- Is the behavior truly a problem?
- Whose problem is it: the resident’s, other residents’, the staff?
- Is it a matter of safety to the patient or to others?
- Most of the time, it’s not a problem, it’s just not “normal” behavior
- Is there actually meaning to the resident’s behavior?
- Are they reacting to someone else’s bad behavior? When they start the behavior (yelling, crying, etc.), ask yourself, “What did I (or someone else) do that might have initiated this?”
- Most of the time, the resident is simply reacting to us
- What has changed that might be contributing to the person’s behavior?
- Explore the “whys” of actions. The resident’s behavior could be related to many things – emotions, environment, unmet needs, or even you, the caregiver
- Be aware. If the resident is confined to a wheelchair, for example, think about how it feels to no longer be able to move around on their own. How might that influence their actions?