Pychiatrists and Legal Issues in Dementia Care

Abstract

During more than half a century, Psychiatry has extensively accepted a biomedical model studying mental disorders (including schizophrenia, affective disorders and the large group of stress-related disorders, including anxiety disorder. Thus, the classical dichotomy between functional and organic psychiatric disorders is obsolete and from a theoretical point of view there should be no obstacle for Psychiatry to deal with the study of dementias from gene to clinical levels using empirical methods, including neurotransmitters and scanning techniques. However, in many European countries, the dementias have been claimed as belonging primarily to Neurology, leaving the role of psychiatrists to treat psychotic symptoms and bizarre behavioral disturbances.

However, psychiatrists have a long tradition of detailed psychopathological description and great skill in coping with the many psychological, ethical and social problems that are such important features of mental disorders and particularly the dementias, and so, the specific skills of psychiatrists will certainly be warranted in managing the many significant psychological and social problems of the patient both within the family and in society. The discussion must overcome the sterile debate between specialties to focus on the skills needed to adequately address the needs of patients with dementia and their caregivers.

Disclosure of interest

The author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.