This document defines key terms related to mental health and developmental disabilities. It discusses identifying a resident's strengths to reinforce positive behavior and redirect negative behavior. The roles and responsibilities of nurse aides include knowing the resident's treatment plan, monitoring for behavior changes, and reporting them promptly while maintaining safety and focusing on the resident as a person. The document also defines sex and sexuality, and discusses how illness, injury, aging and medications can affect sexuality. It outlines how nurse aides should protect residents' privacy and sexuality while appropriately responding to any perceived sexual advances.

1. NATCEP Day Thirty Four & Thirty Five

2.  Define
mental health, mental
illness, developmental disability, and
intellectual disability (ID/DD)
 List methods to identify and utilize the
resident’s strengths to reinforce appropriate
behavior and reduce or eliminate
inappropriate behavior
 Identify roles and responsibilities of the
nurse aide when caring for residents with
mental illness or ID/DD

3. A
person’s ability to cope with and adjust to
everyday stresses in ways that are accepted
by society

4. A
disturbance in the ability to cope or adjust
to stress; behavior and function are
impaired; mental disorder, emotional illness,
psychiatric disorder

5.  Functional



Including mood, thought and personality
disorders
Person is out of touch with reality to the degree
that he/she is unable to function in real-life
situations
Examples: PTSD, Bipolar disorder, anxiety &
panic disorders
 Organic


Occurs as a result of reversible or irreversible
change in brain function
Examples: Schizophrenia, Dementia, Alzheimer’s

6. A
disability occurring before the age of 22
 Can be physical, cognitive, psychological,
sensory or a speech disability
 Permanent
 Function is limited in 3 or more life skills:







Self-care
Learning
Mobility
Self-direction
Capacity for independent living
Economic self-sufficiency
Understanding and expressing language

7. 
Intellectual Disability
Previously known as mental retardation
IQ below 70-75
 Limits in 2 or more adaptive skills areas
 Condition is present before 18 years of age


Down Syndrome
 Cerebral Palsy
 Autism
 Epilepsy
 Spinal Bifida


ID/DD

Abbreviation for Intellectual Disability and
Developmental Disabilities

8.  Spinal
Bifida

9.  Redirect

inappropriate behavior
How?
 Appropriate
behavior may be reinforced
according to plan of care



Focus on strengths
Verbal praise
Rewards

10.  Know
and consistently reinforce plan of
treatment
 Be alert to changes in behavior
 Report changes promptly
 Be patient
 Focus on the resident as a person

AVOID LABELING
 Maintain
resident safety

11. NATCEP Day Thirty Five

12.  Define
sex & sexuality
 Identify factors that my affect sexuality in
the aging person
 Discuss actions nurse aides can take to
protect a resident’s sexuality
 Discuss approptiate nurse aide responses to
perceived sexual advances from a resident
(or others)

13.  Illness,








injury or surgery
Diabetes
Cancer of the Colon
Depression
Alcoholism
Tranquilizers
Anti-hypertensives
Stroke
Death of a sexual partner
 Normal
aging process

14.  Men


Enlarged prostate
Decrease in hormone production
 Women



Vaginitis
Dryness
Decrease in hormone production

15.  Allow
& encourage close relationships and/or
intimacy
 Respect & privacy

Confidential – should not share with family
members
 Protected
from unwanted advances from
others
 Allow & encourage privacy for sexual activity
 Accept sexual relationships – do not judge or
gossip

16.  Calm,
firm tone
 Let resident know actions are inappropriate
 Calmly remove resident’s hands from your
body
 Report actions and your response to charge
nurse
 With charge nurse, explain to resident that
you do not want to be touched or spoken to
in that way