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Background: Previous studies have highlighted a decline in the mental health of older adults over the course of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Few studies have determined the possible causes of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia during COVID-19 in a comprehensive manner. We aimed to identify the challenges faced by older adults with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: This study adopted a qualitative approach to understanding the perceptions of healthcare professionals, such as regarding the negative effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of people with dementia. Between January and March 2022, the authors conducted individual in-depth interviews on how COVID-19 affected the stress levels, care, and self-determination of people with dementia. Qualitative data from the individual interviews were data cleansed to ensure the clarity and readability of the transcripts. The qualitative data were then analyzed by inductive manual coding using a qualitative content analysis approach. The grouping process involved reading and comparing individual labels to cluster similar labels into categories and inductively formulate themes., Results: Qualitative analysis extracted 61 different semantic units that were duplicated. Seven categories were inductively extracted using a grouping process. These were further integrated to extract the following four themes: fear of personal protective equipment (PPE), loneliness, dissatisfaction with behavioural restrictions and limitations of video calls, and family interference with service use., Discussion: People with dementia often faced mental distress during the pandemic owing to preventive measures against COVID-19, and a lack of awareness and understanding of such preventive measures worsened their distress. They experienced a severe sense of social isolation and loneliness. Findings also indicated that families tended to ignore the needs of people with dementia and their decisions and opinions regarding healthcare service use., (© 2024 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.)

Introduction: We examined the efficacy of a multidomain intervention in preventing cognitive decline among Japanese older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)., Methods: Participants aged 65-85 years with MCI were randomized into intervention (management of vascular risk factors, exercise, nutritional counseling, and cognitive training) and control groups. The primary outcome was changes in the cognitive composite score over a period of 18 months., Results: Of 531 participants, 406 completed the trial. The between-group difference in composite score changes was 0.047 (95% CI: -0.029 to 0.124). Secondary analyses indicated positive impacts of interventions on several secondary health outcomes. The interventions appeared to be particularly effective for individuals with high attendance during exercise sessions and those with the apolipoprotein E ε4 allele and elevated plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein levels., Discussion: The multidomain intervention showed no efficacy in preventing cognitive decline. Further research on more efficient strategies and suitable target populations is required., Highlights: This trial evaluated the efficacy of multidomain intervention in individuals with MCI. The trial did not show a significant difference in preplanned cognitive outcomes. Interventions had positive effects on a wide range of secondary health outcomes. Those with adequate adherence or high risk of dementia benefited from interventions., (© 2024 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

Advance care planning (ACP) for people with dementia, as with other diseases, is a necessary process to realize medical treatment and care in the final stage of a person's life. On the other hand, dementia, a disease that is expected to make it difficult for people to make decisions on their own in the future, has a long course, and is characterized by uncertainty regarding the course of the disease, which may also be a limiting factor in the implementation of ACP for people with dementia. On the other hand, the uncertainties may also be a reason for implementing ACP. This paper reviews reports on ACP initiatives for people with dementia from many countries and presents their characteristics, cultural and customary influences, effects, facilitating and inhibiting factors, and recommendations for implementation, with the aim of promoting future ACP initiatives for people with dementia. The aim of the study was to promote future ACP initiatives for people with dementia.

Background/objectives: The Japan-multimodal intervention trial for prevention of dementia (J-MINT) is intended to verify the effectiveness of multi-domain interventions and to clarify the mechanism of cognitive improvement and deterioration by carrying out assessment of dementia-related biomarkers, omics analysis and brain imaging analysis among older adults at high risk of dementia. Moreover, the J-MINT trial collaborates with partnering private enterprises in the implementation of relevant interventional measures. This manuscript describes the study protocol., Design/setting: Eighteen-month, multi-centered, randomized controlled trial., Participants: We plan to recruit 500 older adults aged 65-85 years with mild cognitive impairment. Subjects will be centrally randomized into intervention and control groups at a 1:1 allocation ratio using the dynamic allocation method with all subjects stratified by age, sex, and cognition., Intervention: The multi-domain intervention program includes: (1) management of vascular risk factors; (2) group-based physical exercise and self-monitoring of physical activity; (3) nutritional counseling; and (4) cognitive training. Health-related information will be provided to the control group every two months., Measurements: The primary and secondary outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-up. The primary outcome is the change from baseline to 18 months in a global composite score combining several neuropsychological domains. Secondary outcomes include: cognitive change in each neuropsychological test, incident dementia, changes in blood and dementia-related biomarkers, changes in geriatric assessment including activities of daily living, frailty status and neuroimaging, and number of medications taken., Conclusions: This trial that enlist the support of private enterprises will lead to the creation of new services for dementia prevention as well as to verify the effectiveness of multi-domain interventions for dementia prevention., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Aims: As the number of older people with dementia increases, safe pharmacotherapy in this population has attracted attention in recent years. The aims of this study were to clarify the prescribing patterns in older patients who were prescribed anti-dementia drugs and to investigate the association of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) with the use of anti-dementia drugs., Methods: Adults aged ≥65 years, who were prescribed anti-dementia drugs at 585 pharmacies across Japan (N = 7,953), were surveyed. The percentage of prescriptions of anti-dementia drugs and the effect of those prescriptions on PIMs were investigated., Results: Prescriptions of anti-dementia drugs were found in 4.4% of the entire study population. A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the use of anti-dementia drugs reduced the risk of prescribing psychotropic drugs, which represented PIMs, and that a combination of anti-dementia drugs (e.g., cholineesterase inhibitor with memantine) may reduce the risk of prescribing PIMs compared with monotherapy., Conclusion: The use of anti-dementia drugs was associated with fewer prescriptions of drugs considered as PIMs., (The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Cognitive impairment is linked to decreased quality of life (QOL), but few studies have investigated the impact of comorbid sarcopenia., Objective: The aim of this study was to elucidate the association of sarcopenia with QOL in patients with early dementia and mild cognitive impairment., Methods: Individuals with a Clinical Dementia Rating of 0.5 or 1 and a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 20-30 underwent a battery of neuropsychological assessments administered by a group of well-trained clinical psychologists. The EQ-5D was completed by both the patients and their main caregivers. EQ-5D utility and visual analog scale scores were measured. Sarcopenia was defined according to the criteria published in the 2019 consensus update by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia., Results: Patients with sarcopenia had significantly lower scores on the Digit Symbol Substitution Test and Trail Making Test Part A. There was a significant negative association between sarcopenia and both self- and proxy-rated EQ-5D utility scores independent of potential confounding factors. However, there was no association between QOL visual analog scale scores and sarcopenia., Conclusion: Given that sarcopenia is often found in individuals with cognitive impairment, early detection by timely screening and effective intervention may help to maintain or improve QOL in this population. However, this study could not determine whether reduced QOL is a direct consequence of sarcopenia.

Introduction: As the human lifespan rises, older people are increasingly affected by multimorbidity, including hearing impairment (HI), frailty, and cognitive decline., Objective: We studied the effect of HI on the cognitive performance of older patients with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia and how this effect is altered when HI and frailty coexist., Methods: The sample comprised 172 outpatients (age ≥65 years) with a Clinical Dementia Rating of 0.5-1 and a Mini-Mental State Examination score ≥20. Cognitive, neuropsychological, physical function tests, and body measurements were performed. The participants' comorbidity indices were calculated, and they were asked to report their hearing condition. Finally, the participants were divided into 4 groups based on the presence of frailty, HI, both conditions, or neither., Results: The presence of HI was significantly associated with a lower Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) score (unadjusted model: p = 0.003; adjusted: p = 0.012). Moreover, people with both HI and frailty were more likely to have a low DSST score than those in the other groups (unadjusted model: OR: 3.741, 95% CI: 1.374-10.183, p = 0.010; adjusted model: OR: 4.192, 95% CI: 1.026-17.136, p = 0.046)., Conclusions: This study highlights the negative relationship between cognitive performance scored on the DSST and the presence of HI. Furthermore, the presence of both frailty and HI is associated with a worse cognitive score than HI alone., (© 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Aim: Quality of life (QOL) in older adults can be affected by many factors, such as dementia, sarcopenia and frailty. This study sought to identify factors that can lead to global deterioration in QOL among older outpatients, including factors stated in caregiver reports. This study also evaluated the discrepancy between QOL ratings reported by the patients and those by their family or professional caregivers., Methods: The sample comprised 141 patients with a Mini-Mental State Examination score ≥20 and a Clinical Dementia Rating of 0.5-1, indicating mild cognitive impairment to mild dementia. QOL was assessed using both components of the EQ-5D scale, namely, the index score and visual analog scale. In addition, cognitive, neuropsychological, nutritional and physical function tests were carried out, and body measurements were taken., Results: Patients' self-reported QOL was significantly associated with basic activities of daily living, Mini Nutritional Assessment score and Geriatric Depression Scale-15. QOL rated by caregivers was significantly associated with basic activities of daily living. EQ-5D index scores reported by caregivers were lower than those reported by patients. Furthermore, patients achieved a better score for self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression than those assigned by caregivers., Conclusions: As far as the patient's ratings are concerned, the presence of depressive symptoms and a worse nutritional status were indicative of lower QOL, whereas a better functional status was associated with a higher QOL. For caregivers, however, the most relevant factor negatively affecting QOL was basic activities of daily living. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 999-1005., (© 2019 Japan Geriatrics Society.)

Background: With multimorbidity increasing among older people, polypharmacy and the use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) are assuming a prominent role in the life of the geriatric population., Objective: To investigate the association of polypharmacy and PIM use with a wide range of factors in older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to mild dementia., Methods: The study population comprised 160 outpatients with a Clinical Dementia Rating of 0.5-1 and a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 20-30. Patients were classified as receiving polypharmacy when they took ≥5 different medications at the same time. PIMs were identified using the STOPP-J criteria. Cognitive, neuropsychological, nutritional, and physical function tests were performed and body measurements taken. Quality of life (QOL) was assessed using both components of the EQ-5D scale, the index score and the visual analogue scale (QOL VAS). A comorbidity index was calculated for all participants., Results: PIM use was significantly associated with lower scores on the verbal fluency (initial letters) test and QOL index. Participants receiving polypharmacy showed an increased likelihood of worse frailty status and lower QOL VAS score. The number of medications was significantly associated with a worse frailty status., Conclusion: In a geriatric population with MCI to mild dementia, PIM use was associated with lower verbal fluency (initial letters) score and lower QOL, while the presence of polypharmacy was correlated with a worse frailty status and lower QOL. The number of medicines, instead, was correlated with a worse frailty status only.

Aim: The present study aimed to: (i) examine the reliability and validity of the Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community-based Integrated Care System 21-items for classifying patients to the appropriate categories for glycemic targets in older patients; and (ii) develop a short version of the tool and examine its reliability and validity., Methods: A total of 410 older individuals were recruited for this multicenter cross-sectional study. We classified them into three categories used for determining the glycemic target in older patients in Japan based on cognitive functions and activities of daily living. Exploratory factor analyses were used to select the eight items of the shorter version. The reliability and validity of the assessment tools were assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficients and receiver operating characteristic analyses, respectively., Results: The Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community-based Integrated Care System 21-items had three latent factors: cognitive function, instrumental activities of daily living and basic activities of daily living. The Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community-based Integrated Care System 8-items was developed based on each factor load quantity and was confirmed to have a strong correlation with the original version (r = 0.965, P < 0.001). Both tools significantly discriminated older adults belonging to category I from those belonging to category II or III, and category III from category I or II., Conclusions: Both tools had sufficient internal consistency and validity to classify older patients into the categories for determining the glycemic target in this population based on cognitive and daily functions. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1458-1462., (© 2018 Japan Geriatrics Society.)

Aim: Physical and cognitive functions are mutually associated. However, it is unknown which markers of physical functions or body composition are most strongly associated with cognition. Here, we explored the association between body composition/physical performance and comprehensive neuropsychological assessments in an effort to identify reliable markers of cognition among factors in body composition/physical performance, including both usual and maximum gait speeds., Methods: We examined a total of 161 Japanese individuals (71 men, 90 women; aged 76.3 ± 7.2 years) with a Clinical Dementia Rating of 0.5 and a Mini-Mental State Examination score >24. A battery of neuropsychological assessments, physical functional assessments and measurements of body composition was carried out. We conducted a multiple regression analysis to investigate the associations between cognitive performance and the factors in body composition and physical performance with adjustments for age, sex, and number of school years., Results: Maximum gait speed was the factor most widely associated with cognitive performance among the factors of body composition and physical performance., Conclusion: Maximum gait speed might be the best marker for cognition in this population of older individuals. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1323-1329., (© 2018 Japan Geriatrics Society.)

Aim: The need for and availability of home medical care for elderly patients with limitations in terms of access to medical facilities has been increasing. We investigated the association between low function, malnutrition, dementia and multicomorbidity with patient prognosis, focusing on unexpected hospital admissions and mortality in elderly non-cancer patients receiving home care., Methods: The study included 124 Japanese patients receiving home medical care in the form of regular visits from doctors and nurses for physical and/or mental disability., Results: Of the patients studied, 36.2% experienced hospital admission. Student's t-test showed that admitted patients had significantly higher Charlson Comorbidity Index scores. Meanwhile, 19.6% of patients died during the course of the study. Student's t-test showed that older patients had a higher risk of mortality, and significantly lower activities of daily living and Mini-Nutritional Assessment Short-Form scores. Cox hazard analysis showed that multicomorbidity was a risk for unexpected hospital admission, and malnutrition was a risk for mortality in frail older adults receiving home medical care., Conclusions: We found that multicomorbidity was a risk for unexpected hospital admission, and malnutrition was a risk for mortality in frail older adults receiving home medical care. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1623-1627., (© 2017 Japan Geriatrics Society.)

Background: Psychological stress associated with caregiving is thought to underlie the high incidence of hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and mortality, as well as reduced immune function, among caregivers of dementia patients. Here, we examined the effects of periodic leisure activities performed by caregivers of dementia patients with care recipients at home on perceived care burden and levels of stress hormones., Methods: Participants were 42 caregivers aged ≥ 65 years of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's dementia. They were randomly assigned to intervention and non-intervention groups. The intervention group underwent a leisure activity program (30 min/3 times/week for 24 weeks) with the care recipient, and the control group underwent normal care activities., Results: The Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) score, a subjective indicator of care burden, significantly decreased after intervention in the intervention group (p < 0.05), whereas no difference was observed in the control group. No significant changes were observed in adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine, and cortisol levels in both groups., Conclusions: The lack of changes in stress hormone levels despite a decrease in subjective care burden in the intervention group might be explained by the effects of the chosen leisure activity on the neuroendocrine system. Our findings suggest that periodic leisure activities can reduce perceived care burden among caregivers of dementia patients. However, in order to evaluate accurately the effects of leisure activities of the present study, long-term follow-up of both caregivers and care recipients is necessary. The Nagoya University Department of Medicine Ethics Committee Clinical Trials Registry Number is 1290.

With an aim to improve quality of life in caregivers of dementia patients, we examined the effect of regular exercise on caregivers' sense of burden and their physical symptoms. Participants were 31 elderly caregivers living with older patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's-type dementia. They were randomly assigned to either the intervention group, who were prescribed regular exercise with moderate-intensity: 3 metabolic equivalents (3METs), 3 times per week for 12 weeks, or the control group, who did not receive any prescription. In the intervention group, significant reductions in the Zarit caregiver burden interview (ZBI) score and in the frequency of feeling fatigued, and an improvement in quality of sleep were observed at follow-up (p < 0.05), while no such changes were observed in the control group. These results suggest that obtaining sustainable habit of moderate exercise may improve quality of life in caregivers of demented patients., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Physical activity in the elderly has a significant influence on their health status. Studies have shown that elderly caregivers have fewer physical activities relative to non-caregivers. The present study aimed to identify factors associated with lower physical activity in elderly caregivers of demented patients. A cross-sectional survey of 50 elderly caregivers living with patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's-type dementia showed that the Zarit caregiver burden interview (ZBI) scores were significant predictors of physical activity measured by the questionnaire score (QS) of physical activities. Among the three subscales of the QS, it was only leisure time activity scores (LS) that the ZBI scores significantly predicted. The numbers of chronic diseases were associated with lower household activity scores (HS) and sport activities scores (SS). Physical activities, in particular leisure activities, were found to be inversely associated with care burden assessed by the ZBI. Interventions to increase the physical activity levels of older caregivers may improve their health status and quality of life., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Meeting the information needs of family caregivers in a timely and appropriate way is a key concern of home care. The present study aimed to explore the following two areas: (a) the priority information needs and sources of family caregivers of home elderly patients and (b) the differences in information needs according to severity of dementia. The subjects were 475 family caregivers of home elderly patients residing in Nagoya city. Data was collected through questionnaires. Severity of dementia was evaluated according to the criteria of the public long-term care insurance policy (levels 0-5). The top 3 items they perceived as of most concern were dementia, first aid, and available public long-term care insurance services. A few respondents felt the need for information on public long-term care insurance services. Nearly half of the caregivers were interested in food and nutrition. The respondents were more likely to receive information from their care managers or physicians than any other source. Caregivers of elderly dependents with severe dementia reported a greater need for information on the spread of dementia, dementia-specific care, or the negative effects of dementia on family and neighborhood. Our results provide useful information on how family caregivers should be educated., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

It is still unclear whether the presence of dementia has a negative effect on survival in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Therefore, using data from the Tokai Acute Myocardial Infarction Study II (TAMIS-II), we set out to clarify the differences in in-hospital and long-term mortality between AMI patients with and without dementia. The study was a prospective study of all consecutive patients admitted to 15 acute care hospitals in the Tokai region with a diagnosis of AMI between 2001 and 2003. A total of 1837 patients (62 with dementia and 1775 without dementia) with AMI, aged 65 and over, were included in the present analysis. Patients with dementia were in general older, female, and impaired in their daily activities. They were also more likely to have a history of myocardial infarction, heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, and less likely to have a history of angina or smoking. They were less likely to have chest pain on arrival and lateral myocardial infarction. The percentage of patients with dementia who were transferred to an intensive care unit/coronary care unit or who were given percutaneous coronary intervention was lower. At discharge, the percentage of patients with dementia treated with aspirin was lower, and that of patients with dementia treated with diuretics was higher. In-hospital death rates for patients with and without dementia were 17.7% and 11.1% during hospitalization, respectively (P = 0.101). Long-term mortality after AMI was higher among patients with dementia before adjustment (24.2% versus 14.6%, P = 0.004). However, we were unable to detect differences after adjustment for potential confounders. Thus, our findings suggest that dementia has minimal effects on long-term mortality in patients with AMI.

Because dementia is a progressive disease, formal long-term care providers and care managers need information on how the severity of cognitive impairment affects caregiver burden in order to better assist family caregivers. However, research to guide care providers in behavioral symptom-management is not well developed. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between dementia status and burden of family caregivers. The subjects were 1875 community-dwelling elderly eligible for public long-term care insurance. The data we used in this analysis included the caregivers' and dependents' characteristics. The main outcome was subjective caregiver burden assessed by the Japanese version of the Zarit Burden Interview (J-ZBI). A total of 1559 pairs of dependents and caregivers were included in the analysis. The pairs were sorted into three mutually exclusive categories: no dementia, mild dementia, and severe dementia. Two hundred sixty-one dependents had severe dementia, and 725 had mild dementia. Although differences were found among the dementia categories in levels of caregiver burden according to the J-ZBI before and after adjusting for these baseline variables, the odds ratios equal nearly 1. The present study shows that severity of dementia is not associated with caregiver burden in Japan.

Aim and Methods: The cooperation of general practitioners and specialists is crucial to establish comprehensive medical services for demented older adults. In the current study we conducted a survey regarding the attitudes towards referrals between general practitioners and specialists by sending a questionnaire to 1,176 general practitioners., Results: The 39.1% of the general practitioners returned the questionnaire. Of the respondents, 68.8% answered that they did not want referrals of demented patients from specialists, however, when analysis was limited to those who had an internal medicine background, only 26.3% did not want referrals. Difference of subspecialties within internists did not affect the preference for referrals. Regarding the reasons for referring the demented patients to specialists, more than 70% of the general practitioners chose "accurate diagnosis of the cause of dementia" and "decision of therapeutic plans"., Conclusion: The majority of general practitioners in Japan may still be reluctant to follow patients with dementia mainly because they regard the practice of seeing demented patients as the subject outside of their specialty. Therefore providing general practitioners with opportunities to receive training programs regarding the practice and care of demented patients, as well as establishing support from specialists is necessary.

In Japan, the number of group homes for patients with dementia (GHs) has been increasing in recent years. A growing number of elderly people now prefer to spend their final years in group homes or other long-term care facilities, a choice that their families support. The aim of this nationwide study is to clarify the current end-of-life care policies and practices of GHs. The subjects were 3701 managing directors of GHs. Data were collected through mailed, anonymous, self-reported questionnaires in 2003. The content of the questionnaires included: (1) general characteristics of the GH, (2) end-of-life care policies and experiences, (3) available end-of-life care services at the GH, (4) staff education concerning end-of-life care, and (5) types of information provided to users and families. The response rate was 45.6%. Many GHs had implemented progressive policies for end-of-life care. GHs with progressive policies for end-of-life care were found to have different backgrounds than those with regressive policies. Only a few GHs provided end-of-life care education for their staff. GHs with progressive policies for end-of-life care tended to have the following characteristics: availability of medical intervention within and outside of the GH, self-contained physical plant and staff education about end-of-life care. Further research is needed to determine the most effective end-of-life care systems for GHs.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of symptoms and end-of-life care received in advanced dementia and advanced cancer elderly patients dying at home during the last two days of their lives and to evaluate the differences observed between the two groups., Methods: We used data from the Dying Elderly at Home (DEATH) project, which was a prospective study of home elderly patients dying with end-stage illness. Consecutive deceased subjects aged 65 or older who were seen at 16 study clinics belonging to the Japanese Society of Hospice and Home-care with diagnoses of all illnesses including advanced dementia and advanced cancer and died at home from October 2002 to September 2004 were included in the study. We evaluated 36 deceased subjects with advanced dementia and 116 with advanced cancer. We collected the following information: sociodemographics, ADLs, cognitive impairment, observed symptoms and end-of-life care provided during the last 48 hours of life., Results: Deceased subjects with advanced dementia were less likely to show symptoms of pain, acute confusion, or nausea/vomiting and more likely to display fever or cough than advanced cancer patients. Also, those with advanced dementia were more likely to receive intravenous drip injection or narcotic analgesia and more likely to be given sputum suction, or antibiotics., Conclusion: We observed that the dying process and end-of-life care for advanced dementia elderly patients was different from that for advanced cancer elderly patients.

A byproduct of the aging of the population has been a dramatic rise in patients with dementia. The aim of the present study is to clarify the use of aggressive and palliative treatments, artificial nutrition and sedation in long-term care hospitals in Japan. We assessed 123 deaths in people aged 65 and older who died in two long-term care hospitals in and around Nagoya from January 2001 to December 2002. All deceased were divided into two groups according to their diagnosis of dementia. Data on the particular characteristics of the deceased, diagnosis of dementia, aggressive treatments (including CPR, intubation, mechanical ventilation, the use of systemic antibiotics and blood transfusion), palliative treatments (including oxygen, narcotic and nonnarcotic pain medication) artificial nutrition (including hyperalimentation and tube feeding) and sedation during the last six months of their lives were collected from medical charts. The prevalence of aggressive and palliative interventions did not vary significantly with the diagnosis of dementia except for the use of vasopressors. Artificial nutrition was prevalent and few patients received sedatives in either group. Patients with and without dementia received similar treatments in the end-stage. A greater understanding of the course of dementia is needed to further discussions on the terminal care of people with dementia. A national consensus on how to treat end-stage demented patients is also needed.