When Dementia Drains the Pocketbook

Problems handling finances are often the first sign of cognitive decline. Financial competence involves a complex set of skills, from simple arithmetic to remembering to pay bills to understanding how loans work. Therefore, impaired seniors are at risk not only because unscrupulous outsiders (or their own family members) can defraud them, but because they themselves make self-destructive decisions as shoppers or investors. This is a strong indicator that a dementia diagnosis will follow, often within a year. So how should a primary care physician respond when a family member reports these symptoms? The JAMA article suggests that doctors talk to…

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