ABC of dementia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Dementia in the UK -- Causes of dementia -- Assessment -- Intervening early in dementia -- Pharmacological treatment -- Dementia and families -- Person centred care -- Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Dementia (NPSD) -- Dementia in younger people -- Dementia in primary care -- Dementia in the acute hospital -- Dementia and the law -- End of life care in dementia -- Dementia in other settings.

"A practical guide to providing the best care for patients with dementia within primary care settings. Covers management of not only the dementia patient but also their families and other care providers. Provides guidance on the legal and ethical issues surrounding dementia. Expert editor and contributor multi-disciplinary team. The past few decades have seen a rapid growth in the scientific understanding of dementia and the brain diseases that cause it, including developments in neuropathology, aetiology, imaging and the role of genetics. In turn, this knowledge has led to the introduction of pharmacological treatments and, consequently, an evidence base for their limited effectiveness. As yet, no available treatments modify the brain diseases causing dementia and there is no evidence to support screening programmes. Continued research has also led to the discovery that many of the treatments that have been used for decades with the clinical aim of helping people with dementia do more harm than good. Sedating medication such as antipsychotics are of little clinical effectiveness and are known to increase mortality in those patients prescribed them. Fortunately, we are moving away from pharmacological treatments towards a range of non-medical interventions to help those most distressed or most challenging to care for. Central to this has been the flourishing of research and theory in the field of person-centred care"-- Provided by publisher.