Difference Between Dementia and Alzheimer’s
Many people interchange the terms dementia and Alzheimer's, but these are not the same thing. Dementia is a term which is used to describe symptoms in a person. These symptoms can impact a person’s communication abilities, daily performance of activities and memory.
The most common kind of dementia is Alzheimer's which becomes worse over time. This disease affects language, thought, and memory. Distinguishing between dementia and Alzheimer's is essential, although within the two conditions symptoms may overlap, for proper management and treatment.
Dementia
Dementia is not a disease; it’s a syndrome. A group of symptoms is called a syndrome and doesn’t have a definitive diagnosis. This means that dementia is a group of symptoms which affects a person’ mental cognitive to perform tasks. These tasks can be reasoning and memory, for example. The umbrella term dementia is what Alzheimer’s falls under.
Mixed dementia is when someone has more than one type of dementia involved. A person who has mixed dementia have several conditions which can contribute to dementia. This type of dementia can only be confirmed as a diagnosis in an autopsy.
The early symptoms of dementia are easy to overlook. It can start will just episodes of forgetfulness, getting lost in familiar places and losing track of time. As dementia progresses, confusion and forgetfulness continue. People may have difficulty in remembering names and faces. Personal hygiene becomes an issue as well as poor decision making and repeated questioning.
When dementia is in its most advanced state, the person becomes unable to care for themselves. Memory becomes even, and changes in behavior start to occur which can turn into aggression and depression.
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer's slowly causes impairment in cognitive function and memory in the brain. There isn't a cure, and the exact cause of why it happens is unknown. The time that this disease is diagnosed to death can be as little as three years in people over the age of eighty. But it can be longer for people who are younger.
Years before Alzheimer's symptoms appear, damage to the brain has already begun. In the brain of a person with Alzheimer's disease, abnormal protein deposits form tangles and plaque in the brain. Cells start to die because connections between the cells are lost. The brain will begin to shrink if the case is advanced enough. While the person is alive, it's impossible to have a definite diagnosis. Only when the person has passed away, and an autopsy is performed of the brain under a microscope can it be confirmed. But a specialist can make a 90% correct diagnosis most of the time.
There isn't a cure for Alzheimer's, but there are options to help manage the symptoms of the disease. This can include medications for behavioral changes and memory loss. Also, medicines for depression and changes in the sleep pattern. There are also alternate remedies which are aimed at improving brain function in the person. Why a person is afflicted with Alzheimer’s isn’t understood completely. It’s believed that it can be a result of lifestyle, environmental factors which affect the brain over a span of time, or genetics.
There isn't one type of dementia that is any less aggressive than another kind. Each person with dementia will progress at different speeds because each case is different. Early treatment is the key to try to slow the process down and allow the person to live as normal a life for as long as possible. People who have dementia and Alzheimer's can benefit significantly from the supportive services from a home health caregiver. We here at Right at Home Smithtown have professional licensed caregivers who excel at dementia and Alzheimer’s care. Call us or contact us online today.
