I have just come upon your post and wish to express profound admiration for the sheer longevity of care you have quite clearly given out to your mother who is living with dementia. As every single case is different it is not prudent to offer specific advice on either care or medications which are utilised in dementia per se. Probably the key word which overrides almost everything else, is " comfort ". The nature of dementia is such that despite everything - drugs, therapy, ultimate care and all that implies - it remains an immense challenge to those who are playing out the role of carer and especially so when the relationship is extremely close. The brain is quite extraordinary in itself when full capacity reigns. And yet once dementia takes possession of that brain, the person to whom it belongs no longer can express themselves as before and an inner frustration/ confusion comes about, a new " reality" in effect. Thus the seemingly illogical becomes the norm. Time itself has no meaning. Sounds, colours, an inflection in the voice of even the look in an eye - all these can constitute something which engenders anxiety and sometimes aggression. The old part of the brain - past memory - can remain remarkably clear and intact and if stimulated can prove to be a true and powerful ally in " communication ". At the end of the day dementia and all its varied presentations makes the rules and it is up to us who play the role of Carer to be critically aware of how WE behave and how WE react in a given situation . Because the one afflicted with dementia has no say in the matter after a point, when the disease takes hold and renders the loved one unable to perform even basic personal functions without assistance. This journey is so varied in the way it afflicts people that each case must be seen and heard as such, not in any way compared with nor subordinated in the light of severity. If and when there comes a time that warrants the admission into Care , then that is usually because you the Carer are vulnerable and only human and can only bear so much anxiety and psychological pressure, else fall victim to illness yourself and compound the whole scenario into a living nightmare. It is more or less impossible to convey the depth of despair which accompanies the moment a loved one is compelled to move into Care. And yet you constantly remind yourself through the tears that "best interests " remains paramount throughout. It has to be so. That is never an easy call when emotions run high. Unlike 'normal' diseases which make demands on both parties when they progress, dementia removes the " partnership " of debate and the interaction which can dissipate anxiety or offer up logical perspective even when things are far from well. Thus that gentle taking of a hand or the authenticity of a broad smile and the integrity of a comforting embrace, even when there is seemingly no obvious response, no expression of gratitude , nevertheless becomes fundamentally truthful and eminently meaningful because it equates to everything we term " love". The terminal journey which dementia holds jurisdiction over, need not be a hapless nor helpless one. That one fleeting spark of recognition which shines out of clouded eyes and brings forth a heartfelt smile of joy, outweighs all the medications and theoretical analysis combined and however brief in its momentary appearance, by nature of this cruel and remorseless disease, it is almost sacred in essence, because it belongs to the one you know to be still truly resident in a body and mind ravaged by a disease which has no notion of what we possess in our humanity - an ability to love.