Caring for People With Challenging Behaviors Essential Skills and Successful Strategies in Long-Term Care

This book outlines practical strategies for preventing, reducing, and eliminating the disruptive behaviors of residents in long-term care settings. Nearly 80% of nursing home residents have some degree of behavior problems caused by mental illness, dementia, difficult personalities, or personal distress. Through examples of recognizable resident types, staff will learn to understand what triggers and reinforces residents' challenging behavior. Solutions come from identifying the ""ABCs of Behavior"" - the antecedents, the behaviors, and the consequences - and using communication techniques and psychological approaches to encourage positive behavior. This book shows how to recognize and manage stressful situations; avoid common intervention mistakes; respond to barriers to effective interventions; promote teamwork and improve relationships; set and execute achievable goals in treatment planning; and encourage resident independence. Included in the book are tracking forms to help staff track residents' behaviors and their own responses to them. Posters are also available for use as visual reminders for staff when handling resident's behavior.