthood

Answer

Contemporary pop music played at high volume to maximize alertness

Answer

Classical instrumental music standardized for all participants

Answer

Nature sound recordings played continuously in the background

Question 6

Which of the following is a contraindication that should be assessed before using intensive olfactory stimulation with a resident?

Accepted Answer

Respiratory conditions such as COPD or severe asthma

Answer

History of mild depression

Answer

Preference for group over individual activities

Answer

Participation in previous reminiscence therapy programs

Question 7

What does 'sensory overload' refer to in an activity programming context?

Accepted Answer

A state in which multiple simultaneous stimuli exceed a resident's processing capacity, causing distress

Answer

Scheduling too many individual sensory sessions in a single week

Answer

Using more than two sensory modalities in a single 30-minute session

Answer

Providing sensory input that is culturally unfamiliar to the resident