Caregiving Articles
© Copyright 2007 Sheryl Karas & Paul Hood
Who Can You Trust about Alternative Approaches to Dementia Care?
by Sheryl Karas M.A.
Information about complementary and alternative medicine is continuously increasing. While there is an enormous amount of useful information and ideas being presented, others may be unreliable and potentially dangerous. How do you know what you can trust?
First, ask yourself who is providing the information? If the information is being distributed by anyone who might stand to make a profit based on what you believe about the subject, be very skeptical. The companies that make Aricept and Exelon want you to believe that spending money on their medicine is a good investment. The companies that produce Vitamin E and ginkgo biloba feel the same. It is always best to trust a neutral source that has nothing to gain or lose from the information they provide.
What are the sources of the information? If claims are being made for a particular product what research has been done and who did the research? Are there links, footnotes or bibliographical information provided so you can check the facts? Is the basis of what is being presented based on medical research, empirical evidence, or on opinion and guesswork?
Be careful about claims that state there is a correlation between one thing and another. Just because there is a correlation, does not mean one thing causes the other. For example, it was found that women who wear bras to bed are more likely to get breast cancer. Does that mean that wearing a bra to bed causes breast cancer? No. You need to ask why a woman wears a bra to bed. It's possible that the psychological or physical reasons that lead to that choice of bedwear is more important than the bra itself. Whenever a source of information (the news media is especially guilty of this) jumps to major conclusions based on correlation data a red flag should go up. Ask your own questions about the studies presented and assess for yourself whether the study answers enough questions to be a guide for your choices.
Is there any danger in trusting the information provided? You should ask yourself this whether you are choosing conventional or alternative approaches. What side effects have been found? What is the cost? Are there opposing studies? What's the worst that could happen by trying this product or approach? Could you live with the consequences of the information being incorrect? There have been many beliefs that have come and gone based on "sound" medical research. For example, we used to be told it was better for our health to eat margarine; now doctors and researchers say that butter is actually better for you. On some level there is always a margin of error that needs to be taken into consideration in any human endeavor. Are you willing to be a daring pioneer? Or would you rather wait until more evidence has accumulated before making a decision?
Is the pain involved in the treatment (if any) worth the potential gain? In the long run would you rather enjoy yourself while living a shorter life or live as long as possible regardless of what that takes? It is a legitimate choice to choose ice cream over tofu even if you believe tofu is better for your health. It has actually been shown that those who worry about their health and subsequently become obsessed with the details of staying healthy are actually more at risk for major health problems than those with more moderate habits.
In the long run trust is a spiritual issue. Do you believe that the resources you need to weather any storm will be there for you no matter what happens? We all die. We all get sick. We all have made big mistakes. Taking the first step into uncharted waters is an act of faith: what if this isn't the right choice? Do you have enough faith to know you can live with the consequences no matter what choice is made?
This article can be found in Sheryl’s latest book The Spiritual Journey of Family Caregiving.
Caregiving Articles