Dementia: From Diagnosis to Management - A Functional Approach

Clinicians from many disciplines have been challenged to provide appropriate and effective interventions for the diverse behavioral symptoms that define the neurologically degenerative condition, dementia. From the mid 1980's when behavioral treatments for the language and cognitive deficits of persons with dementia began to appear, thoughts about therapeutic intervention began to shift from futile to possible. The field of dementia management is no longer in its infancy. As the evidence accumulates to justify the involvement of SLPs in the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of persons with cognitive-communication disorders, documents have been updated in the areas of the knowledge and skills needed by SLPs (ASHA, 2005) and their roles in addressing the needs of this population (ASHA, 2005). In addition, leaders in the field have spearheaded efforts to review systematically the published treatment research in order to develop evidence-based practice guidelines for clinicians to manage the cognitive-communication disorders of persons with neurological disorders, including dementia. This timely volume aims to serve as a reference manual and the starting point for those who want to provide life-enhancing services to persons with dementia, and to inspire the continued generation of quality research to demonstrate the value of cognitive-communication intervention. Students, researchers, and practitioners in communication sciences and disorders will find this book immensely important.Hickey, Ellen M. is the author of 'Dementia: From Diagnosis to Management - A Functional Approach', published 2009 under ISBN 9780805856064 and ISBN 0805856064.