The adult son of a client with dementia asks the nurse how he should respond when his mother repeatedly says she has had a busy day at work. The mother has not worked in over 20 years. Which is the best guidance that the nurse could offer?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Going along means providing emotional reassurance to clients without correcting their misperception or delusion. The nurse does not engage in delusional ideas or reinforce them, but he or she does not deny or confront their existence. For example, a client is fretful, repeatedly saying, I'm so worried about the children. I hope they're okay and speaking as though his adult children were small and needed protection. The nurse could reassure the client by saying, There's no need to worry; the children are just fine (going along). Time away is an effective technique for aggression.

The Adult Son of a Client with Dementia Asks the Nurse