The assessment and management of dementia

South African family practitioners can expect to contend with rising rates of dementia as the aged segment of the population grows larger and HIV-related neuropsychiatric complications manifest with increasing prevalence. Family practitioners are often the first professional consulted by families co...

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Main Author: Zahir Vally
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2010-10-01
Series:South African Family Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/1522
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author Zahir Vally
author_facet Zahir Vally
author_sort Zahir Vally
collection DOAJ
description South African family practitioners can expect to contend with rising rates of dementia as the aged segment of the population grows larger and HIV-related neuropsychiatric complications manifest with increasing prevalence. Family practitioners are often the first professional consulted by families concerned with a family member’s suspected dementia. This fortunate position facilitates the early identification of cognitive difficulties, which, in turn, greatly increases the likelihood of optimal management. Dementia is best managed with a multidisciplinary-team approach that sees family practitioners fulfilling the role of key support to families and of the coordinators of multidisciplinary referrals and inputs. This article reviews the key diagnostic features of dementia and provides suggestions that may be utilised by physicians in the basic assessment of these features. It concludes with a summary of the most appropriate management plan to be adopted by family practitioners.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2010-10-01
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record_format Article
series South African Family Practice
spelling doaj-art-554f27bd8c1f46f0a1c15f2375b7b8a52025-08-20T04:03:17ZengAOSISSouth African Family Practice2078-61902078-62042010-10-0152539239510.1080/20786204.2010.108740141213The assessment and management of dementiaZahir Vally0Lentegeur Psychiatric Hospital, South Africa; and, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape TownSouth African family practitioners can expect to contend with rising rates of dementia as the aged segment of the population grows larger and HIV-related neuropsychiatric complications manifest with increasing prevalence. Family practitioners are often the first professional consulted by families concerned with a family member’s suspected dementia. This fortunate position facilitates the early identification of cognitive difficulties, which, in turn, greatly increases the likelihood of optimal management. Dementia is best managed with a multidisciplinary-team approach that sees family practitioners fulfilling the role of key support to families and of the coordinators of multidisciplinary referrals and inputs. This article reviews the key diagnostic features of dementia and provides suggestions that may be utilised by physicians in the basic assessment of these features. It concludes with a summary of the most appropriate management plan to be adopted by family practitioners.https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/1522dementianeuropsychologycognitive impairmentalzheimer’s diseasehiv/aids
spellingShingle Zahir Vally
The assessment and management of dementia
South African Family Practice
dementia
neuropsychology
cognitive impairment
alzheimer’s disease
hiv/aids
title The assessment and management of dementia
title_full The assessment and management of dementia
title_fullStr The assessment and management of dementia
title_full_unstemmed The assessment and management of dementia
title_short The assessment and management of dementia
title_sort assessment and management of dementia
topic dementia
neuropsychology
cognitive impairment
alzheimer’s disease
hiv/aids
url https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/1522
work_keys_str_mv AT zahirvally theassessmentandmanagementofdementia
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