Neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia are heterogeneous, therefore symptoms should be considered individually as successful strategies may differ. The one published, well-conducted systematic review of non-pharmacological management of agitation in dementia included only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published before 2004 in English or Korean; it found just 14 papers and evidence of effectiveness only for sensory interventions.9 The review did not consider whether interventions were effective only during the intervention or whether the effect lasted longer; the settings in which the intervention had been shown to be effective (e.g. in the community or in care homes); or whether the intervention reduced levels of agitation symptoms and was preventive or treated clinically significant agitation.