A nurse on the geropsychiatric unit receives a call from the son of a recently discharged client. He reports that his father just got a prescription for memantine (Namenda) to take “on top of his...

A nurse on the geropsychiatric unit receives a call from the son of a recently discharged client. He reports that his father just got a prescription for memantine (Namenda) to take “on top of his donepezil (Aricept).” The son then asks, “Why does he have to take extra medicines?” The nurse should tell the son:

1. “Maybe the Aricept alone isn't improving his dementia fast enough or well enough.”

2. “Namenda and Aricept are commonly used together to slow the progression of dementia.”

3. “Namenda is more effective than Aricept. Your father will be tapered off the Aricept.”

4. “Aricept has a short half-life and Namenda has a long half-life. They work well together.”