Hi Diandra, I want to return to the original question of this thread:

”What is the point of dragging out poor demented loved ones to all sorts of hospitals for expensive tests for evaluations that often frighten or confuse them when in the end, all they do is write a script for Aricept or namenda that does very little, or even worse, the side effects are dangerous for the elderly or frail.”


I agree with you. If there are no new meds or treatments available, I see no point in subjecting an elderly loved one to unnecessary tests and procedures which can make the situation worse.

One of my uncles developed a type of dementia and my cousin was determined to find out the cause. The doctors ruled out Alzheimer’s, but despite many expensive hours of testing, a definitive diagnosis was never made. The doctors finally put him on Aricept, which could have originally been done without any testing just based on his symptoms alone.

Well, he seemed to improve on the medication, so they increased his dosage. The next day he became super angry and violent and finally had to be hospitalized. My aunt was traumatized and although my uncle recovered after his medication was stopped, my aunt never trusted him again.