Families Need to Know When Dementia Becomes Terminal - Forbes.com

(HealthDay News) -- Many people see end-stage dementia as affecting only the mind, but a new study shows that the disease's effects are far-reaching and eventually fatal.

The misconception by family members that end-stage dementia is not a terminal condition can have negative consequences for the patient, the researchers say. That's because concerned loved ones often order aggressive, sometimes burdensome interventions such as feeding tubes that will not improve patient outcomes.

"Dementia is a leading cause of death in the U.S., and yet surprisingly little is known about how these patients die," noted the study's lead author, Dr. Susan Mitchell.
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