Nonpharmacologic intervention and care for dementia with Lewy bodies

Kazumi Ota

Juntendo University Tokyo Koto Geriatric Medical Center

Nonpharmacologic intervention for DLB is especially important because of the various behavior and psychiatric symptoms that can appear early stage of the disease process, and the severe sensitivity to antipsychotic agents. Although evidence for nonpharmacologic intervention for dementia is limited, the reported effects include reduced stress and increased QOL of the patients and caregivers, and decreased frequencies of the behavior and psychiatric symptoms. In this paper, the nonpharmacologic intervention and care for the recurrent visual hallucinations, parkinsonism, cognitive fluctuation, and REM sleep behavior disorder for DLB are discussed.

Address correspondence to Dr. Kazumi Ota, Juntendo University Tokyo Koto Geriatric Medical Center (3-3-20 Shinsuna, Koto-ku, Tokyo 136-0075, Japan)