What is Dementia?
Dementia is a very broad term that is often characterised by those currently suffering from a loss of memory, attention, thinking ability and several over mental abilities. Dementia is very serious with the changes severe enough to affect a person’s social and occupational functioning. There are many different factors that can cause a person’s dementia. Dementia happens when the parts of someone’s brain used for a number of reasons such as learning, speaking, memory plus decision-making are damaged or diseased.
The most common form of dementia that people suffer from in the world is Alzheimer’s disease which is normally associated with the elder community. People suffering from dementia symptoms can be improved through certain types of tailored treatment but diseases that can cause dementia can not be cured.
According to the Alzheimer’s Society UK, the majority of dementia that people suffer from is not inherited by their children or grandchildren. There has been some scientific research to show there can be a genetic link but they only account for a small proportion of dementia cases. By getting an early diagnosis you can treat and manage dementia better meaning you can deal with the symptoms and behaviour changes.
Why is it important to get diagnosis for Dementia?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for dementia at this current moment in time but you can slow down the progress greatly through an early diagnosis so the person affected can maintain their body and mental function for a lot longer.
Diagnosis has helped many people who suffer from dementia get the right treatment and support, not only can extremely benefit the person with dementia but it can help the people most close to them prepare for the future to support them correctly. By finding the right tailored treatment the person will still be able to lead an active lifestyle and fulfilled life.
The most common types of Dementia
As there are many different forms of dementia, it’s key to get a diagnosis to be able to find underlying dementia that you or a loved one may be suffering from. There are common types of dementia that you may have already heard which are.
As previously spoken about, the most common cause of dementia cases as it accounts for 60 all the way up to 80% of cases. It is brought on by specific changes in the brain. The most common symptom that people show and is often associated with dementia is forgetting events that happened minutes before or hours or even important events that happened in their life years ago. It can bring other massive concerns as people with Alzheimer’s disease often struggle with their walking and talking and it can change a person’s personality. It is mostly found in the elder age but another risk is your family history as it can increase the risk of someone having it by 10-15%.
This form of dementia can lead to drastic changes in someone’s personality and behaviour due to the part of the brain being affected and linked to it. People who suffer from Fronto-Temporal Dementia may behave in a way that could seem as embarrassing or they might behave inappropriately. People who may have been known to be cautious in the past can start displaying irrational behaviour such as blurting out inappropriate comments that could be offensive. There can also be language skill problems with this condition.
Around ten percent of dementia cases is linked to strokes or other underlying issues to do with blood flow to the brain. Those who suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can be an added risk factor. The symptoms of vascular dementia can range depending on the area of the brain plus the size affected. The progress of this disease is a step-wise fashion meaning the symptoms that they are experiencing will get worse as the person affected has another stroke or mini-strokes.
Those suffering from Lewy Body Dementia can have typical symptoms such as memory loss but people with this type of dementia can have much difficulty with their movement and balance causing them to be a danger of falling which could hurt them. People with Lewy Body Dementia can also experience symptoms such as confusion, daytime sleep and long staring spells.
People can often suffer from multiple types of dementia inside their brains at the same time. It is more frequent in those who are aged 80 or older. It is hard to detect if someone is currently suffering from mixed dementia since one type of dementia can be more prominent or it begins to overlap with another.movement and balance causing them to be a danger of falling which could hurt them. People with Lewy Body Dementia can also experience symptoms such as confusion, daytime sleep and long staring spells.
Dementia treatment options
How you approach the treatment of dementia will depend on the underlying cause plus what type of dementia the person is suffering from. Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s have no cure but there is a medication that is able to help protect the brain and help them manage their symptoms a lot better.
There are many different forms of treatment one can do in order to help treat dementia symptoms it can range from a number of therapies, lifestyle changes and more. Finding the right treatment is crucial and that is why diagnosis is so important as you will be able to see the amount of support it is going to require and what type of dementia they suffer from. There is not one treatment that works for all people as everyone is unique, that is why it’s key that you find a treatment plan that suits the individual for the best chance to live a healthier and more manageable life with dementia.
We understand that a dementia diagnosis can be extremely stressful and can flip people’s world upside down and it can be difficult to come to terms with it or a loved one may take it badly, we can help get mental health professionals to adjust to their condition so they can manage it better.