This first volume looks beyond medicine to examine practical interventions that may help people living with dementia. Robert J. Brent applies cost-benefit analysis to areas such as education, Medicare eligibility, hearing aids, vision correction, and alternatives to nursing-home care, considering how each intervention affects dementia symptoms and everyday functioning.

The book goes further than simply asking whether an intervention is effective. It also considers the economic value of the results, comparing benefits with costs to determine whether an intervention is socially worthwhile. This gives policymakers and healthcare decision-makers a more practical way to think about where limited public resources can be used most effectively.