Which are possible sources of frustrations for nurses caring for persons with dementia? – The clients do not retain explanations or instructions, so the nurse must repeat the same things continually. – The nurse may get little or no positive response or feedback from clients with dementia.

Cholinesterase inhibitors aim to increase communication between the nerve cells to try to improve the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. These drugs have been approved for use in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.

Medications called cholinesterase inhibitors are prescribed for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. These drugs may help reduce some symptoms and help control some behavioral symptoms. The medications are Razadyne® (galantamine), Exelon® (rivastigmine), and Aricept® (donepezil).

Donepezil (Aricept®): approved to treat all stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Older age does not cause Alzheimer’s, but it is the most important known risk factor for the disease. The number of people with Alzheimer’s disease doubles about every 5 years beyond age 65. About one-third of all people age 85 and older may have Alzheimer’s disease.

The main risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are age and gender. The incidence of the disease is higher in women than in men, and this cannot simply be attributed to the higher longevity of women versus men.

Age is the biggest risk factor for Alzheimer’s. It mainly affects people over 65. Above this age, a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease doubles about every five years. One in six people over 80 have dementia – many of them have Alzheimer’s disease.

On average, people with Alzheimer’s disease live between three and 11 years after diagnosis, but some survive 20 years or more. The degree of impairment at diagnosis can affect life expectancy.