Reply #11: respiratory illnesses are dreadful

[pop goes the weasel]

OTOH, being agitated and confused is no picnic, either.

There are improved behavioral therapies now being used with people with Alzheimer's disease, which mostly consist of caregivers changing their own behavior so as not to increase the confusion of the patient. Only if such behavioral approaches don't work would I want to take a drug that increases my chance of pneumonia. After all, if it is weakening me so much that I am more likely to contract a bacterial infection, whose to say that it isn't also wrecking what's left of my memory? Appearing pacified on the outside is not the same as being pacified on the inside, which any of us who have had unfortunate experiences with anesthesia understand.

I think it is OK to use anti-psychotics in some cases of dementia. It just shouldn't be used without first making an honest effort at using other approaches, but I suspect that in our budget-cutting times, trimming trained, experienced staff and relying instead on pharmaceutical control of people that society no longer cares about will become more accepted.