Time to develop integrative approach to dementia care 


Photo: TNS

WHILE attending a geriatric conference in Kuala Lumpur recently, I had a conversation with a highly respected and compassionate geriatrician. She shared that her hospital’s CEO had instructed her to spend no more than 10 minutes with each patient because, in today’s healthcare system, time is money.

That left me thinking: How can anyone properly assess an older person in 10 minutes, let alone someone who may be living with dementia? Dementia assessment cannot be rushed. It requires listening, observing, understanding the person’s history and often speaking with family members.

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