Dementia Beyond Drugs

“Allen Power is my kind of physician—one who understands the research and who has a big heart. Drawing on years of experience, he presents a compelling case for eliminating the vast majority of antipsychotic medications used to treat unpleasant symptoms of dementia. Family members and caregivers will embrace his compassionate, relationship-based approach. Dementia Beyond Drugs should be required reading for every long-term care provider.” —Beth Baker, Journalist and Author of Old Age in a New Age—The Promise of Transformative Nursing Homes“This extremely important book directs our attention to the virtue and value of engaging individuals with dementia as people rather than as cases to be managed with drugs. Dr. Power’s deep appreciation of how a humane environment can help persons with dementia to flourish rather than to wither should be required reading for all involved with residential care.” —Steven R. Sabat, PhD, Georgetown University.

G. Allen Power, M.D. is a board-certified internist and geriatrician and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Rochester, New York. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians–American Society of Internal Medicine, and an international educator on transformational models of care for older adults, particularly those living with changing cognitive abilities.

Dr. Power’s book, Dementia Beyond Drugs: Changing the Culture of Care was named a 2010 Book of the Year by the American Journal of Nursing. He served on the technical advisory panel for the U.S. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services for their national antipsychotic reduction initiative. Dr. Power was interviewed for the film Alive Inside, winner of the Audience Award for Best U.S. Documentary at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. He also was a member of the Scientific Program Committee and a Keynote speaker for Alzheimer’s Disease International 2015 in Perth, Western Australia.

Dr. Power was named one of “Five Leaders of Tomorrow” by Long-Term Living Magazine in May 2013. His second book, Dementia Beyond Disease: Enhancing Well-Being was released by Health Professions Press in June 2014.

An accomplished musician and songwriter, Dr. Power’s music has been performed on three continents. His song of elder autonomy, “If You Don’t Mind,” was performed by Peter, Paul, and Mary, and Walter Cronkite used his song, “I’ll Love You Forever” in a 1995 Discovery Channel documentary on American families.