An individualised, non-pharmacological treatment strategy associated with an improvement in neuropsychiatric symptoms in a man with dementia living at home

Abstract

More than 90% of people with dementia experience neuropsychiatric symptoms which are often distressing and can result in early institutionalisation, diminished quality of life, increased frequency of emergency department visits along with stress and ill-health in caregivers. Non-pharmacological interventions are recommended as first-line treatment for neuropsychiatric symptoms, instead of medications such as atypical antipsychotics which have significant side effects. Most systematic reviews of non-pharmacological interventions for neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia focus on patients in long-term care facilities and there are a limited number of research studies assessing the use of non-pharmacological interventions for patient’s living at home. In this case report, we discuss an elderly man with dementia whose cognitive symptoms were accompanied by significant neuropsychiatric symptoms of suspicion, delusions, agitation and aggression. We describe how a programme of individualised, non-pharmacological interventions was associated with an improvement in neuropsychiatric symptoms within 3 months.

Digital delivery of non-pharmacological intervention programmes for people living with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Our multimodal, non-pharmacological intervention programmes for people living with dementia have previously been delivered by trained therapists in-person to individuals and groups in communities in the UK and China. 32–35 Once the COVID-19 pandemic regulations required that populations social distance and self-isolate, there was also significant interruption of vital social care support services for many people living with dementia and their carers. 13 36 Our therapists rapidly sought remote means to connect with people living with dementia and their carers by setting up one-to-one video or telephone consultation sessions to replace our in-person one-to-one sessions and adapted our programmes to a technology-enabled care approach.…”