ACC Communication and Person-Centered Care 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a person with Alzheimer's uses words incorrectly or makes up new words (neologisms), the caregiver's best response is to:
- Correct the person and ask them to repeat themselves properly
- Focus on the emotional tone and intent behind the words (Correct answer)
- Ignore the person until they speak clearly
- Redirect immediately to a different topic without engaging
Correct answer: Focus on the emotional tone and intent behind the words
Focusing on emotional tone and intent allows meaningful connection even when words are garbled or invented.
Question 2: Person-centered care in dementia primarily emphasizes:
- Following a strict daily schedule to reduce confusion
- Recognizing the individual's unique history, preferences, and identity (Correct answer)
- Prioritizing medical tasks over social interaction
- Standardizing care routines across all residents
Correct answer: Recognizing the individual's unique history, preferences, and identity
Person-centered care honors each individual's life story, preferences, and personhood rather than treating all patients the same.
Question 3: A resident with mid-stage Alzheimer's repeatedly asks for her deceased husband. The most person-centered response is to:
- Tell her firmly that her husband died years ago
- Change the subject abruptly to avoid the topic
- Acknowledge her feelings and gently explore what she misses about him (Correct answer)
- Ignore the question and continue with the care task
Correct answer: Acknowledge her feelings and gently explore what she misses about him
Acknowledging feelings validates the person's emotional reality without causing repeated grief from correcting the fact of death.
Question 4: Which communication technique involves entering the person's reality rather than correcting them?
- Reality orientation
- Validation therapy (Correct answer)
- Reminiscence therapy
- Behavioral redirection
Correct answer: Validation therapy
Validation therapy, developed by Naomi Feil, involves acknowledging the feelings and reality of the person with dementia.
Question 5: When giving care instructions to a person with Alzheimer's, it is most effective to:
- List all steps of the task at once so they understand the full scope
- Use complex sentences that provide detailed context
- Give one simple step at a time and wait for completion (Correct answer)
- Write instructions down since reading comprehension is preserved
Correct answer: Give one simple step at a time and wait for completion
Breaking tasks into single steps prevents cognitive overload and gives the person a chance to succeed at each stage.
Question 6: A caregiver notices that a person with Alzheimer's becomes agitated every afternoon around 3 PM. The best first step is to:
- Administer PRN sedation medication immediately
- Document the pattern and look for triggers such as hunger, fatigue, or environmental factors (Correct answer)
- Restrain the person to prevent injury during agitation
- Increase stimulation to distract from the agitation
Correct answer: Document the pattern and look for triggers such as hunger, fatigue, or environmental factors
Identifying patterns and potential triggers is the foundation of a person-centered approach to sundowning behavior.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes 'therapeutic fibbing' in dementia care?
- Lying to the person to gain compliance with medication
- Using gentle untruths to protect the person from emotional distress when reality orientation would cause harm (Correct answer)
- Deceiving family members about the resident's condition
- Fabricating activities to keep the person busy
Correct answer: Using gentle untruths to protect the person from emotional distress when reality orientation would cause harm
Therapeutic fibbing is an ethical approach used when telling the strict truth would cause repeated grief or distress without benefit.
ACC Communication and Person-Centered Care 2
When a person with Alzheimer's uses words incorrectly or makes up new words (neologisms), the caregiver's best response is to: