Building Trust with a Dementia Patient: Strategies for Caregivers
Moderate Alzheimer's disease? Hello Dr. Chiu: My mother-in-law is 81 years old and suffers from moderate dementia. She often experiences severe delusions and distrusts people, especially her daughter-in-law. She refuses to eat her meals, fearing that we might poison her. Des...
Dr. Qiu Ruixiang reply Psychiatry
Hello Ms. Chen: The symptoms your mother-in-law is currently experiencing are quite typical in patients with dementia. Statistics show that approximately 1/2 to 2/3 of dementia patients will exhibit what are known as "behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia" (...[Read More] Building Trust with a Dementia Patient: Strategies for Caregivers
Understanding and Managing Auditory Hallucinations in Elderly Patients
Vasculitis Dear Dr. Chiu, Hello. My aunt, who is 85 years old, fell at home two years ago and fractured the area where her thigh connects to her hip. She underwent surgery and had steel pins inserted. During the medical evaluation, she was also diagnosed with mitral valve insuff...
Dr. Qiu Ruixiang reply Psychiatry
Hello, Xiao Ying. Based on the information provided, it is likely that your aunt is experiencing dementia with accompanying psychiatric symptoms. The primary symptom of dementia is a significant decline in memory, which can sometimes be difficult for family members to notice, esp...[Read More] Understanding and Managing Auditory Hallucinations in Elderly Patients
Exploring the Best Antipsychotic with Minimal Side Effects
Antipsychotic medications with the least side effects? OLANZAPINE (ZYPREXA by Eli Lilly) is considered to have the fewest side effects and is often regarded as one of the best medications. A typical dose may be 10 mg or more. I found in the pharmacopoeia that it is suitable for t...
Dr. Qiu Ruixiang reply Psychiatry
Dear netizens, Generally speaking, the side effects of the new generation of antipsychotic medications are less than those of traditional antipsychotics. In Taiwan, there are already four or five types of these medications available, with Olanzapine being one of them and indeed...[Read More] Exploring the Best Antipsychotic with Minimal Side Effects