Rôle soignant lorsque s'associent vieillesse, mésusage d'alcool et maladie d'Alzheimer

The combination of current ageing of the populations, with the increased frequency of Alzheimer's or associated diseases, and the maintenance in prevalence of addictive disorders with age, means that the association of dementia with alcohol misuse is unexceptional in old age, regardless of so-called alcoholic dementia alone. However an elderly person, combining proven cognitive disorders and addictive behavior with alcohol may doubly disconcert caregivers. To maintain an already battered quality of life among these sick and suffering seniors, the caregivers have to acquire specific knowledge of these situations, work on their representations, and rethink their clinical practices. For this, some theoretical contributions are helpful, and deep insight into care practices and spontaneous attitudes can be recommended throughout professional practice.