Caregiver Skills in Moderate, Mid Stage Alzheimer's

Try listening to music and enjoy walks. Modest gardening activities in which people with Alzheimer's disease can be encouraged to smell flowers and enjoy color, not only gives the day some structure, but also helps validate people as individuals. It can give purpose to a day, help with relaxation and promote sleep. It is important to keep the person with Alzheimer's as fit and healthy as possible. Move to another different activity if he/she becomes agitated.

Medications in Moderate, Mid-Stage Alzheimer's

There is no cure for Alzheimer's but there are drug treatments that can help with resulting behavioral problems. Cholinesterase inhibitors are most commonly prescribed in the mild to moderate stages of Alzheimer's disease. These include Aricept (donezepil HCL),  Exelon (rivastigmine) and Razadyne (galantamine). These medications postpone the worsening of symptoms for 6 to 12 months in about half the people who take them.

Memantine (Namenda) was approved in 2003 for treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease. It works by regulating the activity of glutamate, a messenger chemical involved in learning and memory. Improvement is often minimal but this drug is still worth trying. Drugs may cause side effects and may interact with other medications. Your doctor may need to try different cholinesterase inhibitors until the most effective one is found. Medications for behavioral symptoms include:

• Anxiolytics for anxiety. For example lorazepam (Ativan),  oxazepam (Serax).
• Antidepressants for depression. For example paroxeine (Paxil),  sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine (Prozac)
• Antipsychotic medications such as haloperidol (Haldol),  quetiapine (Seroquel), olanzapine (Zyprexa), aripiprazole (Abilify)
• Increasingly mood stabilizers, such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), and divalproex (Depakote) are also prescribed.

More Information about Treatments for Alzheimer's disease

More about Caregiving and Alzheimer's Disease  

Information About Alzheimer's Disease

HealthCentral's Caregiver Center

Family CareGiver Alliance

Alzheimer's Foundation of America