ABSTRACT
Inappropriate behaviors are very common in dem en-tia and impose an enormous toll both emotionally and financially. These behaviors increase suffering for
th e person with dementia and burden for caregivers;
they prompt utilization of more restrictive care, and re-
sult in the application of both pharmacologic and non-
pharm acologic treatments. For the purpose of this ar-
ticle, inappropriate behaviors will be defined as
“inappropriate verbal, vocal, or motor activity that is
not judged by an outside observer to be an obvious out-
com e of the needs or confusion of the individual.”1
