Memory
AGING AND THE MIND
As our population ages, the prevalence of dementia (disorders of cognitive decline, most commonly Alzheimer’s) increases. Symptoms include:
- An inability to independently complete daily functions such as feed, bathe, dress, ambulate, toilet use, use the phone, travel, shop, prepare meals, clean the house and manage finances.
- Cognitive impairments in areas such as memory, language, speech, attention, planning, visual-spatial recognition and psychomotor tasks.
- Disorders of Behavior or Emotion: These may range from apathy (indifference) to agitation and psychosis with subsequent attempts to escape on a nightly basis. They may present as depression, anxiety and delusions of being robbed to excessive euphoria.
A full evaluation includes collateral information from a caregiver, as well as a full medical history, to assess the severity of the symptoms and the strain the family is under. Our office will arrange for the caregiver to complete forms online, to ensure the validity of the information without incurring the expense of an added visit or the hostility which may be incurred if the caregiver contradicts the patient during the visit.
CURRENT TREATMENTS
After a complete evaluation, our psychiatrists will work with the patient and family using available pharmacologic options for cognitive improvement if indicated and pharmacologic options for behavior and emotional symptoms if necessary. The mainstay of our treatment will be education, behavior modification, task simplification and environmental assessment with changes when indicated. Referrals to structured activities, support organizations and continued reassessment throughout the illness.
Neuro-Psychiatry
Evaluation and treatment of patients with emotional sequelae from neurological disorders including head injuries.
