Beyond the Folstein: dementia in primary care.

As the population of elderly patients continues to increase world-wide, the importance of identifying patients with dementia in primary care practices will increase. Our ability to see patients for an extended period of time may enable primary care physicians to identify patients with dementia early in their disease process. This enables patients, families, and caregivers to initiate treatment early, with the hope that future research will identify successful treatment modalities. This article discusses the identification of dementing syndromes, the importance of identifying familial needs and coping strategies, and the importance of caregiver stress.