Dementia: Types, Symptoms, Stages, and More
Dementia refers to a set of symptoms that cause loss of memory, thinking abilities, and logical reasoning to an extent that affects the individual’s daily activities. Dementia is not a specific disease but is a generic term for the inability to remember, think, or reason. Dementia occurs in various forms like Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and others. Even though dementia occurs in the elderly, it does not result from normal aging.
In this blog, we will look at the various forms in which dementia occurs and the unique symptoms each presents.
Forms of Dementia
1) Alzheimer’s Disease
This is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 50% to 80% of dementia cases. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, that is it develops and gets worse with time. It involves the progressive degeneration and death of brain cells. There are various factors that cause Alzheimer’s including a combination of genetic changes, lifestyle problems, environmental issues, and abnormal accumulation of tau protein in the brain.
The early signs of the disease include forgetting recent events. Over time, it progresses to aggravated memory problems and an inability to perform everyday tasks.
The common symptoms are memory loss, poor judgment, language problems, and unpredictable behavior. People with Alzheimer’s repeat statements and questions over and over, get lost in places they used to know well, misplace things by placing them in odd places, and forget the names of their family members. Over time, they also become more violent, angry, anxious, and worried.
2) Vascular Dementia
This is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. It is caused due to reduced blood supply to the brain due to a variety of factors like partial blockage, stroke, and blood clots, thus depriving the brain of vital nutrients and oxygen. Symptoms include problems in concentrating, communicating, comprehending instructions, personality changes, restlessness, agitation, slowed thinking, loss of interest, and poor balance.
As vascular dementia is related to the blood supply, maintaining a healthy heart can reduce the risk of vascular dementia.
3) Dementia with Lewy Bodies
This progressive disease can affect an individual’s ability to think and move and cause hallucinations and sleep disturbances. It is caused due to protein deposits in the brain region that is involved in thinking, memory, and movement (motor control).
Early-stage symptoms include sleep problems, hallucinations, movement difficulties, and restlessness. In the middle stage, it progresses to frequent falls, greater paranoia, trouble swallowing, and speech difficulty. This further progress to bowel incontinence, extreme muscle rigidity, difficulty eating and drinking, and increased susceptibility to pneumonia and other infections due to a weak immune system.
4) Frontotemporal Dementia
This dementia affects the front and side regions of the brain, impacting an individual’s personality, behavior, and language.
Symptoms include socially inappropriate conduct, impulsive actions, language problems, muscle weakness, frequent falls, changes in eating habits, eating inedible objects, poor personal hygiene, and poor judgment. These symptoms can be misdiagnosed as psychiatric problems, most commonly as a mood disorder.
5) Mixed Dementia
Mixed dementia is where 2 or more types of dementia coexist. Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia is the most common form of mixed dementia. As most of the symptoms overlap, it is difficult to diagnose mixed dementia from symptoms alone. Healthcare providers suspect mixed dementia by analyzing the imaging scans and a combination of other tests.
Forms of Dementia
Huntington’s disease- It is an inherited genetic condition marked by the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain leading to a slow decline in a person’s movement, memory, thinking, and emotional state. The hallmark of this disease is uncontrollable movements of arms, legs, head, face, and upper body.
Parkinson’s disease- As Parkinson’s disease progresses and gets worse with time, people dealing with this disorder develop dementia that affects memory, social judgment, language, or reasoning. Â
Other conditions that can contribute to the development of dementia symptoms include traumatic brain injury, certain infections (meningitis, encephalitis), and multiple sclerosis.
Conclusion
Dementia can be challenging both for the person dealing with it and for the caregiver. Dementia can change the way the person connects and interacts with others. However, understanding the behaviors and reason behind the behavior of individuals dealing with dementia can help caregivers better comprehend the situation and provide adequate care to their loved ones.
Even though improving the symptoms of dementia is difficult, there are effective care methods that can improve the quality of life for people dealing with dementia. Stimulation therapy, social engagement, creating a safe environment, and effective communication can greatly improve the overall well-being and life of those living with dementia.
At Hummingbird Senior Resort Living, our seasoned and experienced caregivers provide the utmost care on a holistic, whole-hearted, and personal-care level, as is needed by elderly people living with dementia. The homely confines of our Memory care in Sierra Vista provide personalized care to each resident depending on their unique dementia status to ensure good quality of life for them.
Our secure environment with a range of planned daily activities helps our residents stay engaged socially and get the assistance needed to maintain a healthy and independent lifestyle. If you are looking for long-term care for your loved ones dealing with dementia, get in touch with us and schedule a tour, so you can see for yourself the secure, fun, and comfortable lives that our residents lead at our luxurious resort-style apartments.
