Abstract
Dementia is a progressive neurological brain disease that affects the quality of life of those diagnosed (Goldberg, 2017; Tjia et al., 2017). The diagnosis of dementia affects the patient and the caregiver in different ways: those diagnosed with dementia may have difficulty in thinking, memory and physical or psychological skills. Those diagnosed with dementia may experience behavior and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Behavioral symptoms can be heterogeneous and unpredictable, which can be difficult for caregivers to manage (Cerejeira et al., 2012). Social workers are able to connect families with in-home services and institutional care services if requested by the caregivers (Gould, 2013; Pearce, 2012). Social workers in the nursing home setting advocate for personal preference to be used including in treatment options for BPSDs. Throughout this paper it will explore the social work perspective on what type of non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions are seen to be more beneficial. Social Workers, who participated in this study, have reported person-centered care can be beneficial as a non-pharmacological intervention. Additional information on the social work perspective and their role in dementia patients will be explored throughout this paper.