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Falls prevention — SCE Geriatric Medicine MCQ

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HardExercise PrescriptionFalls preventionSCE Geriatric Medicine

An 84-year-old with Alzheimer disease has fragmented sleep and daytime napping. Pain, nocturia, sleep apnoea, medicines and delirium have been reviewed. Which next intervention best matches NICE?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: BUse a personalised programme of sleep hygiene, daylight, exercise and meaningful activity

Explanation lettering: B = shown as A · A = shown as B · E = shown as C · C = shown as E

A is correct: NICE advises a personalised multicomponent approach incorporating sleep hygiene, daylight exposure, exercise and tailored activities for sleep problems in dementia, after remediable causes are addressed. It specifically advises against melatonin for insomnia in Alzheimer disease. Long-term hypnotic treatment adds falls, cognitive and dependence harms. Increasing or moving donepezil to bedtime can worsen vivid dreams or insomnia and is not a sleep-management strategy.

Reference: NICE NG97: Dementia assessment and management: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng97/chapter/Recommendations