ABSTRACT
Dementing conditions are seldom associated with any degree of therapeutic optimism. Despite the frequency with which they occur, it is only in the last few years that these conditions have attracted much attention from clinicians and researchers. Often, the diagnosis of dementia has signalled the end of the rehabilitative effort, rather than the starting point. It is now being recognised that conditions that afflict 0.1% of those under 65, and 5% of those over 65, deserve to be considered much more carefully. Realistically, what can be achieved? What are the most helpful approaches? This chapter seeks to clarify the goals of rehabilitation with these disorders, before describing some of the approaches used, and some of the basic issues raised by this work.
