Abstract: Describes the behavioural and psychological symptoms associated with dementia, including depression, agitation, psychosis, hallucinations, delusions and apathy. Employs an integrative review to investigate why care-givers resort to anti-psychotic medication in the first instance instead of non-pharmacological interventions to manage such symptoms. Identifies three themes: low staff-to-patient ratios, insufficient specialised staff; inadequate understanding of the manifestations of dementia.