ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the treatment of two behavioral problems known to be prevalent and pervasive in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD): depression and agitation. Depression in patients with dementia represents a debilitating combination of emotional, functional, cognitive, and behavioral difficulties. Agitation is one of the most common causes of patient institutionalization and reasons for the use of pharmacological or physical restraints. Depression and agitation in patients with dementia represent significant, prevalent, and pervasive behavioral problems with which caregivers must cope. Similar to other caregiver education programs, behavioral treatment incorporates providing basic education about AD, information about community and family resources to assist with caregiving responsibilities, and developing short- and long-term care plans. Depression and agitation are viewed as a series of behaviors which are initiated and maintained by person-environment interactions that can be observed and modified. Such modifications alter the frequency and severity of the depressed or agitated behaviors under consideration.
