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Should Mom's doctor have been so quick to put her on Aricept?

Mariaperham asked...

My mother in law is 82 years old and thinks her memory is bad, although her family and friends feel she is normal. I live with her and I do not think she has a bad memory. She told her primary doctor, who is in family practice, that her memory is getting bad, and he immediately prescribed Aricept for her. I think this is a mistake. Shouldn't he have had her evaluated first before prescribing this medication to her?

Expert Answer

Ladislav Volicer, M.D., Ph.D., is recognized as an international expert on advanced dementia care. He is a courtesy full professor at the School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, and visiting professor at the Third Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. Twenty-five years ago, he established one of the first dementia special care units.

You do not mention if your mother-in-law's doctor did any testing of her memory and cognitive function. Aricept may be indicated if the doctor found some cognitive impairment. However, you may also make your mother-in-law aware of non-pharmacological strategies for maintaining or improving memory. For instance, she may enjoy mental exercises presented at the Wisernow.com.