Responding to Challenging Situations Developed by the: University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and Wisconsin Department of Health Services Permission is granted to reproduce these training materials with proper attribution for internal use within healthcare organizations or government agencies at no cost to the training participants. Other reproduction is prohibited without written permission from UW Oshkosh CCDET. All rights are reserved. For information on reproducing these materials, please contact the Director of UW Oshkosh CCDET at

Learning Points Recognize unmet needs of residents with dementia Identify calming techniques to reduce stress Apply person-centered approaches when responding to residents’ needs

Recognizing Unmet Needs Index Card Activity: Think of a Challenging Situation Reasons Behind the Behavior Calming Techniques –Validation –Redirection

10 Common Challenging Situations Bathing ADLs Mealtime Anger & Agitation Physical/Verbal Aggression Disruptive Vocalizations Wandering Elopement Sexual Responses Families

Common Situations Possible Unmet Needs Person-Centered Approaches Person-Centered Approaches to Challenging Situations

Activity: Person-Centered Responses to Challenging Situations Life Histories of 5 Residents Examine a real-life example of a challenging situation 1.Identify the unmet needs expressed by the resident 2.Identify person-centered approaches the caregiver might use

Closing Activity: Index Card Review your original statement Can you identify the unmet need the resident was expressing? Can you identify a person-centered approach to meeting that need?

Learning Points Review Recognize unmet needs of residents with dementia Identify calming techniques to reduce stress Apply person-centered approaches when responding to residents’ needs