Hi,
Just asking for opinion but if anyone is a health care professional and knows....

I see so much research for Alzheimer's and various diseases/ issues that cause dementia and behavior changes. Every week you read something new about a new test and what it shows or a new distinction between something like Lewy body dementia and Parkinson's.....YET, there are hardly ever any new meds or treatments.

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 attend a support group and I see caretakers/family members going to specialist after specialist for hrs of assessment. I took my family member for a "neuro cognitive geriatric assessment" that lasted 4 hrs. The dx was so vague and ridiculous my hairdresser could have written. When I questioned the evaluators, they got defensive and said, they did not have time for Q&A.

I think this is just a big income producer for some health care professionals.
Evaluations and meds have been a huge waste of time, energy and $ and quite frankly the meds are dangerous, especially for the elderly and frail. I have gleaned more by observation and simply talking to family and caretakers who have been doing this way longer than me.

Thanks for your thoughts friends,
Diandra