Xanax and other benzodiazepines (“benzos”) are often prescribed to treat symptoms like agitation, anxiety, and depression in people living with dementia. Yet, these drugs come with significant side effects and safety concerns, especially for older adults living with dementia.

The Women’s Age Lab’s Dr. Paula Rochon and Dr. Christina Reppas-Rindlisbacher join Being Patient Live Talks to discuss why these medications are prescribed and what treatment alternatives they recommend.

Rochon is the founding director of Women’s Age Lab, a geriatrician, and a senior scientist at Women’s College Hospital and ICES. She chairs the Canadian Institutes for Health Research Institute of Aging Advisory Board to support research and promote healthy aging across Canada. Rochon is committed to the development of trainees and new investigators in aging research and making valuable contributions to our future understanding of aging. Her team has won prestigious research awards, and published in peer-reviewed academic journals, disseminating key learnings and important findings from their research projects.

Reppas-Rindlisbacher is a trainee with the Women’s Age Lab at the Women’s College Research Institute. She currently works as a geriatrician whilst completing her PhD in Clinical Epidemiology & Health Care Research at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME) at the University of Toronto. Her research aims to better understand how delirium care differs depending on sociodemographic factors such as gender, income, language, and recent immigrant status.

Watch this live talk to learn more about benzodiazepines, why they are prescribed, and alternative treatments for people living with dementia.

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