This handout was distributed by Dementia and Alzheimer's expert, Teepa Snow, when she was guest speaker at Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County event. Event held on March 22, 2010, at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center in Santa Rosa, CA. (c) 2010 TeepaSnow.com. All rights reserved.

1. Demystifying Resistance
Caring for Someone with Dementia:
How You Help Makes a Difference
Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Dementia Care & Training Specialist, Positive Approach, LLC
Counseling Associate – Duke University School of Nursing
© 2010 Teepa Snow. All rights reserved. Use only with permission. Handout at Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County
sponsored Dementia and Alzheimer’s event, March 22, 2010, at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center in Santa Rosa, CA. P a g e |1

2. How Can We Help With Resistive Behaviors ?
FIRST – Describe the Behavior
Use OBJECTIVE words
What happens? Where does it happen? Who is involved? When does it happen?
What else has been going on during the day?
THEN… Figure out what you know and what you don’t know!
Take the time to fill in ALL the pieces of the puzzle!
Who is the
Person?
History &
Life Patterns & Level of
Preferences
Dementia?
Health Issues? Memory, language,
Problems with senses,
movement, pain, understanding,
emotions, impulsiveness,
temperature, fatigue… sensory awareness
Other people? Environment?
Approach, words, What’s going on all
around?
actions & reactions How does it look, sound,
Patterns & feel?
Routines?
How does this fit in with
the rest of the day?
Is this related to old
personal habits or rituals?
NOW --- BRAINSTORM –
Given all the pieces of the puzzle… What do you think is going on?
How would you explain the behavior of this person?
THEN --- COME UP WITH AN ACTION PLAN!
What will you try?
How do you think it might help?
How will you know if it works?
Who will be doing what?
© 2010 Teepa Snow. All rights reserved. Use only with permission. Handout at Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County
sponsored Dementia and Alzheimer’s event, March 22, 2010, at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center in Santa Rosa, CA. P a g e |2

3. First – Describe the Behavior – Be Objective
What happens?
Where does it happen?
When does it happen?
Who is involved?
What is said? Done?
How does it start? Stop?
What makes it better? Worse?
Then - Review what you know and don’t know. Fill in all the parts of the puzzle.
© 2010 Teepa Snow. All rights reserved. Use only with permission. Handout at Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County
sponsored Dementia and Alzheimer’s event, March 22, 2010, at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center in Santa Rosa, CA. P a g e |3

4. NOW --- BRAINSTORM –
Given all the pieces of the puzzle… What do you think is going on?
How would you explain the behavior of this person?
THEN --- COME UP WITH AN ACTION PLAN!
What will you try?
How do you think it might help?
How will you know if it works?
Who will be doing what?
© 2010 Teepa Snow. All rights reserved. Use only with permission. Handout at Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County
sponsored Dementia and Alzheimer’s event, March 22, 2010, at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center in Santa Rosa, CA. P a g e |4