Author Description

Organised services for those with memory disorders are growing. This growth is stimulated by an increase in the number of people with memory problems and by an increased appreciation of the complexity of the needs of such patients. Further growth is likely, especially now that we appear to have crossed the threshold of effective treatment for many patients with dementia. With these advances has come the recognition of the necessity for an interdisciplinary approach to management. Diagnosis and Management of Dementia: A Manual for Memory Disorders Teams is an edited volume covering all aspects of the operation of a memory disorders team. It is aimed at all those working in the dementia or memory disorders team, whether in a clinic or a community setting. The book is divided into three sections. Section One takes the reader through the practical details of setting up and organising a clinic, from timetabling, through managing information, to the assessments needed and the opportunities such a service provides. Section Two deals with the diagnostic process; and Section Three addresses management issues, from carer support, pharmacological and physiological interventions, through managing common problems, to the role of the primary care physician. An appendix contains the results of a survey of memory disorder services. This survey provides the reader with examples of other services and demonstrates the wide variation in how these services operate. The manual is unique in that it combines up-to- date thinking on diagnosis and management with practical and helpful ideas on how to run a dementia or memory disorders service.