New Approaches to Treatment of Dementia: Optimizing Resident Function and Caregiver Efficiency

The provider’s goal should be to improve the course of the disease and treat associated psychiatric conditions, according to Dr. Agronin, who noted that only half of patients with dementia have been diagnosed and only a quarter are actually being treated for the disease.

Abstract

There is no cure for the four to five million Americans who have dementia. But there are several new drug therapies that stabilize the progression of both Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia, and other drugs that can help control the patient's related agitation and psychosis, according to Marc Agronin, MD, Director of Mental Health Services at Miami Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged in Miami, Florida. "There are wonderful options to use, but [it is important to] really focus on getting people into treatment," urged Dr.