Best practices in the management of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in residents of long-term care facilities in Alberta

Best practices in the management of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in residents of long-term care facilities in Alberta A Health Technology Reassessment The Health Technology Assessment Unit, University of Calgary April 1, 2014 1 Acknowledgements This report was compiled for the Alberta Health Technologies Decision Process (AHTDP). [...] The majority of clinical guidelines, including the British Columbia guidelines on cognitive impairment in the elderly, recommend that antipsychotics should be used in the treatment of BPSD only when the patient is experiencing severe symptoms and after psychosocial and environmental interventions have been tried1. [...] The development of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines outlining the utilization of antipsychotics in BPSD management is a major component of the AUA project. [...] Therefore, a comprehensive review of the published evidence that informs the use of pharmacological or non-pharmacological alternatives to antipsychotics for the management of BPSD is required. [...] An annual review shall be conducted on prescriptions, assessment of the order of prescriptions, implementation of the order, administration of medications, monitoring and disposal.