Avera Behavioral Management

The Resident with Dementia

Dementia is the most common mental disorder affecting residents in long-term care.
Residents with dementia will demonstrate cognitive impairment that significantly impairs their daily functioning and their relationships with other people.
Residents with dementia show behavioral disturbances such as apathy, agitation, depression, delusions, hallucinations, wandering and aggression, that can significantly affect their case and their quality of life.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, but there are other causes, some of which are potentially treatable.
The general principles of management of residents with dementia include: a) setting realistic goals and expectations, b) providing consistent care within a highly structured environment, and c) constructing care-plans that utilize a resident's remaining strengths and abilities.
The management of specific behavioral disturbances must be multi-modal. Treatment considerations include environmental manipulations, behavioral or psychological interventions, and drug therapy.
Residents with dementia have an increased susceptibility to side-effects from psychoactive drugs; drug therapy must be closely monitored and re-evaluated at regular intervals.