• Percentage of patients treated by rivastigmine 10 cm2 patch sizes for at least 8 weeks at week 24 (ITT population)
  

• Mini-Mental State Examination score at baseline, week 8, 24 and premature discontinuation
  
• Clinical Global Impression of Change (week 8, 24 and premature discontinuation)
  
• 4 scores from the Activities of Daily Living (budget, transport, drug management, phone) at baseline, week 8 and week 24 or at premature discontinuation
  
• At any time : Adverse events, vital signs, physical examination
  

Inclusion Criteria:

• Males, and females of at least 50 years old with a primary caregiver
• Probable Alzheimer's disease
• Mini-Mental State Examination score of ≥ 10 and ≤ 26
• Patients initiating therapy for the first time with a ChE inhibitor (patients prescribed both rivastigmine and memantine are allowed) or patients who failed to benefit from previous ChE inhibitor treatment
• Residing with someone in the community throughout the study or, if living alone, in contact with the responsible caregiver everyday

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients not treated according to the product monograph for capsules
• Current diagnosis of an active skin lesion/disorder that would prevent accurate assessment of the adhesion and potential skin irritation of the patch (e.g., atopic dermatitis, wounded or scratched skin in the area of the patch application)
• History of allergy to topical products containing any of the constituents of the patches

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply.