How Cannabis Is Changing Dementia Care For Patients And Families

Cannabis is increasingly being used to address dementia symptoms in older adults, providing an alternative for those seeking relief from anxiety, agitation and sleep disturbances.

As more traditional medications show mixed results or introduce challenging side effects, patients and caregivers are exploring cannabis as an option for enhancing quality of life in dementia care, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Rising Interest In Cannabis For Dementia

According to Dr. Jeffrey Hergenrather, a general practitioner in Sebastopol, California, with over 25 years of experience specializing in cannabis, “Roughly 20% of the people who come for a cannabis consultation now are dementia patients.”

See Also: Could CBD Revolutionize Alzheimer’s Treatment? New Study Explores Its Neuroprotective Properties

This growing interest is echoed by Brenda Roberts, executive director of the National Council of Dementia Minds, a nonprofit focused on advocacy for dementia patients. Roberts notes that discussions about cannabis are frequent in support groups and community discussions.

She also shares the personal experience of her 72-year-old husband, Mark Roberts, who has vascular dementia and benefits from a daily liquid dose of cannabis to manage his anxiety. “It just calms me down,” he says. “It gets your nerves down so you're not so rattled. It helps your thought process so you're not so upset.”

Practical Benefits And Risks

For dementia patients, cannabis can have calming effects, improving symptoms like agitation and anxiety while aiding with sleep.

Dr. Jacobo Mintzer, a psychiatrist and professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, explains that cannabis-based treatments can support dementia patients in the later stages of the disease. However, he warns that the side effect of drowsiness can increase the risk of falls in older patients. Additionally, drowsiness in Alzheimer’s patients can further impair cognitive function.

Many doctors advocating for cannabis in dementia care use a combination of THC (the psychoactive component) and CBD (a non-psychoactive compound) to balance effects.

“CBD can decrease the psychoactive effects of THC and enhance the positive properties,” Mintzer says. This careful balance aims to improve patient outcomes while reducing agitation, with the National Institute on Aging now studying the combination of CBD and THC in severe dementia cases in hospice care.

"We expect that this treatment will allow patients to die with dignity and without agitation or fear," says Mintzer, who is leading the study.

Real-Life Impact On Families And Caregivers

The benefits of cannabis are becoming apparent for families of dementia patients who have tried alternative approaches. Anica Leon-Weil, whose mother Barbara Leon lives with Alzheimer’s disease in an assisted-living facility in Santa Cruz, California, introduced THC edibles to help manage her mother's anxiety and psychosis symptoms.

Although initially tried during the day, her mother experienced improved stability using edibles only at night. "The edible has been really helpful with sleep in particular and to some degree anxiety," Leon-Weil says, adding that it has allowed her mother to sleep more consistently and rest peacefully.

Current Research And Need For Data

Despite the positive accounts from patients and caregivers, research on cannabis for dementia remains limited. Dr. Ronald Petersen, a neurology professor at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, notes that while cannabis may calm patients, it's unclear if it impacts the underlying disease.

Preliminary research, such as a recent study involving 75 Alzheimer's patients, suggests that 5 milligrams of synthetic THC twice a day may significantly reduce agitation, but also increases drowsiness in some patients.

THC has shown potential to improve cognitive function in older animals, even though it impairs it in younger ones, notes Dr. Ziva Cooper, director of the UCLA Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

To address the lack of comparative studies on cannabis effects across age groups, Cooper has secured NIH funding to research its impact on younger, middle-aged and older adults. "That is a serious gap given that so many older people are starting to use it," she says.

Read Next:

• Cannabis-Based Dronabinol Could Transform Alzheimer’s Care, New Study Finds

All of the reporting in this article comes courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.

Cover image made with AI.