Meeting the challenges of dementia | |
Management of dementia. Simon Lovestone and Serge Gauthier. London: Martin Dunitz, 2001 (viii + 168 pp). ISBN 1 85317 739 3. |
Dementia has a huge
impact on the lives of those who come in contact with it — sufferers, their families and their carers. This concise book offers health professionals working in the field help to confront the issues and meet the challenges they will encounter throughout the pathway of care.
The areas covered in the book are diverse. They vary from practical management of behavioural disturbance to the current theories of disease modification. Each individual chapter contains a summary of the latest research, followed by case reports and practical advice drawn from personal experience. The reader is led to a rich list of references for further study. Unfortunately, the wide range of topics covered produces a somewhat disjointed layout. The book is aimed at a wide audience. The first chapter, on managing the newly diagnosed patient, begins with a discussion of the disclosure of the diagnosis to patient and carers. The salient issues are summarised, giving a sense of the ethical complexities confronted at this early stage of dementia care. Other chapters deal with behavioural, psychiatric and sleep disturbances, with practical points supported by evidence when available. Surprisingly, two chapters are dedicated to biomedical markers and the potential for disease modification. These are interesting but have little practical value at this stage. A large section of the book is allocated to reprinting assessment scales that may be useful in the multidisciplinary evaluation of patient and carers. The authors are well-recognised leaders in the field and have written extensively on dementia. The book is easy to read and is enhanced by their personal experiences in the management of their patients and carers. There is an underlying emphasis on quality care, support and communication. At about $67 this concise, up-to-date guide is reasonable value for money. Dina LoGiudice
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