Despite their differences, dementia and Alzheimer’s are commonly used interchangeably, even by caregivers.
Your staff should be aware that there are different forms of dementia that require different treatment types.
Let’s say you have a resident who is experiencing hallucinations. A clinician may consider giving the resident an antipsychotic.
If the clinician is unaware of different forms of dementia, they may not know that a person with Lewy Body Dementia is likely to have a toxic side-effect from taking those types of medication.
Lack of knowledge around different types and treatment options can put your residents at risk.