Alzheimer’s and Dementia: What’s the Difference?
Your aging loved one was recently diagnosed with dementia. If you’re like most people, you probably think of Alzheimer’s disease when you first hear the word “dementia,” but are they the same thing? Although these terms get used interchangeably much of the time, they do not necessarily mean the same thing. Alzheimer’s patients do have dementia, but dementia patients may not necessarily have Alzheimer’s.
Dementia is an umbrella term for a degenerative disease where cognitive function and the ability to perform everyday activities undergo deterioration.
Alzheimer’s disease falls underneath the dementia umbrella, as do vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, Huntington’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. That’s why it is important to educate yourself about the disease and its types.
Types of Dementia
Dementia occurs for a variety of reasons — one of which is Alzheimer’s disease. The reason the terms “dementia” and “Alzheimer’s” are often used interchangeably is that Alzheimer’s disease accounts for an estimated 60-80 percent of dementia cases.
Although Alzheimer’s disease is the most well-known and common form of dementia, not everyone with dementia has Alzheimer’s disease. There are many other different types and causes of dementia, including:
- Lewy body dementia
- Frontotemporal dementia
- Vascular dementia
- Parkinson’s disease dementia
- Huntington’s disease
- Mixed dementia
What Are The Symptoms of Dementia?
Dementia isn’t just about memory loss, such as forgetting someone’s name or where you parked. Although memory decline is a common symptom of dementia, other symptoms impact an individual’s ability to perform everyday activities independently.
For a person to be diagnosed with dementia, a doctor must find that they have two or more cognitive areas in decline. Common symptoms include:
- Forgetfulness
- Lack of motivation and initiative
- Changes in thinking skills
- Poor judgment and reasoning skills
- Decreased concentration and attention span
- Disorientation and/or decreased spatial awareness
- Changes in language and communication skills
- Mood changes, such as depression and/or anxiety
Treatment of Dementia
Although forgetfulness and memory problems are normal parts of aging, you shouldn’t ignore these symptoms. With treatment and early diagnosis, you can slow the progression of the disease and help maintain mental function. Treatments may include medications, cognitive training, and therapy.
However, dementia symptoms will progress over time. For some people, dementia progresses rapidly. For others, it takes years to reach an advanced stage. In the mild stages, your loved one may be able to perform their daily routines without difficulty. By the moderate stages, they might start to have trouble doing routine tasks they always did. In the severe stages, they will need help with day-to-day activities.
It’s important to develop a plan with your loved one while they are able to participate that identifies goals for future care. You’ll need to consider financial and legal issues, safety and daily living concerns, and long-term care options.
How to Know When it’s Time for Memory Care?
How do you know when it is the right time to consider moving your loved one to a specialized memory care community? The answer will be different for everyone, but there are signs to watch for.
For more information on recognizing when memory care might be necessary for your loved one, download our eBook “When is the Right Time for Memory Care?”, a helpful guide for family caregivers on how to know when it’s the right time to move an elderly parent or loved one to memory care.
