Dementia: The Facts
Gradually getting a little forgetful is common as we age
. Most of us have times when we will forget a small detail like where we put the keys or that phone number that was on the tip of our tongue a few minutes ago. While some forgetfulness is expected in older adults, when dementia occurs it is an abnormal memory loss due to the problems in the brain.
Basic Statistics:
Several types of dementia or dementia-like diseases and disorders exist, though the most common form is Alzheimer's. While the exact figures of dementia diagnosis for any given year might differ slightly each year, on average around one out of 20 adults over the age of 65 will develop some form of dementia before they pass on.
For those over the age of 85, roughly one out of five will have some form of dementia. In general, dementia is not common in younger individuals, though some rare individuals might develop symptoms of dementia earlier in life or due to the other problems that result in similar symptoms.
Signs of Dementia:
The signs of dementia vary slightly between the specific disorders and their causes, but in most cases the initial signs are the same.
Usually, individuals who develop dementia start by having memory loss that is much more than they should. In many cases, this memory loss might result in mood swings, gradual inability to perform normal daily tasks and changes to personality.
As dementia worsens over time, individuals are no longer able to provide basic care of their needs. In this situation, care homes might be a necessary step in keeping your loved ones healthy.
Types of Dementia:
Several types of dementia might occur in individuals. While numerous types are available, a few types are more common than others.
The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. In this disease, the dementia forms due to damaged tissues in the brain caused by plaque build-up or tangles that slowly kills off brain cells.
Vascular dementia is another common form of this scary condition. This type of dementia occurs when the arteries to the brain are blocked and oxygen is cut off, resulting in the death of some brain cells. It is most common in individuals who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or who smoke.
Lewy body dementia occurs when the symptoms in the patient take on aspects of both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
Other forms of dementia might occur, but are rare or uncommon in most individuals.
Treatment:
Treatment will vary depending on the specific patient's needs. In many cases, when family members are no longer able to care for the patients they might need to go into nursing homes for the best available care.
Dementia is not curable at the present time and is a progressive disease that slowly gets worse over time. While this is true, treatment can slow the progression if the specific disease is caught early.
Dementia is a scary disease because it takes the mind before it starts affecting the body. While it is scary, families can have hope that care homes can provide the appropriate care for loved ones so that their old age is as comfortable as possible.
by: Jamie Simpson
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