Treatments

for dementia

Treatments can be classified into pharmacological treatments and non-pharmacological interventions.

Early intervention leads to better prognosis!

  • There is no effective cure for dementia yet.

  • More than half of the patients have behavioral and psychological symptoms.

Pharmacological Treatments

Medicines

Side effects

Currently available medications have limited efficacy for moderate to severe dementia and have potential side effects, such as:

Vomiting

Weight loss

Muscle cramps

Medicines available to treat dementia

At present, available medicines to treat "dementia" include Donepezil (Aricept®), Rivastigmine (Exelon®), Galantamine (Reminyl®) and Memantine (Ebixa®) to aid in delaying neurodegeneration.

Donepezil

(Aricept® )

Rivastigmine

(Exelon® )

Galantamine

(Reminyl® )

Memantine

(Ebixa® )

Improve behavioral and psychological problems

Psychiatrists will prescribe psychiatric medications based on observed symptoms, primarily sedatives and sleeping pills, aimed at reducing behavioral and psychological problems.

Sedatives

 

Sleeping pills

  • Non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) are often used in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia.

  • The aim is primarily to maintain daily functioning.

  • NPIs are often used as adjuvant therapy to slow down cognitive decline and improve the quality of life for patients and their caregivers.

Non-pharmacological Interventions

Training as a whole

  • Reminiscence Therapy
  • Reality Orientation
  • Cognitive Interventions, Attention Training
  • Exercise Interventions
  • Integrated Training*
  • Behavioral Therapy
  • Multisensory Stimulation Therapy
  • Eye-Hand Coordination Activities
  • Functional Interventions

* Integrated Training

It mainly combines physical and cognitive activities that target multiple risk factors. It has the potential for synergistic effect, and provides a better therapeutic effect compared to single-domain training.

Alternative Therapies

  • Light Therapy
  • Horticultural Therapy
  • Aromatherapy
  • Massage Therapy
  • Music Therapy
  • Art Therapy
  • Dance Therapy
  • Game Therapy
  • Pet Therapy
  • Robot-Assisted Therapy

End-of-Life Care

  • Nursing Home or Daycare Arrangements
  • Nutritional Care, such as Tube Feeding
  • Advanced directives, such as Medical Power of Attorney
  • Advanced Care Planning
  • Long-Term care planning
  • Financial planning, such as asset allocaiton
  • Palliative care