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Treatment of Dementia in a Medical Day Care Program
Author(s) -
Chodosh H. Louis,
Zeffert Barbara,
Muro Elisabeth Scotti
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1986.tb07263.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dementia , specialty , incidence (geometry) , recreation , nursing homes , long term care , family medicine , gerontology , nursing , disease , physics , pathology , optics , political science , law
An analysis was completed of 34 patients with dementia who attended a mixed medical day care program over a five‐year period. The parameters reviewed included age, home situation, diagnosis, incidence of co‐existent medical disorders, management by the social worker, nurses and neuropsychiatrist, the extent of social and program participation, length of stay, and disposition. There was a high incidence of medical problems which were managed effectively because of close nursing observation, availability of ancillary services, specialty clinics, and frequent communication with the community physicians. The social worker assisted families with the management of long‐term planning for the dementia patients and the entire social‐nursing‐recreational therapy team devised programs which encouraged the patients to function at an optimum level. Neuropsychiatrie management, including drug therapy, was an integral part of the program.