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."
ANS: B
When a patient with dementia is presented with a demand that exceeds their capacity to function, the demand creates a high level of stress. Showing anxiety and disapproval adds even greater stress. The son should be counseled to make every attempt to demonstrate posi-tive responses to his mother. The other options are not effective interventions.
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