Longitudinal Changes in Neuropsychiatric Symptoms: Impact of Discrepancy in Everyday Preferences Between Persons with Cognitive Impairment and their Care Partners

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) such as agitation/aggression, depression, and anxiety are common and challenging experiences for those with dementia and their caregivers (1). It has been hypothesized that a driving factor in NPS is presence of unmet needs for persons with dementia, as cognitive impairment (CI) disrupts ability of persons with dementia not only to provide for their needs but also to communicate needs to others (1). There is a mismatch between personality habits, physical/mental state (e.g., pain, anxiety), and environmental factors (e.g., social isolation and sensory deprivation), which then drives NPS as a means to resolve or communicate unmet needs (1).
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Tags: Brief Report Source Type: research