A new paradigm is needed thatfocuses on minimizing the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias rather than focusing only on a search for a cure. To include Alzheimer 's in the same class of diseases as can cer, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, congestive heartfailure, and degenerative arthritis places Alzheimer's in the realm of the medically and psychosocially understandable and manageable. A criticalfirst step toward making this shift is to examine carefully the way in which we define the disease. An approach to care for people with Alzheimer's results in treatment when it systematically compensates forfunctional losses of dementia by linking caregiving actions and environments to specific brain dysfunctions; namely, the neuropathology of the disease. The ultimate measures of success of such a treatment approach are improved quality of life, delayed institutionalization, slowed rate of progression of the disease, people who achieve their potential, and reduced needfor medication.
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