Alzheimer’s Therapy Focuses on Care - NYTimes.com: Research suggests that creating positive emotional experiences for Alzheimer’s patients diminishes distress and behavior problems. Disregarding typical nursing-home rules, Beatitudes allows Alzheimer’s patients to sleep, be bathed and dine whenever they want, even at 2 a.m. They eat anything they want too, no matter how unhealthy, including unlimited chocolate. One woman was given a baby doll, a move that seemed so jarring that a supervisor initially objected until she saw how calm Ms. Nance became when she rocked, caressed and fed her “baby,” often agreeing to eat herself after the doll “ate” several spoonfuls. Patients at Beatitudes are allowed practically anything that brings comfort.
Some efforts involve stopping anti-anxiety or antipsychotic drugs, used to quell hallucinations or aggression, but potentially harmful to dementia patients, who can be especially sensitive to side effects. Instead, some experts recommend primarily giving drugs for pain or depression, addressing what might be making patients unhappy.
Others recommend making cosmetic changes to rooms and buildings to affect behavior or mood. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that brightening lights in dementia facilities decreased depression, cognitive deterioration and loss of functional abilities. Increased light bolsters circadian rhythms and helps patients see better so they can be more active.
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