Memantine and Comprehensive, Individualized Management of Alzheimer's Disease and Caregiver Training

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a comprehensive, individualized management approach with caregiver training and medication with memantine will alleviate symptoms in community dwelling patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease.

Presently some 4.5 million people are afflicted with Alzheimer's disease in the United States. At present pharmacologic treatment, although beneficial, is not curative. Certain nonpharmacologic treatments have assisted caregivers of AD patients by reducing their stress and burden, and others have aided patients, by improving their mood and physical functioning. Comprehensive, individualized approaches to improving Alzheimer's patients' symptomatology and caregiver stress and burden have not been systematically investigated in Alzheimer's patient care. This study seeks to train and counsel caregivers as well as develop an individualized, comprehensive management program that will seek to enhance the functioning of each patient participant. Patients are randomly placed into one of two groups. Both groups receive memantine and comprehensive evaluations at baseline, 4, 12,28 and 52 weeks. Additionally, group 1 receives an individualized management program, which consists of home visits to get the patient exercising, doing enjoyable activities and cognitive stimulation, educational sessions for caregivers on coping with difficult situations and a caregiver support group to help with questions and emotional concerns.