ABSTRACT
Management of elderly patients with delirium or dementia in Swiss nursing homes Dementia and delirium are among the most frequent medical conditions in older nursing home residents. Their management require a coordinated interdisciplinary approach, including for drug prescription. Using a systematic literature review of published meta-analyses and guidelines, prescription algorithms were developed adressing the pharmacological management of cognitive symptoms of dementia and delirium in older nursing home residents in the canton of Fribourg.
Subject(s)
Delirium/drug therapy , Dementia/drug therapy , Aged , Algorithms , Antipsychotic Agents/therapeutic use , Cholinesterase Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Decision Trees , Homes for the Aged , Humans , Nootropic Agents/therapeutic use , Nursing Homes , SwitzerlandABSTRACT
Drug adherence needs to be promoted in elderly patients taking multiple medications. Barriers to adherence are numerous and each barrier needs to be addressed specifically. Patients should be included in the therapeutic decision making process. Patient's life expectations and disease/treatment beliefs should be addressed. Healthcare practitioners should discuss the course of treatment with the patient proactively before any problem arises by using open-ended and informative questions. Functional and organizational barriers to adherence should be assessed throughout the treatment. A multidisciplinary approach to promote adherence is crucial and allows healthcare practitioners to combine specific skills (physician, pharmacist, nurse, etc.).
