A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia impacts your entire family. While there is no cure for dementia, in the Sutter Health network, we offer a number of treatments and rehabilitation services that can sometimes help to maintain or improve a person’s mental function, manage behavioral symptoms, and make day-to-day living a bit easier. Our teams of healthcare professionals from a wide range of specialties work together to provide you and your family the best care possible.
Medication Management
Medication is one of the strategies that may be helpful for slowing the rate of cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The only medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of dementia include:
* Cholinesterase inhibitors such as donepezil (Aricept), galantamine (Razadyne) and rivastigmine (Exelon). These medications, along with memantine (Namenda), may boost cognition, thinking and the ability carry out daily activities.
Other medications can help manage symptoms that often occur with dementia, such as confusion, agitation, anxiety, depression, mood swings, aggression, and sleep problems.
Therapeutic Interventions
We offer a number of therapeutic interventions that can help some people with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia keep functioning well and live as independently as possible.
- Occupational therapy can help a person maintain the ability to do practical daily activities, such as eating and dressing. An occupational therapist might also advise on how to adapt your home to make it safe for a person with dementia, such as installing grab bars, using bath chairs and adaptive eating utensils, and other modifications.
- Physical therapy helps a person to maintain or regain muscle tone, flexibility, strength, balance and mobility, which can improve their ability to carry out tasks such as walking up stairs or getting out of bed. It can also help to decrease a person’s risk of falling.
- Speech therapy can help a person to maintain or improve their ability to communicate, as well as help with eating, drinking, and swallowing issues.
Special Programs
- Adult Day Health Care — Mills-Peninsula’s Senior Focus program offers the only specialized and separate day healthcare setting in San Mateo County for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Our Adult Day Health staff is specially trained in dementia care. During each day, we offer a full range of activities and occupational, speech and physical therapies. In addition, our nurses monitor blood pressure and oversee medication needs, caregivers help with grooming and personal care and serve a hot lunch. Our compassionate staff also lead support groups, provide counseling and facilitate family meetings, while social workers help connect you and your loved one with other community resources. Transportation for day care is available. Call (650) 696-3660 for more information. We are located at 1720 El Camino Real, Suite 10, in Burlingame.
- Caregiver and Alzheimer’s Support — Support groups
and services are available through the Senior
Focus program. The Caring
for Elders support group is offered for spouses, family members and friends caring
for an older adult. In addition, Alzheimer’s support groups are available for
family and friends of people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.
Call (650) 696-3660 for more information.
Search for other classes and events at Mills-Peninsula. - Music and Memory Program — The Senior Focus Music and Memory Program uses the power of music to stimulate memory and activity in people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Using iPods and other digital devices, our specially trained staff set up personalized playlists for those in their care. These musical favorites tap deep memories not lost to dementia and can bring participants “back to life,” enabling them to feel like themselves again, converse, socialize and stay present.
