Behavior Supports How Does the Caregiver Support the Client Who is Experiencing Frustrations?

What is adaptive behavior? Adaptive behavior is the collection of conceptual, social and practical skills that have been learned by people in order to function in their everyday lives. Significant limitations in adaptive behavior impact a person’s daily life and affect the ability to respond to a particular situation or to the environment. Limitations like the following can be determined by using standardized tests:

What is adaptive behavior? Conceptual skills: receptive and expressive language, reading and writing, money concepts, self-direction. Social skills: interpersonal, responsibility, self-esteem, is not gullible or naïve, follows rules, obeys laws, avoids victimization.

What is adaptive behavior? Practical skills: personal activities of daily living such as eating, dressing, mobility and toileting; instrumental activities of daily living such as preparing meals taking medication, using the telephone, managing money, using transportation and doing housekeeping activities; occupational skills; maintaining a safe environment.

What is adaptive behavior? A significant deficit in one area impacts individual functioning enough to constitute a general deficit in adaptive behavior (AAMR, 2002).

What is maladaptive behavior? Maladaptive behaviors refer to types of behaviors that inhibit a person’s ability to adjust to particular situations. This type of behavior is often used to reduce one’s anxiety, but the result is dysfunctional and non-productive. (For example, avoiding situations because you have unrealistic fears may initially reduce your anxiety, but it is non-productive in alleviating the actual problem in the long term.) *

Maladaptive Behavior * Extracted from the web on 8/31/10: http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/glossaryip/g/MaladpBehavior.htm

How Do You Help? Ask Yourself Some Questions You need to become a “detective” of sorts! EVERY action has a purpose. What is the purpose of this person’s actions? See their “actions” as communication. ALL communication has a purpose. Are they hurt? If so, is it physical pain? Emotional pain? Did they just wake up in a “funk”? We have all done that and can’t explain it…what if that’s what’s up for this person? Do they have an itch they can’t scratch? How can they tell you? Are they uncomfortable? Try not moving at all until someone else comes to reposition you. Do they just not like you? Is it an anniversary time?

How Do You Help? Ask Yourself Some Questions Does this person TRULY have choices? Or are they being “forced” to accept staff choices? (music, activities, television programs, etc.) Do they feel rejected in some manner? Did they have a “not so good day” at work? Are the actions symptomatic of an illness that needs attention from a medical or mental health professional? Does the person miss a loved one/favorite pet?

How Do You Help? What Can You Do? First- demonstrate that person’s value! Show him/her they are important and valuable by taking the time necessary to try to discover what the person is trying to communicate! Is there anything you can do immediately to remedy the situation? Is there anyone you need to notify to assist the person? If so, prompt notifications are necessary so that the person does not suffer unnecessary effects of whatever is troubling them. RECOGNIZE THAT THEIR ACTIONS ARE A MEANS OF COMMUNICATION Is it possible you can help the person learn another way to communicate that would assist them in obtaining better results from others?

Behavior Support Plans (BSP) Sometimes when a person is challenged in communicating with others in ways that are generally acceptable by society and their communication methods cause them to experience difficulties of a significant manner, the person’s team may need to meet to discuss the possibility of developing a plan of action to help the person express themselves in more socially acceptable and appropriate ways. The plan of action starts with a discussion and then a “Behavior Support Plan” may be developed. Rule 5123:2-1-02 (J) (2) (b) states: “A behavior assessment is completed prior to implementation of any written behavior support plan to help identify the causes for a behavior and to determine the most appropriate teaching and support strategies. The behavior support plan shall be developed to follow the findings of the behavior assessment.”

Behavior Support Plans (BSP) Some behavior support plans are written to serve as a document for how the person’s staff are to assist him/her by verbally prompting the person to regain control over their situation.