Treating Dementia in Context: A Step-by-step Guide to Working With Individuals and Families

McCurry (psychosocial and community health and psychiatry and behavioral sciences, U. of Washington) and Drossel, a psychologist and doctoral candidate in clinical gerontology at the U. of Nevada, Reno, help psychologists, physicians, nurses, social workers, and other health care professionals work with individuals and families affected by dementia. They describe how to prevent or reduce the emotional and behavioral changes that occur and the various factors that influence behavior. They detail common cognitive and behavioral symptoms and how they affect clients' views of themselves and the world, a conceptual approach to dementia care, and a model for working with clients that includes establishing rapport and evaluating consent to treatment, treating the most common medical comorbidities, helping caregivers maintain connections, managing affective and behavioral changes with their and other models, and helping clients maintain quality of life. They do not discuss pharmacological treatments in depth; they only cover potential side effects and general information. They exclude discussion of epidemiology of cognitive decline, anatomical or biochemical pathology, and neuropsychological assessment. Annotation c2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)