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I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
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My mother has taken Donepezil for several years but her cognitive abilities have declined steadily. I guess we don't have any way of knowing if there would have been a steeper decline without it.
Jnelson nailed it. That has been our experience as well. And though there is no way to prove it would be any worse without it, when I did ask the doctor about stopping it, she was very against it. She's a pretty no-nonsense gal (the doc), and she understood wanting to eliminate something from the mix of mom's meds that might not seem to be adding any benefit, but she believes it does have an impact on the rate of decline. Again, no real way of knowing. NOTE: The reason I even asked about stopping it (and I shared this with the doc) is because I'd read some folks' experiences in which they noticed even a slight improvement after stopping it. She was confident it only seemed that way initially to those who observed it.
My motto is "better living through chemistry" and I am a big proponent of trying drugs that MIGHT help, and monitoring their effectiveness carefully.
But the fact is, only 5 drugs have been approved in the US by the FDA for treatment of symptoms of dementia. Donepezil is one of them.
NONE of the five drugs cures dementia. NONE of them slows down the disease, or as a researcher I recently heard put it, none "changes the inexorable trajectory of the disease." Here is what the Mayo Clinic website says about dementia drugs: "Unfortunately, Alzheimer's drugs don't work for everyone, and they can't cure the disease or stop its progression. Over time, their effects wear off."
And realize that these drugs have been approved for ALZHEIMER's disease.Nearly half of all dementia patients have some other kind of dementia, or mixed dementia. Who knows if/how well they work for other types of dementia?
My husband had Lewy Body Dementia. Donepezil was very useful in treating both cognitive issues and behavioral issues -- lowered hallucinations, for example -- and remained so for many years (as we found out when we discontinued it on hospice.)
From my perspective, even if the drug has a disappointing performance record over all, it is worth trying. Your loved one may be among the lucky ones it works well for, as my husband was. But if it doesn't seem to make anything better, I wouldn't continue it in hopes it will "slow down" the progress of the disease. No evidence for that. It either helps now or it doesn't help.
my husband is on it along with a very small dose of Seroquel for hallucinations and seems to be doing reasonably well altho certainly is declining (started on it 1 1/2 yrs ago)
My 92 year old M-I-L started taking a small dosage of this along with Serequil in April and while we didn't see an improvement in her paranoia right away she now has stopped talking to herself accusing people of stealing from her and wanting to get rid of her. Donepezil isn't the only thing different in her routine so I would say it has helped!
My mom has been on the Exelon patch since we moved her in with me (2 1/2 yrs ago) and she seems to be doing well on that. Strictly moderate dementia at this time, she was diagnosed with mild dementia back in 2010, so it is progressing slower than some others. She is 92 now and we think this is probably the best way to go for the immediate future. Nothing is going to slow down the disease, but this patch seems to be helping her more than any pill she's tried.
My husband has been on it for a few years. I did some research and learned that there is no medication that will improve ALZ, there is only medication that will delay or slow down the progression. I consult two doctors and the pharmacist every six months. They all say stay on because it is not harming him and may actually be helping and do it until there is change.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
But the fact is, only 5 drugs have been approved in the US by the FDA for treatment of symptoms of dementia. Donepezil is one of them.
NONE of the five drugs cures dementia. NONE of them slows down the disease, or as a researcher I recently heard put it, none "changes the inexorable trajectory of the disease." Here is what the Mayo Clinic website says about dementia drugs: "Unfortunately, Alzheimer's drugs don't work for everyone, and they can't cure the disease or stop its progression. Over time, their effects wear off."
And realize that these drugs have been approved for ALZHEIMER's disease.Nearly half of all dementia patients have some other kind of dementia, or mixed dementia. Who knows if/how well they work for other types of dementia?
My husband had Lewy Body Dementia. Donepezil was very useful in treating both cognitive issues and behavioral issues -- lowered hallucinations, for example -- and remained so for many years (as we found out when we discontinued it on hospice.)
From my perspective, even if the drug has a disappointing performance record over all, it is worth trying. Your loved one may be among the lucky ones it works well for, as my husband was. But if it doesn't seem to make anything better, I wouldn't continue it in hopes it will "slow down" the progress of the disease. No evidence for that. It either helps now or it doesn't help.
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