**Author details**

Grazia D'Onofrio1\*, Daniele Sancarlo1 , Davide Seripa1 , Francesco Ricciardi2 , Francesco Giuliani2 , Francesco Panza1,3,4 and Antonio Greco1

\*Address all correspondence to: g.donofrio@operapadrepio.it and graziadonofrio@libero.it

1 Geriatric Unit & Laboratory of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Medical Sciences, IRCCS 'Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza', San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy

2 ICT, Innovation & Research Unit, IRCCS 'Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza', San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy

3 Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 'Pia Fonda‐ zione Cardinale G. Panico', Tricase, Lecce, Italy

4 Neurodegenerative Disease Unit, Department of Basic Medicine, Neuroscience, and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy

### **References**

[1] D'Onofrio G, Sancarlo D, Addante F, Ciccone F, Cascavilla L, Paris F, Picco M, Nuzzaci C, Elia AC, Greco A, Chiarini R, Panza F, Pilotto A. Caregiver burden characterization in patients with Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2015;30(9):891–899.


**6. Conclusion**

484 Update on Dementia

dementia and their caregivers.

Grazia D'Onofrio1\*, Daniele Sancarlo1

zione Cardinale G. Panico', Tricase, Lecce, Italy

Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy

**Author details**

Francesco Giuliani2

Rotondo, Foggia, Italy

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Great efforts have been made to develop strategies to improve the quality of life of dementia patients. A shared feature is the need to work with systems (families, professional careers, organisations, etc.) [63]. Care staff and families are regularly integral to treatment strategies and are essential in obtaining reliable information and constructing appropriate interventions [63]. It is evident, therefore, that training of carers (both professional and family) is an important part of most treatment programmes. A study suggested that the most common interventions for psychological and behavioural symptoms of dementia were not necessarily specific therapies but working with carers to change the attitudes and behaviour of those in their care [96]. The field of dementia care is growing, with an increasing number of articles about psychosocial interventions [63]. Though, there is a fundamental limitation within the current literature that clearly requires addressing. A care plan that focused on non-pharma‐ cological interventions is considered best practice as the first-line management of most NPS of dementia. They can significantly improve quality of life and satisfaction of patients with

, Davide Seripa1

\*Address all correspondence to: g.donofrio@operapadrepio.it and graziadonofrio@libero.it

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