Replication and extension of a check-in procedure to increase activity engagement among people with severe dementia.

Five nursing-home residents with severe dementia took part. Staff walked over, greeted each resident by name, and asked, “What would you like to do?” The resident could point to or name an activity.

The team used a multiple-baseline design. They watched how often each resident was busy before and after the check-in started. Sessions happened in the living room during free time.

Three of the five residents spent more time doing activities after the check-in began. Four residents also tried a wider mix of activities.

The gains stayed while the procedure stayed in place. Staff needed less than a minute per check-in.

Van Hanegem et al. (2014) got even bigger boosts by swapping the staff greeting for a computer picture menu and a microswitch music choice. Same goal—more engagement—but tech did the prompting.

Parsons et al. (1993) ran a similar replication decades earlier. They gave staff a quick leisure checklist instead of a verbal check-in and saw the same drop in idle time.

McMillan et al. (1999) and Cohen-Almeida et al. (2000) trained staff in full Active Support programs. Those packages work, yet they take days of training. The 2015 check-in gives a lighter, faster option.

You can start tomorrow. Pick one quiet period, greet each resident, and offer two visible activity choices. Track engagement for ten minutes. If it works, add more periods. No extra staff, no gadgets, no grant money—just a friendly question that wakes up choice and movement.