Guidelines for managing Alzheimer's disease: part I. Assessment.
Family physicians play a key role in assessing and managing patients with Alzheimer's disease and in linking the families of these patients to supportive services within the community. As part of comprehensive management, the family physician may be responsible for coordinating assessments of patient function, cognition, comorbid medical conditions, disorders of mood and emotion, and caregiver status. Suggestions for easily administered and scored assessment tools are provided, and practical tips are given for supporting primary caregivers, thereby increasing efficiency and quality of care for patients with Alzheimer's disease.
Cummings
Jeffrey L
JL
University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine, USA.
Frank
Janet C
JC
Cherry
Debra
D
Kohatsu
Neal D
ND
Kemp
Bryan
B
Hewett
Linda
L
Mittman
Brian
B
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition; D015897:Comorbidity; D005194:Family Practice; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests