About Dementia
How common is dementia?
Isn’t dementia part of normal aging?
-
Occasionally misplacing car keys -
Struggling to find a word but remembering it later -
Forgetting the name of an acquaintance -
Forgetting the most recent events
What are the signs and symptoms of dementia?
-
Memory -
Attention -
Communication -
Reasoning, judgment, and problem solving -
Visual perception beyond typical age-related changes in vision
-
Getting lost in a familiar neighborhood -
Using unusual words to refer to familiar objects -
Forgetting the name of a close family member or friend -
Forgetting old memories -
Not being able to complete tasks independently
What increases the risk for dementia?
-
Age
The strongest known risk factor for dementia is increasing age, with most cases affecting those of 65 years and older
-
Family history
Those who have parents or siblings with dementia are more likely to develop dementia themselves.
-
Race/ethnicity
Older African Americans are twice more likely to have dementia than whites. Hispanics 1.5 times more likely to have dementia than whites.
-
Poor heart health
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking increase the risk of dementia if not treated properly.
-
Traumatic brain injury
Head injuries can increase the risk of dementia, especially if they are severe or occur repeatedly.
How is dementia diagnosed?
What are the most common types of dementia?
-
Alzheimer’s disease . This is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60 to 80 percent of cases. It is caused by specific changes in the brain. The trademark symptom is trouble remembering recent events, such as a conversation that occurred minutes or hours ago, while difficulty remembering more distant memories occurs later in the disease. Other concerns like difficulty with walking or talking or personality changes also come later. Family history is the most important risk factor. Having a first-degree relative with Alzheimer’s disease increases the risk of developing it by 10 to 30 percent.
-
Vascular dementia . About 10 percent of dementia cases are linked to strokes or other issues with blood flow to the brain. Diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are also risk factors. Symptoms vary depending on the area and size of the brain impacted. The disease progresses in a step-wise fashion, meaning symptoms will suddenly get worse as the individual gets more strokes or mini-strokes.
-
Lewy body dementia . In addition to more typical symptoms like memory loss, people with this form of dementia may have movement or balance problems like stiffness or trembling. Many people also experience changes in alertness including daytime sleepiness, confusion or staring spells. They may also have trouble sleeping at night or may experience visual hallucinations (seeing people, objects or shapes that are not actually there).
-
Fronto-temporal dementia . This type of dementia most often leads to changes in personality and behavior because of the part of the brain it affects. People with this condition may embarrass themselves or behave inappropriately. For instance, a previously cautious person may make offensive comments and neglect responsibilities at home or work. There may also be problems with language skills like speaking or understanding.
-
Mixed dementia . Sometimes more than one type of dementia is present in the brain at the same time, especially in people aged 80 and older. For example, a person may have Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. It is not always obvious that a person has mixed dementia since the symptoms of one type of dementia may be most prominent or may overlap with symptoms of another type. Disease progression may be faster than with one kind of dementia.
-
Reversible causes . People who have dementia may have a reversible underlying cause such as side effect of medication, increased pressure in the brain, vitamin deficiency, and thyroid hormone imbalance. Medical providers should screen for reversible causes in patients who are concerning for dementia.
How is dementia treated?
What to do if a loved one is suspicious of having dementia?
-
Discuss with loved one . Talk about seeing a medical provider about the observed changes soon. Talk about the issue of driving and always carrying an ID. -
Medical assessment . Be with a provider that you are comfortable with. Ask about the Medicare Annual Wellness exam. -
Family Meeting . Start planning, and gather documents like the Health Care Directive, Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, Estate Plan.