What Is Dementia?

Dementia is generally caused by abnormal changes in the brain that disrupt neuron operation and alter normal brain activity. While Alzheimer's disease is the most common form, there are numerous other types.

Dementia typically goes through three stages:

• Early stage: Usually lasting around 2 years, symptoms include forgetting recent events, confusion and an inability to perform complex tasks.
• Middle stage: Lasting 2-4 years, this period results in seniors experiencing increased short- and long-term memory loss and personality and behavior changes. They may need help with daily tasks.
• Late stage: The person requires full-time care and may be unable to perform daily tasks, including speaking, swallowing food and walking.

Symptoms of Dementia

‍As seniors age, they may become a bit more forgetful as part of the natural aging process. These signs don't mean they have a brain disorder. Diagnosing dementia is a specialist task, and the prevalence of certain symptoms can give an indication of whether your loved one is simply forgetful or has early-stage dementia. Warning signs that indicate the possibility of dementia include:

• Frequent and severe memory loss
• Difficulty with meal preparation
• Disorientation and getting lost
• Difficulty understanding others
• Forgetting familiar words
• Poor judgment
• Poor spatial skills
• Personality changes
• Loss of interest in events and tasks

Diagnosing Dementia

‍An early diagnosis allows you or your loved one to make necessary adjustments to your lives and focus on quality of life. Some dementia treatments work better to stave off disease processes if they're implemented as early as possible.

During diagnosis processes, a doctor runs tests and may request scans to establish whether there's a treatable underlying condition related to the symptoms experienced. These could include brain scans to show whether there's a sign of a stroke or tumor and to measure brain activity. Other tests for dementia include cognitive testing, such as the SAGE assessment, psychiatric evaluations and blood tests.

‍The Main Types of Dementia

‍There are a number of primary forms of dementia discussed below. It's also possible to get dementia as a side effect of other diseases, including Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease and traumatic brain injuries.

‍Alzheimer's Disease

‍Alzheimer's disease occurs when a protein causes elements of neurons to interact with a plaque that destroys neuron communication and nerve cells. It's the most common memory disorder and is responsible for more than 50% of dementia cases.

‍Vascular Dementia

‍This form of brain disorder is usually caused by a stroke or hardening of the arteries, resulting in the blockage of major blood vessels. Vascular dementia may cause memory loss, confusion and walking and speech difficulties. It's responsible for around 10% of dementia incidents.

‍Lewy Body Dementia

‍This type of dementia is caused by deposits of a protein commonly called Lewy bodies that disrupt messages in the brain and destroy brain cells. Approximately 10% of dementia cases are caused by Lewy bodies. Symptoms are slightly different from those of Alzheimer's, as memory isn't as badly affected and movement difficulties may be greater.

‍Frontotemporal Dementia

‍Primarily impacting the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, this disease is caused by an abnormal buildup of proteins in these areas. Symptoms include changes in social behavior, personality, motor coordination and language skills. It often affects people over the age of 45. Frontotemporal dementia accounts for around 5% of all cases.

‍Mixed Dementia

‍This is a combination of one or more kinds of dementia. It's usually found in seniors who are aged 80 years or older. This kind of brain disorder is difficult to diagnose and causes a relatively rapid decline in cognitive behavior.

‍Living With Dementia

‍While dementia is a progressive condition, people living with it can lead reasonably normal lives in the early and middle stages. It's important to stay as active as possible and implement measures to overcome memory and other disabilities. These include writing to-do lists, using a pill box or medication dispenser and developing a care plan.

‍Dementia Treatments

‍Although this disorder can't be cured, effective treatments can slow the disease. Several approved medications help boost chemical messengers in the brain and may improve memory, thinking and reasoning skills. Other medications treat side effects of dementia like depression, agitation and sleep problems. Research is ongoing into new treatments for Alzheimer's that may delay or even stop the progression of the disease.

‍Therapies for Dementia

‍Talk and reminiscence therapies may help. Researchers in the UK discovered that talk therapy conducted by a psychologist can relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression in 62% of participants living with dementia. Reminiscence therapies using music and photos improve communication and appear to revive parts of the brain affected by dementia.

‍Bethesda Bloom

‍At Bethesda Gardens Thornton assisted living and memory care, we offer personal memory care in a safe yet stimulating environment. We encourage seniors living with early-stage dementia to continue to live in our assisted living community. When the time comes, they can transition to memory care. Our memory care community is driven by our Bloom by Bethesda philosophy, which focuses on residents' spiritual, emotional, mental, social and physical needs.