Memory loss by any other name
September 29th 2011 21:05
In our memory care community, people often ask about the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's disease. We find that there are many misconceptions about Alzheimer's and dementia. Many people don't become familiar with the term memory care community until they need to arrange care for a loved one needing its services.
A memory care community is an assisted living facility which is licensed for California by the Department of Social Services. Not all assisted living facilities are memory care communities, but a memory care community must be a licensed assisted living facility.
Memory care communities specialize in caring for the elderly who can no longer live independently due to the effects of dementia. There are extensive regulations they must follow such as providing specific training to caregivers and having the physical features of the facility designed for safety and security. Persons diagnosed with dementia or a disease which causes dementia are appropriate candidates for living in a memory care community.
Years ago, the term senility was used in place of dementia. An elderly person was labeled senile because it was thought they had hardening of the arteries. Now the causes of cognitive damages which advance with age are better understood.
Dementia is actually a set of symptoms which arises from a number of conditions or diseases. AD is one of those diseases. In fact, the most common cause of dementia is AD. Other diseases include vascular dementia, Parkinson's disease, Lewy Body and Pick's disease. Brain disorders such as Huntington's disease and AIDS can also result in dementia. The diseases are degenerative, meaning the symptoms will get worse over time.
Some causes of dementia are reversible. Reactions to prescription medications, chronic alcohol abuse, thyroid conditions, vitamin deficiencies, brain tumors or water on the brain (hydrocephalus) when successfully treated, can result in the return of brain function.
Dementia symptoms involve more than just difficulty remembering things. The symptoms have to be strong enough to get in the way of accomplishing normal daily tasks. Memory loss, a short attention span, inability to plan or follow a sequence of instructions, finding the right words, and personality changes are just some of the problems faced by a person with dementia. It's important to note, however, that the symptoms cause a change in the person's abilities compared to what they could do at an earlier age. Don't worry that your teenager has dementia because his personality is changing and he doesn't follow directions to get chores or homework done because "he forgot." The teenage brain is something else all together.
When a doctor diagnoses a person with AD, it means that the person's symptoms and test results show that it's highly likely the brain will show the pathological features — plaques and tangles — of AD. Only an autopsy of the brain tissue by a neuropathologist can verify with complete accuracy the presence of the disease.
There's no cure for AD, but treatment of the disease and the symptoms of dementia are advancing over time. It's important to consult a physician as early as possible if there a suspicion that a change in the ability to think and recall are getting in the way of handling the demands of normal daily living.
Senior Living is written by Dr. Arlen Burger, Mary Burger and Dave Besana, management team of A Brand New Day Assisted Living
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