A Patient with Moderate Dementia Does Not Remember Her Son's

question 6

Multiple Choice

A patient with moderate dementia does not remember her son's name.The son repeatedly questions the mother asking,"Do you know my name?" The mother invariably becomes agitated.The nurse can most effectively intervene by explaining to the son:

• A) "Your mother is angry with you and is punishing you by 'forgetting' who you are. Be patient and she'll get over it."
• B) "Your mother's dementia is preventing her from retaining information even for short periods of time. She senses your distress and becomes agitated."
• C) "You will need to reorient your mother often during your visits with her. With reinforcement, she may be able to begin to recall who you are."
• D) "Because you both become so distressed, it might be better if you come to see your mother less frequently and stay for only shorter periods of time."

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Definitions:

Proximity

The closeness or distance between people or objects, which can influence their interactions and perceptions of one another.

Auditory Rhythm

Temporal patterns in sound that are perceived by the auditory system, important in music and speech processing.

Reversible Figure

A visual pattern that easily allows more than one interpretation, in some cases changing the specification of figure and ground, in other cases changing the perceived organization in depth.

Lighter

A portable device used to generate a flame for the purpose of lighting something, such as a cigarette or candle.