About Dementia

 

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The word “dementia” is an umbrella term for anything that can cause issues with brain functioning such as confusion, memory loss, or loss of problem solving ability. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia in older people, but there are many more varieties, including Lewy Body dementia, vascular dementia, or frontal lobe dementia.

 

There is now a greater understanding of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) which causes a mild but noticeable and measurable decline in cognitive abilities, including memory and thinking skills. A person with MCI is at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s or another dementia but it is not always the case.  Because the changes caused by MCI are not severe enough to greatly affect daily life, a person with MCI does not meet diagnostic guidelines for dementia although it is still important to recognise and understand the implication of MCI and necessary steps to take.

 

Dementia often develops slowly and is not always obvious in the initial stages. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive illness. This means that the structure and chemistry of the brain become increasingly damaged over time. Symptoms similar to dementia can be seen in other illnesses. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell apart dementia from the usual mild forgetfulness seen in normal ageing.

Most of us forget things every day, like people’s names or where we put our keys, but this is not necessarily a sign of Alzheimer’s or dementia. In dementia, memory loss is more serious and recurrent than forgetting things occasionally.

 

There are many reasons why people become forgetful. Some medicines and drugs can affect memory, for example. Depression, anxiety, vitamin deficiency and thyroid problems can also cause forgetfulness, so it’s important to get the right diagnosis and rule out anything that may not be dementia but causing dementia like symptoms.

 

Families often say that they struggle to understand what doctors mean by dementia. That’s why it’s important to ask the doctor what type of dementia is being diagnosed.

 

Doctors should work towards understanding an individual’s circumstances enough to tell you the specific diagnosis and the reason for that diagnosis.

 

It’s important to know the type of dementia being diagnosed because different dementias have different characteristics, and families and carers need to know what to expect. Each person is different with sometimes multiple contributing factors to their wellbeing and knowing how a dementia may present in a person can be helpful at challenging times.

 

Ensuring a person has a well-informed network of support empowers all involved and aids the gathering of necessary information required for healthcare professionals, social services and other dementia care specialists, focused on providing the best possible support as and when it is needed.

 

There are options available for Alzheimer’s and dementia care professionals to look after your loved ones, people that are trained to understand the distinctions between various dementias, how they may present in an individual, how to learn and translate behaviours into a way to understand and ways to overcome the challenges. You do not have to face a struggle on your own and you can manage the experience of dementia with the right help and support.

 

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