This advice is for people with early, mid and late stage dementia.
Expert consensus is that these practices are recommended in the care of people with dementia
Early, Mid and Late Stage Dementia
- use non-pharmacological strategies in preference to medications
- benzodiazepines should not generally be used, but
- short acting benzodiazepines can be useful for managing acute agitation provided use is monitored
- antipsychotics can be useful when prescribed at a low dose for a limited period to alleviate distressing neuropsychiatric symptoms
- antipsychotics should be considered if distressing behavioural
- symptoms are not responsive to other management strategies
- tricyclic antidepressants have a limited role, but
- tricyclic antidepressants may be useful in managing refractory neuropathic pain