Providing the Best Care, Support and Appropriate Use Of Antipsychotics For People Living With Dementia: - GUIDANCE FOR PRESCRIBERS

Before deprescribing, meet with the person living with dementia, their care partners and staff to discuss: • Any proposed changes to medications and associated processes and supports • Existing and new supportive care solutions to best meet social, medical and other needs of the person • How they can support the change such as by observing a person’s well-being and behaviour during deprescribing10. [...] Once deprescribing is progressing smoothly, consider additional candidates for deprescribing.7 Starting the deprescribing process with only a few people at once ensures: • Time to prepare personalized supportive care strategies to better identify and meet the needs of the person • Careful monitoring of a person’s well-being and behaviour10 to identify opportunities to adjust supportive care strate. [...] types, symptoms) • Risks of antipsychotic use without specific diagnosis and the lack of evidence for their effectiveness to reduce negative personal expressions/behaviours4-6 • How to track behaviours over time to better identify and meet needs of a person living with dementia10 • Stories of how deprescribing antipsychotics has benefits for the person, family and care providers • Education that s. [...] Things to discuss in the huddle can include: • Creating and adapting personalized supportive care strategies that will best meet the needs of the person and support safe deprescribing • Reviewing negative expressions or behaviours, discussing possible causes or solutions — considering results of behaviour tracking if available10 • Identifying how people are feeling about the changes and address co. [...] Negative Personal Expressions and Unmet Positive Changes with Supportive Care and Needs Appropriate Deprescribing • Confusion • Medical need • Safe & calm • Socialization • Loneliness • Resistance • Individualized care opportunities • Depression • Pain • Physical needs are • Preferences acknowledged • Disruption of • Agitation met routine • Individual routines • Pain managed • Activity choices GUI.