Dementia Myth No. 1: You can predict the progress of dementia

Jun 9, 2023 | Dementia

No, I’m afraid that you can’t. As I stated in my previous post, we as a society cling to the idea that dementia is simply a gradual fading out, a progressive loss of memories and self-awareness. While that’s not exactly comforting, it’s less disturbing than many of...

Agitation: Ativan Is Not the Answer—Is it Delirium?

May 14, 2023 | Medication

So what is agitation? The answer to that question can vary greatly. It depends on the observer, and the observer’s frame reference. It could be a person, sitting in the comfort of his own living room, asking again and again to “go home.” Or, it might be endlessly...

Agitation: Ativan is not the answer: Goals of Care

Apr 29, 2023 | Medication

As I was preparing for a talk to nurses and discharge planners in Sacramento, I was reminded of a patient I had a few years ago. He was a Canadian diplomat. He spoke five languages but had really lost his ability to function. He couldn’t really communicate. but he had...

The Wild, Wild West of Medication

Feb 17, 2023 | Medication

Dementia and medications really are a wild, wild west for so many patients. The issue is that far too many patients are peppered with medications like birdshot, often prescribed by multiple different doctors. A hurried doctor who only sees his or her patients...

Can Reading and Writing Slow Dementia?

Sep 30, 2022 | Dementia, Resources/News

A recent article in the Journal of Neurology added evidence that reading and writing can slow dementia adding more options to the important area of maintaining brain fitness. While certain computer programs can also augment brain power, most anything that challenges...