At Abbey Road Family Care, we understand how challenging it can be to navigate the complexities of Alzheimer’s and dementia, both for seniors and their families. While these terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to different conditions with unique symptoms and characteristics. Our goal is to provide clarity and support as you explore the best care options for your loved ones.
What is Dementia? Dementia is not a specific disease but a general term used to describe a decline in mental abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life. It encompasses a group of symptoms that include memory loss, impaired reasoning, and difficulties with other cognitive functions.
Here are key points about dementia:
It’s Not a Normal Part of Aging: Dementia is caused by damage to brain cells that disrupt communication between them, affecting thinking, behavior, and emotions.
Different Types Exist: There are various types of dementia, including vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and mixed dementia (where changes from multiple types occur simultaneously).
Alzheimer’s Is the Most Common Cause: Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases.
What is Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer’s disease is a specific type of dementia caused by progressive brain cell damage. It begins in areas of the brain responsible for learning and gradually impacts other functions, leading to increasingly severe symptoms over time.
Key facts about Alzheimer’s include:
Early Signs: The most common early symptom is difficulty remembering newly learned information.
Progression of Symptoms: As the disease advances, individuals may experience confusion, disorientation, mood and behavior changes, and eventually challenges with speaking, swallowing, and walking.
Not Just for Seniors: While most people with Alzheimer’s are 65 or older, younger-onset Alzheimer’s affects approximately 200,000 Americans under 65.
Symptoms of Alzheimer's
The most common early symptom of Alzheimer's is difficulty remembering newly learned information. Just like the rest of our bodies, our brains change as we age. Most of us eventually notice some slowed thinking and occasional problems with remembering certain things. However, serious memory loss, confusion and other major changes in the way our minds work may be a sign that brain cells are failing. Alzheimer's changes typically begin in the part of the brain that affects learning. As Alzheimer's advances through the brain it leads to increasingly severe symptoms, including disorientation, mood and behavior changes; deepening confusion about events, time and place; unfounded suspicions about family, friends and professional caregivers; more serious memory loss and behavior changes; and difficulty speaking, swallowing and walking. People with memory loss or other possible signs of Alzheimer’s may find it hard to recognize they have a problem. Signs of dementia may be more obvious to family members or friends.