Which of the following is a category of programming?

• A. Maintenance
• B. Validation Therapy
• C. Reality Orientation
• D. The three categories of programming

Answer: (A)

In programming for residents, activities are grouped by the purpose they serve, such as maintaining skills, stimulating engagement, or supporting orientation. Maintenance programming focuses on preserving existing abilities and independence through simple, repetitive tasks that residents can perform with minimal assistance. This helps prevent decline and builds confidence, making it a clear category of programming.

Validation Therapy is a communication approach used with dementia to acknowledge the resident’s feelings, rather than a broad programming category. Reality Orientation is a technique used to help residents stay aware of time, place, and person; while it can be used within programming, it isn’t itself a standalone programming category. The idea of “three categories of programming” isn’t naming a real category either.