Long-Term Care Survey Alert
SURVEY & CLINICAL NEWS
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Is your facility incorporating these principles of care for patients with Alzheimer's disease? The American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry recently released a position statement spelling out a care model for AD that weaves together both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. A new clinical trial shows that a higher dose of flu vaccine may do a better job of boosting elders' immunity against flu. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, conducted the study reported in a recent issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. In the study, the researchers found that study participants who received the highest dose of flu vaccine (60 micrograms) had higher levels of antibodies compared to those who received the normal dose of 15 micrograms. The higher dose caused more mild side effects at the injection site, but no significant differences in systemic symptoms. The participants had an average age of 72.4 years
The position statement addresses clinical care for AD patients in long-term care among other settings, including primary care, specialist care and assisted living.
The principles of dementia care are organized around key areas of therapy, such as use of cholinesterase inhibitors, which have the "strongest evidence" that they work in treating mild to moderate AD. They also address pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies for AD-related neuropsychiatric symptoms, including agitation, aggressive behavior and delusions.
Review AAGP's position statement, go to www.aagponline.org/prof/position_caredmnalz.asp.
Researchers say the results provide a basis to further evaluate "enhanced potency vaccines" in the elderly population.
For more information on influenza see www.3.niaid.nih.gov/news/focuson/flu. Also visit www.PandemicFlu.gov for one-stop access to U.S. government information on avian and pandemic flu.
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Is your facility incorporating these principles of care for patients with Alzheimer's disease? The American [...]