Explaining Wernicke, Korsakoff, and long-term supports — CASC communication station

Open. Introduce role; acknowledge fear and anger; thank sister for advocacy. [5]

Wernicke. Heavy drinking plus poor nutrition can empty the body’s stores of vitamin B1 (thiamine). The brain’s energy systems fail in specific areas — people can become confused, develop eye-movement problems, and become unsteady. That is a medical emergency called Wernicke’s encephalopathy. We do not wait for every classic sign. High-dose B1 into the vein for several days protects and treats the brain better than ordinary tablets in this acute phase.[1][2]

Korsakoff / ARBI. After that injury, some people are left with severe difficulty laying down new memories (Korsakoff). They may fill gaps with confident wrong stories — not lying on purpose. Broader alcohol-related brain injury can also affect planning and judgement. This pathway is different from typical late-life Alzheimer disease, though mixed problems can coexist in older people.[3][4]

Scans. MRI can support the diagnosis but treatment starts on clinical grounds; a normal scan does not always rule out early Wernicke.[2]

Hope and honesty. Stopping alcohol and good nutrition give the best chance of improvement over months; memory problems may still need long-term strategies (diaries, routines, supported housing if needed).[5][6]

Lease tomorrow. Because he cannot reliably remember new information, he may not currently have capacity for that decision — we will assess carefully and involve appropriate supports rather than rush a binding agreement.[3][5]

Close. Teach-back; written info; addiction and ARBD follow-up; crisis contacts; sister involved with consent. [5]