Diagnostic Family Conference in AD

Abstract

The Alzheimer’s Association reports that more than 70% of people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) live at home, and that almost 75% of the home care is provided by family and friends. The remainder is paid part-time care costing an average of $12,500 per year. Families pay almost all of that out of pocket. It is not uncommon for patients with dementia to live for 10–15 years or longer following onset (1). For these reasons, a consensus statement of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, the Alzheimer’s Association, and the American Geriatrics Society states that family intervention is critical, particularly in the assessment and diagnostic process (2). Recent studies agree, stressing that family caregivers need to be educated about the diagnosis and course of AD, receive counseling for emotional difficulties, be trained in behavior management, taught to implement medication and treatment schedules, and directed to outside services and means of support (3,4). However, results from one study of how well clinicians are following dementia practice outlines has found that only about half of the clinicians studied actually provide caregiver support for the majority of their patients (5). This chapter discusses issues regarding informing patients and their families of a diagnosis of dementia and provides recommendations that may be useful in helping them cope with this diagnosis.