Do you know there are many types of Dementia? People tend to use Alzheimer’s and dementia interchangeably but this is incorrect. Treatments and medications between the various types of dementia vary widely. A misdiagnosis can result in an incorrect way of caring for the person.
When someone hears that a loved one is suffering from Dementia, they might assume that the cause is Alzheimer’s disease. In many instances, this is the case, but in truth there are a variety of circumstances or diseases that can lead to Dementia.
Dementia is a brain disorder that affects communication and performance of daily activities and Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that specifically affects parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language.
What is Dementia?
Dementia is an umbrella term for a set of symptoms including impaired thinking and memory. It is a term that is often associated with the cognitive decline of aging. However, issues other than Alzheimer’s can cause dementia. Other common causes of dementia are Huntington’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, dementia with Lewy Bodies, Frontotemporal dementia and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
The treatment and medications for each type of dementia varies drastically. It is very important to get an accurate diagnosis from medical professionals, especially since some patients suffer from more than one type of dementia simultaneously.
What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
According to the Center for Disease Control, Alzheimer’s disease is a common cause of dementia causing as many as 50 to 70% of all dementia cases. In fact, Alzheimer’s is a very specific form of dementia. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s include impaired thought, impaired speech and confusion. Doctors use a variety of screenings to determine the cause of dementia including blood tests, mental status evaluations and brain scans.
How Are They Different?
When a person is diagnosed with dementia, they are being diagnosed with a set of symptoms. Like a sore throat, a person knows their throat hurts but not the cause. It could be allergies, strep throat or a common cold. When someone has dementia, they are experiencing symptoms often without knowing the cause.
Another major difference between the two is that Alzheimer’s is currently not a reversible disease. It is degenerative and incurable. Some forms of dementia, such as drug interaction and vitamin deficiency, are actually reversible or temporary
Tips for communicating with a loved one suffering from the condition including:
- Set a positive mood for interaction.
- Get the person’s attention.
- State your message clearly.
- Ask simple, answerable questions.
- Listen with your ears, eyes and heart.
- Break down activities into a series of steps.
- When the going gets tough, distract and redirect.
- Respond with affection and reassurance.
- Remember the good old days.
- Maintain your sense of humor.
And here’s one more tip. Don’t go it alone. It won’t do your loved one any good if you get sick or lose your temper because you’re exhausted from taking care of them.
We at SARA are here to help you cope with Alzheimer’s or Dementia in all its stages. Your loved one gets to stay at home and you get the relief you need. Our experience team of certified HHAs are specially trained to work with Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients. We have a great team of Registered Nurses supervising the care program for your loved one. Our nurses will come to your home and work with you to create the best individualized plan that will work for both your loved one and the entire family. And our HHAs are supported by a care management team who are experts, providing 24/7 coverage, care coordination, legal compliance and insurance assistance.